, 1879-07-06

is Yet to come, when the pearIy gates OF tht
New Jerusalem stand ajar and they are bidder
to enter and receive the golden cro9n.
THE MONTCLAIR HOMICIDE.
Statement OF 5fr. Blair, Who Shot md
| Killed His Coachmap.
| 3ew Iark Times, J4lu 3.
The Inquest in the case OF John Armstrong,
the coachman who wss shot by his employer,
| joseph A. Blair at the latrer's residence IN
Montclatr. n. j., was resumed yesterday morn
| ing in the Newark Court-Housc.
| After several witnesses had been heard, the
Coroner said: you can now make state
meut, Mr. Blair, ii you wish"
| II should likc to-" said the prisoner, walking
| to the witness seat. After rccounting the cir
cumstauccs Of his hiring Armstrong, and relat-
| ing instances Of his sur1iness, he entered upon
4 narration OF the circumstances of the fatal
| Thursday night. He had not proceeded far
when his voice began to tremble, and once or
| twice during the recital he stopped to choke
down the sobs. Beginning with the story
Of Johns abuse to the horses, as told him
by Miss Draper, he said: II told her
would 60 out quietly after tea and talk to
| him about 1t, and after tea went OUT
John and Edward were in among the horses,
which John was bedding. Edward was doing
nothing that saw. | went up TO him md, said
I, tJohn. what road did You como home yester-
day2' He said, What, sir?' said, What
road, what way did you come homer he said,
i came home by the road.' I said, fWhat
ness so long IS cot here said. John, the
reason ask is that I havc beard that you we're
driving furiously about the town yesterdav.'
He said, It's q lie.' He then turned around
upon me, and abused me. Edward started
advanced toward me in a threatening man.
ner, and said, THE c. d -, and
you, too. Can't man take drink With
out the whole town talking about it?' / said,
John, think you ought to stop.' I talked
pleasantly with him, and he said, don't care
n G-d- Montclair is the d place I
ever was in in my life-' / said, I will paw you
Jour money, and you can co. He said. I will
go when please, and when get d. good
and ready, and you aud no other c. d.
- can't make me go any sooner.' told
him to come to the Squire and he would settle
the matter. Then went and asked
Rosselot who wos the Squire, and he said
Squire Pillsbury. / went bach, and said, John,
Squire He said,. II will do us d please.
There's the horses in the stable. Hitch 'em up
YOURSELF l said, Il can't do anything with
you, and would rather the Squire would come
here and settle it, He did take the horse, and
commenced to put the harness on. After he
got one piece on. he came to the other side of
the barn, where I was standing all the time, and
then = commenced abusing me again, calling me
with my boy, Who was q little behind her. When
she got near, she said: John, can't yon stop
this disturbancel' John still continued to
swear and abuse me. ! said: You mustn't
swear in the presence Of Mrs. Blair John
said: I don't care d--lor Mrs. Blair or you
thar IF vrr1 mt foot iuEi1 har1
I'll shoot your t. D. heads off, I then
became alarmed and started for the house.. I
ran in the house, and Ophelia came just as was
passing through the hall, and called out, Mr.
While 7 was on the stairs I saw her there and !
eaid, Keep quiet, Ophelia-' 1 vent up to my
room, took my pistol out Of the case, aud put !
it In this right-hand hip, pocket [placing his
hand on his pocket. 1 then. then Tent @
Blair nor anr one on my way to the barn. I |
said, John, want the KEYS OF the barn, and I |
want to pay you.' He came up close to me, aud |
said, 'D--y you, I'll give you the keys aud be |
rushed n9 the st2irs followed hm to the top
his pocket and pull out the KEYS. I feared he |
was going for his pistol, for l knew he had one |
there, and I called ont two or three Times, |
9 John, don't open thnt door, placing my left |
door and dragged me into the chamber, across |
toward the large shelf near the window, aud |
still had my hand on him. He .rasped the
pistol, and I put my band in my pocket and
grasped mine. ! drew it quickly from my
pocket, md took no aim (standlDs up IN an
excited manner as he spokel, and fired. ! had
no desire to kill him, only to disable him, II
possible. BE turned instantly. and fired again |
almost instantly. I then grasped the pistol
with my left hand and took it from him, aud
side bt the stable doors. I ran toward the
Bisr BEdse and aD Miss Draper. Mrs. Blair cried,
Oh, Joe, what is the mattera Come here,
luick.' 1 ran to her and I said, Mary, could
lot help it; If had not done it would have
,een dead man, breaking out into sobs:1 I
allied Edward to 20 for Dr.. Piukham and ali
he other doctors in town. Then went to
Tohn, and said, John, we'll do the best nc can
or yoq If you did bring IT a|lap 59q1se 'Ghn
Blair then told the story OF bis efforts to alleyi~
tc the wounded mans suffertngs- /
II am deeply afflicted ut this sad occurrence"
aid Blair, in cho1ing voice, as be concluded,
rotect my own life. am ready to answer any
ueattons.n
"No." exclaimed the Public Prosecutor, "it
not necessary"
Coroner Woodruff, at 3:225 O'Clock, directed
he jury to retire and make up their verdict.
'he7 re-entered the courtroom at Cos O'Clock.
Hair took hts seat behind his counsel and calmly
waited the reading OF the verdict by and Clerk.
he audience stood up to catch every word OIL
:. It was: 1'We find that John Armstrong
anne to bis death at St. Mary's Hospital,
! The City OF Newark, State Of New Jersey
u the 9th of June, 1879, from the effect OF
istol-shot wounds received June a, 1873, at
ae hands Of. Joseph 4. Blair, and ne say that :
he said Joseph 4. Blair is guilty OF man
[aughtcr.' This bore the signatures OF five
1rors ExJudge Ellsworth argued that the =,
erdict Of the other four should be appended, ,
) counsel desired to apply to judge :
|epue to admit the prisoner to bail. :
tier some hesitation the Coroner DECIDED to
AXE the verdict Of the remaining Jurors. Inc
,ry again retired, aud the following was ..
lded to the verdict: 'sThe undersigned, .
linority Of the jury. do hereby declare that We =
nd the fact OF the death Of the said John arm ,
rong to be as stated in the foregoing verqlct, r
ID ne say that the Killing Of the said Jonn :
rnstrong by the said joseph a: Blair was 9
one in his own defense" Judge Uepue. VINO | +
as at Monmouth Beach, Was Immediately TEL +
yrapbed for bY Biair's counsel to come to New .
X and admit him to bal.
A Lock Of y Woman's Hair. 4
Losis{ana (1fo-1 F7fxs. | q
Last week, out near Mount Air Church, near
ouislaua, a1r. William Reading, farmer, had
tst cut down wbfte-oak tree twenty- Hour Inches
diameter, and was splitting up the eud next