, 1879-07-02
THE M0NTCLAIR HOMICIDE.


E.on,ng-The ratat Struggle Ia Aru,.
atronE's Nnntn.
nt.o inrk 7sn.ts, Jans 2e
John Armstrong. tic cuacimAn, who was shot
bY Mr.. Jt,sepa 4. D'alr, his employer. Ia Mont
elatr, N. j., died In st. Ntclae,'s Hospital; Now.
arS. ut 0:30 O'clock Friday hight, in the greatest
agony. A. xhurt time beiuro his death tho
reused from tho scmlconsctous state Into
which he had falDen, and received absolu-
ton at tho hands Of the RoY. Father Drain-
ard. The two bullets had not been extracted,
the phsslcana agreeing tl,at au attempt to taxa
them out would only hasten death. During tho
day lie made an antc-mortcm statement to the
County Physician, Ds. r, V. Hewlett, which is
understood to bc substantially tic sa,ne a. that
whfcl, he made to Justfcs Pti1sbnry bctore bis
removal TO The hospital from Montcialr.
When Blair heard of Armstrone's death, 10
| determined to make no further effort to ayoid
the iEnon,ing OF Imprisonment Ia cell, and
Immediately told tie constable that he was
ready to 20 to the 1ail,
A number of verslons Of the shooting OF Arm.
strong arc currort, but TINT which Blafr has gly.
ca 10 big counsel, after carefully recalling tic
circumstances, f. as follows: fio learned on
ThurstIay that Armstrong, when ut the village
thg Jay before, had driven up to liquor-sa'oon,
on o5efsa sav'% s99 h, eeef ~hish he dfsns g!
tlsc spirited pair OF horsss mally. through tho
Village. beating them numerically. Armstrong
soscFsa his service or the "a Inst, iIagIng
| ulty, and for the first two weeks Mr. Blair
saYs ho eonlurted himself properly. Within
the last week, however. ho Ind neglected l,fs
uuties. mud Ind grown insotent In manner and
OF this occurred on Wednesday night when the
carriage stood at the door watttnE 10 take tile
scatnstrcss to her home. There WAS every pros-
pcct Of n storm, mil Mr. Blair directed Arm
AftnnCr In mil In fttrf rfSin That
would not get wet: Armstrong replied that
i1o t1ad better roll them up himself ii
hs ho0S wus = nes,, not M afraid u, Of them esA dc.
| up himself. Shortly nfter dinner on Thursday
night Mr.. Blur went out to tho stable mud spoke
| to Armstrong about his abuse Of tho horses and
'is drinking In tile VILLAGE and reproVed him for
h!bitod. Mrs. Blair a,,ti lady friend vera On
tho lawn d few rods dlatnnt, md heard Arm.
strong reply 10 the most abusive language, aud
We q number Of profans ,epitliets.. MIR.
slider himself discharged, as he would not cour.
lenarso profanity IN the presence u tlle 1nlee,
aud lla demanded from him the keys Of tho
rvc them up, and he would defy him to get
| possesslon Of them, adding tint hH would blow
! Datr's brains out II tc attempted TO cn.er the
| barn. Armstrong nlso aald that llo hud been
hired for Hlunth, AMI ilG was going to kgep hs
| pnsttion until the month was up.
Alr. HtRir told him lhAt he would nav him
full tiontlls wages, although lid had worked
oniy three weeks, aud he wan!cd him then to 60.
| THIS argutnent having no effect, Mr. Blar said
he would 70 10 she VllinRe JUSTICE nnd hay9 him
aettlu tlle mutter, turning, as he spuIse, to Ed
%asa ;, s Mossnlos: anosr hired man. 4n askns
5as;s sas II psSa,v ls 'asts' sa en ''ssSt a
nround behind the barn to attend TO
soms work, leaving tho twu msn still onzagea
III their controversy, Mr.. Blair ordered the
drive to Justice piilshury's residence. This
Armstrong lutly refused 10 do, nt The same
time Fepeat!ng bis threat to blow D!ar's brains
out 4 he entered tho barn. Dlnlr turned
drawer hvc.basrclcd smith ~ Wcsson ro.
| volycr OF. number thtrty.two ealibre. which he
s Ssss Sss1a Ills Nst8;RF itp" S ~ tnes ts
"rli E!ve you The koys," REPLIED armstrong,
with Bpceial emphns,a on the ,rst word, u,,d lu
hurried into tsa stdbic. aud UT the stairs whicu
slept. Mr.. blair Ind bought lye-burrc!cd
Colts ,navy, Of tlc old pattern, which ho had
given Armstrong, to ,'se Il, case auy attctnut
:sSs 1S0 Il carried IL Sa 9 S 4s ss
l1nae't ailu capped, nnl rusty Us It vas, Was
neyerthcless q Formidable wnapon In any mans
hands: Th,s pistol was tu Armstrong; room.
