The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-01
PIPER INQUEST,
PIPER INQUEST.
The Verdict or the CorOner's yury-No
Clue IA tn who Committed the Murder.

Clue as tn who Committed the Murder.
Coroner Marley yesterday concluded tn
inquest Of Alexander Piper, who was foun
murdered on the morning OF the eighteent
ultimo.
The following is the testimony elected:
PATRICK DAvBY.
knew the deceased, Alex. Piper l knoy
Scotty Brown one of the accused; [ met hin
on the evening of February 1s. In convers
ing with him he told me Of the death of Alex
Piper. Brown told me that out OF about on
hundred men present he was the only On
who took him out OF the water. and that h
told the policeman that If he had done any
thing wrong that he could arrest him. HI
also told me that he was In company of Alex
Piper at II O'Clock; he did not state whether
1t was day or night. Brown stated to m,
that Piper had a hundred dollars on his per
son, which he offered to (Brown) and h,
BROWN refused the same. He gave no reason
for refusing same.
JOHN 7. GALLAGHER,
residing at the corner of Felicity and Celeste
streets, testified as follows | knew the de
ceased, Alex Piper. am not acquitted with
John Dryer, but know Scotty Brown
heard of the death of Piper at quarter pas,
o'clock on the morning of the eighteenth
instant. This testimony not being to the
point 1t was thrown out by the jury as not
being OF any Importance.
MRS. ALICE ROBINSON,
testified. / reside at the corner of Religious
and Orange streets. ! know both the accus-
ed. | was in my room on Wednesday or
Thursday of last week, and heard Mrs,
Brown, wife of one of the accused, ask John
Dwyer, also one OF the accused, whether il
would not be better for her husband Scotty
Brown, to go away until this trouble, (mean-
IAN
ed one or two days previous to Browns
arrest; she said that there was mate of n
ship looking for him.
CHAs. WILLIAMS,
residing corner Of Orange and Religious
streets, says: / knew the deceased Alpxan-
der Piper. | also know both the accused
Brown and Dryer. On Thursday, the TWEEN
tieth instant, met John Dryer in the house
corner of Religious md Orange streets: when
| spoke TO him about the suspicious attached
to Scotty Brown In regard to the Piper muir
der he remarked that he had Just been in
with Browns wife who asked
him If 1t would not be better for Brown to
ship. on the Caledonia until the Piper affair
would blown over. Brown had not been arrest
ed at the time this conversation took place,
Dwyer asked me not to repeat the conversa-
lion to any one; he told me that Mrs. Brown
was very nervous and anxious to get her hus-
Dand out of town.
W. IL. MEEKS.
knew Alex. Piper for the past ten wears
also know Scotty Brown but do not know
lohn Dwyer. The last time | saw Scottv
8"Own was the day previous to the discovery
u Plpers body. / think 1t was the day pre-
yious; ne was working on a steamer. On the
morning OF the eighteenth | was on the levee
md heard of Piper's body being In the bat
ure. | came down and found him lying there.
| saw him with his feet on the embankment
ind his head and body We're in the water.
emoved him from the batture and placed his
lat under his head. Scotty Brown was pres
mt and assisted me In getting him out OF the |
atture. L found Scotty Brown there when |
o arrived. In moving the body of Piper,
cotty Brown, who was assisting me, re-
narked: This Is Aleck Piper" | did not |
ecognize the deceased at the time he made |
MS remark, as the face was partly covered |
y the water.
The position in which Brown was in, In nv
lze the body. Brown remarked after the |
ody had been removed that he was in com
any with Piper late the evening previous and |
ad drank with him. |
WALTER FACE;
siding at the corner of Orange and Reli-
lOus streets, testified as follows; / reside at |
he corner of Orange and Religious streets. !
now both the accused, John Dryer and Scot
7 Brown. | am laborer. ! work along
lclt. III COuNtISdUlOu WIFI IPdNCY anu
lyself, Brown remarked to us that he had
zen with Piper the day previous. | think he
emarked that it was the night previous
EDWARD DIEFFEN.
L knew Piper by sight / know Scotty
rown, one of the accused. On the morning
the eighteenth | was standing In my shop,
ear the corner OF Celeste and New Levee
reefs, when | heard a whistle blown. |
ent to see what was the matter, when a
)lceman showed me the body of man
ing in the batture almost opposite, with his
ce and part of the body In the water and
S feet on the embankment. He was doubled
D; his feet were perfectly dry.
In the position which the body occupied
'uld not recognize the deceased.
J,F. JORDAN,
ate Of the ship Forest Eagle, gave the fol-
q the morning of the eighteenth instant. /
as informed, about 6 O'Clock that morning,
lat there was the body of a man lying in
he batture opposite. | repaired to the bat
Ire and saw the body. There were six or
even persons there.
| made the remark that [ thought it was
lie body Of Charley Harris. A party. that
have since heard called Scotty Brown, re-
larked, mo; 1t is the body OF Alex. Piper"
t that time think it was impossible for any
ne to have recognized the body, unless they
ere familiar with the clothing and every
ling about the deceased. Brown came after
arrived there When the body was turned
yer, Brown remarked, Good God, who
Duld have done this2 was drinking with
i'm last night at half past eleven" Judging
ON the appearance OF the body, and the
larks of violence, | felt satisfied that he had
cen murdered. The condition of the de-
easeds pockets were in their natural posi-
on.
On the above testimony the coroner's jury
eturned verdict that the deceased came to
Is death from injuries received at the hands
parties unknown.
A sET-rO AT THE CUsTOM-H0IsR.