The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-18
SHOT IN THE BACK.
Patrick McDemOtt, a Brooklyn Grocer,
Killed by a Fellow Tenant.
THE ASSAILANT'S PLEA.
A Quarrel Supposed TO Have
Provoked the Attack.


Nicholas Meyners q cabinet maker. came out of
the door of his workshop in the basement of No. "a
Hudson avenue Brooklyn. with an old army musket
in his hand at ten minutes before six O'Clock yes
terday morning. He had the weapon partly behind
him. if trying to conceal it, Coming up the steps
part way the sidewalk he saw Patrick McDermott,
a grocer. whose store Immediately over his
shop, fastening the awning post the shutters he
had just taken down from his windows. McDer
motifs back turned. Without q word of warning
Meyners raised his musket and fired. The ball
tered his victim s back the left side, lodging in
the intestines. Meyners was arrested. and McDer
taken to the Brooklyn City Hospital. where
he died at haf-past p. NJ, after making state
ment Of the affair.
At six O'Clock Hudson avenue, near the East River
is busy street. The neighborhood is very poor
and very populous ono. being occupied entirely by
the lower class of tenement houses and small retail
and liquor saloons OF almost the poorest kind
Men and women up and about at earlier
hour and at six O'Clock many preparing to go to
work. All orderly in the street at the moment
before the shot was fred and Officer Ryan was
standing within two hundred feet of McDermotts
door waiting to be relieved from uneventful night
watch. The crack of the musket startled hundreds.
and many persons-the policeman among the rest
McDermott stagger and fall. A dozen men who
knew and liked him sprang to his help they heard
him say. "Kate, the Dutchman down stairs has shot
me" and. lifting him tenderly they could they
bore him into the house. laid him on his bed. left
him in charge OF his wife and her friends Joined
the throng that rapidly gathering outside
THREATS LYNcHINa
McDermott popular in the neighbor-
hood where he had kept his little store for several
years. "He was nice. quiet man who minded his
own business" said the barber next door later il
the day. Meyners was comparative stranger. hav
ing moved there within three months. and
known drunkard and wife heater. The crowd
enraged at the shooting. and If the scene had
been in Western village instead Of in the City of
Churches Meyners would have made o short shrift
AS it when the officer came up he found that
he had rereated into his shop and fastened the door,
upon which the gathering crowd was evidently
meditating attack. "Kiil him." Stirring him up
Lynch the -, he shot poor McDermott in
the back" shouted some of the most violent in the
crowd. and probably if the policeman had not been
there their desire would have been carried out He
however wns equal to the occasion. None o. that"
said he "stand back" and at the sound OF the voice
of one having authority the crowd paused. The
policeman went down the steps. and with vigor
kick burst open the door. Meyners stood inside
with his musket. still smoking. In his hands. He
was PALE and trembled with fright.
'what have you done?" said the officer
81 didn't mean to do it," said Meyners
.'Come on" said the officer collaring him and
starting up the steps again.
At the top however. the crowd stood. bigger than
before and the policeman stopped. Showing Mey-
ners back into the cellar he stood with his club
drawn facing the crowd until another policeman
came up. The two then marched the prisoner
through the crowd and toward the station. being met
on the wav by half dozen men. headed by Captain
IoP cincf md vhn
having heard of the occurrence started at with
all the men he had ut hand.
THE DYING MANS STATEMENT.
An ambulance had been sent for and speedily
rived with Surgeon Plympton. who made hssty
sarily fatal saying that doubtful il he would
live to reach the hospital Nevertheless he was
taken there and Coroner simms was nosihed. He
elled q jury and took McDermotts ante-mcrtem
statement which was as follows
Patrick McDermott being at this time in the full pos
s,on Of This mornss :bSa, six Ososk
Hudson and in the &c. Of tying rope around the
TprEht Of the wnns to hold D the % n MI heard
The from the cellar Of my store believe
Hudson avenue did him shoe. me; ba' I..whim
ner .ss ss beating his MS stick kitchen She
asked mo 10 protect her and took the stick from him
was then n his cellar at Hudson avenueNo "a. did
MI. wi %ho sSas had had with hin"
s@ nj % ns at hc s H.
dd no. see Meyner come from .hs cellar after was shot
months. and uses the celia, part asa workshop occupy
Ssynsrs was Trough, before BY oniesr wa:
shO. recognize Meyaers now standing in front of me-
PATRICK x NcDERMorr
The prisoner said little. being apparently stupened.
partly by liquor and partly by incomplete reaiza-
ton of what he had done. lie has haggard face.
bloodshot eyes, brown hair and long chin whiskers.
He gave his age thirty-two years but he looks
like man at least fifty years old. When he was ar
rested he his shirt sleeves and slippers. To
Captain Crafts he made the following statement;--
al went into the shop between four and Ave A. NJ.
Having an old musket in the place. which loaded in
July year ago. determined to discharges IL
to load it afresh. opened the door to discharge
into the air. but while in the act the weapon went
of prematurey. had no intention of shooting or
injurng any person. and did not see the person who
| was injured and have not had any difnculty or
quarrel with him, nor was there existing any i'll
feeling between ns. The shooting was purely acc
dental. was drunk yesterday do not know
whether had any trouble with my wife Or not
don't know whether McDermott spoke to me or not
after beating my wife.
TnE QUARREL MURDER.
From the stores told toy the other persons living
in the louise with the two men it was learned THAI
Meyners had been Oh drunken spree for fortnight
and on Wednesday night he came home very drunk
and had violent quarrel with his wife, aud. rs he
commonly did commenced beating her with \ stick.
One witness says it was iron poker. On Tuesday
night he had been so violent that she had hed from
him. and. taking refuge IN Mrs; Donovans rooms
| her on Wednesday night some OF the neghbors,
| hearing her screams went TO her door. but would
| not interfere At length she broke away from her
husband and running upstairs. went to the door or
Mr.. McDcf motifs kitchen. He followed her and beat
her again Mrs McDermott first asked him to stop
aud then Mr.. McDermott came out and told Meyners
lie ought TO be ashamed to strike an old woman.
Some words followed and Mrs. Mcyners says that
McDermott struck her husband. This IL apparently
| corroborated by the tact that Meyners has black
| eye. Neyners and his wife then returned to their
| rooms and continued the quarrel. Mrs. Meyners
called once to Mrs. Costello. who lives in the house,
saying "AIissis, won't you come In he has got gun
| TO shoot meY Mrs Costello did not 20 in. however.
| Afterward Mrs. Costello overheard Meyners say In
the hall. II will settle some In the house. but
| no attention paid 10 the threat
| THE MEMS WIVES.
Mrs Kate AfcDermott wife OF the deceased, said to
| Captain Crafts My husband came home at three
| O'Clock yesterday afternoon from his work He had
been working all night before and all day He went
| TO bed to get some sleep About four O'Clock he