Armstrong's hesis nnd caught him BY tae ieft
urn ns lie reached the door Ut t!ie room.
"Dont SOU ouen that door." !" shouted 10 TO ArttI-
strong twiee. Armstrong began. to fnn.tte In
hls pocket, ulsa drew out tic buncl, OF
| keys, With which ho managed to unlock the
! door. Armstrong DRAGGED Ills employer across
tho room toward tAp bureau. on which Sir.
ha,li on thu Seapon whun ST.: Dlalr drcw i,is lis
own pistol nn1 tired, intending only to disable
the man. Al this ttmo liz WIS clEnging to
ArmstrouE's lott arln with cue hand. Arm
| strong appeared to be uutnjured by tho ahnt,
and. having gfaspcd tAIr. Gotta revolver,
turned its iauxzio upon Mr. Blair at,d IT.
tempted 10 cock it, Then Mr. Blair pointed
lts WEAPON At, at Arinstrongs stonacl snd ared
arn aud wEeuchlnE tlu pistol FROM hts grasp as
he pulled the trigger. Armstrong fell over
upon hts bed, out arose md started III pursuit.
Of bis employer. wilo rctreatcd downstairs.
ue fell, exhausted. upon thu Erass near tho
| EIaAlo door.
Russciut corroboratcs MI. Blair's statement
tlAt l,r t,s1ce .wasuesl Armstrong nut to open
tho door of Ills roonl, having overheard hln,
| frun whsre he was NJ work behILu The barn.
i!s also suys tt.at Nj. BLAIR used no 1larsh or
tuud language ID rcbukhas Armstrong. a,,d thts
II eorroborate4 hy the ladies, who say thas they
could hear Mr. Blair talking, but werc unable
to distinguish what le sud bceausa he
| spoke III 50 quiet q tone ot vuics. Arm.
strolg, On tic CONTRARY. was not only loud al'd
tuto tlis house alter ti1e shooting, saying to Ills
wits tl,at as tod was bis Witness ha hid shot
John tn sell.dctense. a luctoT was at otieo
seat for anl Ms. ninr told lsosselot TO brfng a'l
I
examination Of Armstrong; wounds showed
that they wcru Of 4 dangerous character, und, bY
tho adylce of lhe village priest, ha was roMuyrd
to st. sie!incl's Hospital huy!ng first, however,
malc partial ante.laorteM statesnent to JUS
| tics f'f!shury, Us totio1Fs:
am :o ur 81 ysars old; was horn in Dublin, Ire.
land: hayp 0ern IN tito elnpoy Ut Joteph blair na
| Cuaci1l1n und garduner; about O'Clock OH tho
eycn!ng of June :!o Mr: bla't came hoa'o alld
tuok tic hurAe ff0 thu sFont auor nua put him In
tho stAuie; about half I'LL hour Mr. u1r ca,ne to
Thu .tans, W1ora Sas bedding, ths hurscs; ha
tetday; he was tusd that stepped and sent ioio
| sai10n. gut xlhss u beer, Ata 4sauk 1t while
was III tho uugxy; al sosts Of has.h worls passed
betwcgu VI; le went to tho hnnsu ind got pI4.ul;
ha askcA ms 10 hltcn up t!e hoens, which cid; hc
camr and pElled out lne plsIpl aud nsxsd me- tor
thv ke,. Ut thu stable; then went up.sta,ra; he
followed mo sna sn9! n,a tssics; he then went
outside lhe Darn; thsn no Wunt Np.staHs agatn aud
! got an ota pistol and tuck lMto tho aupsc.
/ TI,eru waa much Indignation among the irish
residents ot MontcalF when tho shooting be-
can1e known. hu1 crowd OF forty or tl!ty gath
cred aruund the Hair housu, III which Justice
ltIishury lectled to allow Blair ~ Ettnnin oyer
| night Ia tho custody ot q caupia of Coo*tah!es.
| i% %I,.t