New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-23
ON TRIAL FOE THEIR LIVES.

DETAILS OF THE WEST ORANGE MURDER
TRIAL OF MRS MEIERHoEFfER AND FRANZ LAM
MEMS AT NEwARK-MRs. MEIERnoEFFER's ILL
NESS. =.
There was an increase in the NUMBER OF
women present at the trial OF Newark yesterday Vi
Franz Lammens and Margaret Meicrhoefer, charged
with the murder John MeerhOeferof West OrangeMfs'
Hibbord whose visit to the house on the afternoon o
the murder first became known through the testimony
of Person the schoolmaster Oh Tuesday teslen tha
she went TO the house between and o'clock in the AZ
tcrnoon to ask why eggs had not been sent which
had been ordered. She saw Lammens, Person and MIS-
Meeroecr The excuse OF the latter was that she was
sick.
Fanny TAYLOR. n neghbor testified that she went 10
the Meierhoeer house about 230 In the afternoon on
the day OF the murder TO get some Lima beans Mrs
Meerhoe fer asked the paror The witness had
baby with her and Mrs. MelcrnOeh.r played WIN IT,
Her face very red and she seemed excited sue Iou
witness that she was SICK. Philip JOQu 10 whom Mrs
MeerhOciT addressed the letter carried ny hcf son on
the morning Of the murder. testified that ne was n"i m
officer but had once been n FIRE WARREN. lie bad
known Mrs. Meicrhoefer about twenty years bnt va.
not In the habit Of visiting her sue was ho' ~ tc lpo
Of going hun for advice Once, when ne caed AT ihc
hnusc Mrs Melcrhot fer his Fire Mardens badge
and exclaimed 05 Mr. JSgn Is poisem Hir soG
Can you arrest anyrucS" He answered, " Yes anyone
thar steals" He was away from home on the Gay Oh
Prosecutor Ahecl at this point offered the evidence Of
Mrs Neierhorflcr ana Lammens taken &c the inquest
daring the reading Of lhe testimony Mrs MccIhoeher
Looked distressed, and at one part OF it she buried her
face iu her handkerchief ana Wept. 49,, ,
Andrew j. IIopkns testified that hs at the house
BET ween 10 and O'Clock that day, Hnd be tld hOl
see Tanlnnns during tnat time.
While this witness was on the stard Mr. Mecrhocner
and passed INTO anieroom where she SAT NV M
opon window. She returned to the COURTROOM a'ef an
interval.
The Court adjourned at o'clock until this morning
TESTIMONY IN THE SMITH MURDER CASE.
SECOND DAY or THE Third 1RIAL-No NEW FACTS
BROUGHT CUT.
The Hudson County Court House. at jersey
CITY was crowdcd Yesterday at the thirl tnai of Mrs
Jennie L. Smith and Covert p. Bennett Ter the murder
Of Police Officer Richard II. Smith. About twenty
women occupied seals in The gallery and watched the
proceedncs with Inucn interest while the main floor OF
the court room was occupied by men and boys
MI winfield resumed his cros.-exaIpination Of Mrs.
Sarah McGregor who lived N the upper part OF the
honse occup.eI by Officer smith at the tine he was
killed She testified that Ms. smith told lei that the
point of the carving knife blade was broken Of She
had seen Ms. Smith suffer from ii ceycral tines
before the murder Tacy were very severe.
The morninx af:cr the murder Mrs. Smith had III.
Mrs Smith told the witness that the knife had been
missing four five weeks before the murder John /.
Banning a pol officer, testified when ho went TO the
house Mrs Smith toll him that :hc nduler occurred
after O'Clock shat morning rs she ct mp al that hour
10 get some wafer \ few minutes after she rcturucd
TO bed she saw a tall man bending over her
who placed something and sweet To her l'p-. She
then beard dull heavy thud. a. Il Der husband was
hcin. struck She was subsequently aroused To con
sciousness by feeling something cold against her side
As Banning was standing at Whin,on-st aid Commun-
pav-ayc tie morning Of tie murder man passed him
who wore a waikngcoat aud had a handkerchief tied
abou; his ne K. THIS shortly before > "a. m.
d. C. II. Case aud DR.. Converse, the County Physician
testified to the condition Of tHe body when they were
called aud OF the examinations which they made. Dr.
CouyeIs., IN bis cros--cXaunation. stated that hc
thought n extremely improbaD. that Mrs smith coud
have "a III ted The wound ON are head, VII Oh is believed
10 have been made ~ the sash weight.
Mrs James MoGrcR1r testified mat Bennct call'd on
Mrs smith several times in Apri, ISIS Mrs. smith
told her Oh one tat b. nnctt came 90 her
husbtud and she was afraid they would have trouble.
The day before the murder Mrs NJ G'cEor man In
The cellar 0i tnp house IAN into Smits apattmcni-
aud he went 10 The man WAS but could find u0
one The dad not the sash @ci2ht Iiirr June
ISIS uni, 70 was fOund IA the vault. she had heard
Low Campnrl testified tn1t De bounded win smith
Two years before the murder, and hc Identified
the l.uiic found IN 10" tduit o. tie or"
ned on <MiL'- tltc when hc lyrt Wit1 LID.
Nhrfm g. Ca.nat'. tie sep itErr Of Mr. smith. il'-
un .d H., sab weight hc had alout smith'-
house.
the house Mr. smith han Ted iim the towel W"rh Shc
said had been placed her muEtn aud small bottle
,gn.tf con aimed chioo The towel bore The iiu
prc,s of "a ilDedy hand. Mr.. smith sho"td hiin thc
ili.arfnn.cd c!u.cf. and board had been taken
nom me closet naOs. lie also the cr.piy vial
whi.h was found IN Tho cellar