The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-04
HELD FOR CONSPIRACY 10 POISON.

JUSTICE DUFFY COMMITS JOSEPH AND MARY
voLKMER ON THE CHARGE OF DRUGGINo
CHARLES E. BLAIR-THE DEFENCE CLAIMS
THAT MARY CONNOLLY Is THE REAL CON-
SEPARATOR.
All the principals in the celebrated Blair poi
soning present in Essex Market Court yes
terday morning. at eleven o'clock. when Justice
Duffy took his seat upon the bench. The Court hav-
ing defined the law under which the fell Coun-
sellor Hathaway sad:-"It is necessary for you in
the first place to if crime has been commit
ted 1t will not do to say. 1t looks suspicious. You
must be satisfied that Blair poisoned By whose
testimony? Mary Connolly's! 1t must be hers. for
strike it out and the case falls to the ground.
Who is she? Mary Connolly has obtained.
through her own means. the reputation of being
the most corrupt thief and brazen-faced liar that
took the stand He asked what her mo-
tives in making the known the police at the
moment when Blair had escaped from his danger.
and when she had been unresisting spectator Of
the crime which she alleged. He advanced the
theory that Mrs. Connolly had confederate. who
was yet to be discovered. He said that IL Joseph
volkmer able to write certain words on the card
which given to the druggist it was strange that
Blair's letter had to be taken to friend of Mrs.
Connolly's to be read. He argued that Mrs. Con-
molly perhaps dd not intend murder put robbery:
solution was very strong she divided it into two
bottles to weaken it.
POINTING OUT INCONSISTENCIES.
go back to the chamber of death where she
makes Blair reel and fall into the Of volkmer.
won't to bed without assistance. When Blair
her up and moving about the Kitchen through the
hind him She makes Blair and herself converse on
the next morning. whereas he denies addressing her
she Thought she had put Blair to sesp and was
waiting to see whether his watch and chain were
.snide or not? And then she talks of blackmailI
This man. Volkmer. who Is six feet tall and
forty-three inches around the chest. she makes
crawl under y bed eleven inches from the ground
and remain in that position for three quarters of
hour! Then why the matchmaking plan aban-
doned? Was Mary volkmer's and Bairs modesty
hard to overcome? Although Mary Connolly knew
the volkmers going to kill Blair. yet she told
him Mary Volkmer was good. respectable woman.
her guilty mind told her that when Blair arose he
would say. I've been poisoned and she would have
and she to Bedenfeid's. Then she was alarmed and
seized the opportunity to put these people into
State Prison and atterward extract money from
Blair by claiming that she saved his life.''
vOIKMER wEEPs
Mary volkmer had been crying while her counsel
was speaking. When the last sentence was spoken
Mary Connolly laughed heartily:
''fhere she SITS" said Mr.. Hathaway, 'as das-
tardly character existed" He then claimed
that before going to tho station house she met tho
Taylor. He also argued that poison had
been administered to blair Mt all, and that his sick
was due to his meal of ssusages empty
stomach and his unusual indulgence III beer after
ward Volkmer's character was, he said, above re-
proach. The only thing to blame him for that
he became enamored OF the woman Mary Vokmer.
who . fortune teller, but there nothing
bad in that He concluded by saying IF my clients
respectable and woman like this charged
them with such u crime they would not be held for
five minutes"
Justice Duffy said:-"Your motion is denied.
Joseph and Mary Volkmer were brought here nearly
q week ago on this charge. They demanded ex-
animation and gave them They have been
ably defended, and Mary Connolly subjected to q
very severe and rigid cross-examnation. 1 give my
decision not only on her evidence, but in view of
all the surrounding circumstances and find prob.
able cause to hold the accused. They sccord-
ngly held to await whatever charge tho Grand Jury
may make against them. Their bail Is SIS 900 each.
Mary Connolly is sent to the House of Detention in
default OF $1,000 BAIL"
The prisoners gave their ages forty and thirty.
hve years respectively. Volkmer said that he was .
bartender, and Mary that she kept house. They
were both taken to the prison.
A SURETY ron BLAIR.
Mrs. Josephine Tran, of No. 49, Quincy street.
Brooklyn, went to the District Attorneys Office and
stated that she would be surety for the appearance
OF Blair whenever his presence required. She
further stated that she owned house lot at No.
$50 Dean street. which worth 81 800, and that
there a mortgage IL for 81, 500 The Assist
but added that the matter could not be
passed upon until the facts were verified.
Mr. Blair then taken back to the House of De-
tention pending the examination of tho title. The
Chief Clerk. Mr. Moses Clark, placed the papers
the calendar of the Grand Jury for to-day, and
eral parties were summoned witnesses. The
offence for which the volkmers will be indicted is
that OF Mountaineering poison with intent TO XIII,
the highest punishment for which is ten years I'M
mr.