New-York tribune., 1882-02-14
THE NORTON MURDER TRIAL.
THE JURY IN THE CASE OF POLICEMAN FII
COMPLETED.


COMPLETED.
The iurv in the case of Bernard Fitzpatrick. the
policeman charged with the murder of Officer Nor
ton of the Fourth Precinct, was completed yester-
day. the twelfth man being accepted after seven
teen had been called and rejected. The court
room was crowded. The prisoner is a son of Alder.
man Fitzpatrick, while his victim was nephew of
Civil Justice Micnael Norton. Assistant District.
Attorney o yrne appeared for the prosecution, ana
William f. Howe defended the prisoner. Judge
Gildersleeve on the bench. The Dstrct-At
torneys opening was brief. The written statement
which he SAID that death was caused by pistol
ebot wound was admitted without objection by
the defence. Peter RYAN, sergeant of the Fourth
Precinct, was then called to show that titzpa rick
was not duty on December 10, lsol |, the day of
the murder and that he gave false excuse for his his
absence. When Mr.. OByTne announced this TO be
his intention the prisoners counsel Indignantly
objected. The exception was sustained.
Eva Weston, q showIly-dressed woman about
twenty wears of age. was the next witness. She
met the prisoner the night of the shooting in
Jarvis's liquor store III Chryste-st. John Kennedy
and Mary Ann Degnan were with him. The four
went 10 No. "A Delancey-st about lO:45 p. M. and
the way there met man named McCormaGk,
who, with Kennedy, Is Jointly indicted with the
prisoner for the murder. Alter they had been in
the house in Delancey-st for some time there was
disturbance and the woman Degnan screamed Tor
the police. III response TO her cries Policeman Nor
ton who on duty ID the street, came H. lhe
witness then left the house. .
Melissa Murphy. a servant girl employed at No. ii
Delancey-st testified tnat sic heard the woman
Degnan's cries, aud few minutes later saw all the
nersons coming downstairs When the doorstep
was reached Norton asked Fitzpatrick to pass into
the street ahead of him. This he did, and when Oh
the sidewalk Norton asked Fitzpatrick If he was
policeman. The reply diu not satisfy Norton, and
he demanded that he should show him his shield.
This request was denied. and Norton then remarked
that " it was a funny place Tor policeman to be
in As he eaid this Fitzpatrick made movement
as if to strike Norton. and the latter knocked him
down with his fist. Fitzpatrick. on regaining his
feet made a rush at Norton, who again knocked
him down. Fitzpatrick then ran into the middle of
the street and drew pistol from his pocket Nor
ton standing on the curbstone' and when he
adtrot, tAu RI nd
commanded him to put that down.. lie was
mpty handed, mis- club being in his belt. For the
moment the prisoner hestated and dropped his
arm, but either Kennedy Or Mccormack called out
TO him: Now you have got him; give 1t 10 hin"
and lie raise the pistol and fired at Norton who
was five or six feet IRON him. After the shooting
Norton clinched Fitzpatrick, aud the the two men
struggled for .some minutes. Finally Norton freed
himself from Fitzpatrick grasp and drew his club.
He had lost his strength by tDat time and the club
fell from his hand He then leaned against post
and, with the remark =" I'm gone," fell upon the
Mary Ann Degnan, the witness upon whom the
prosecution placed much reliance. aud because of
whcse absence the case was adjourned for several
days, was next examined. She knew nothing
whatever of the shooting, not having seen 1t. She
was not CTOss-eNamIned.
at No A Delancey-st, saw tie shooting and cor
robOrated the main facts as testified to by Melissa
Mnrphy He differed with her, however, IN saving
that when Norton advanced toward FltZpatrlck he
had his club IN his hand. Meyer Diamond, who
lives at No. ~ Delanceyst, also saw the shooting
especially in regard to the officer not having his
club in bis hand when he was shot. The trial will
be continued to-day.
THE WORK OF A GREAT DEPARTMENT.
The Commissioner Of Public Works, in his annual
report TO the Mayor says that 800 square yards
Of pavemonts were laid III 1881, equal To hiteen
and seveu-tenths miles of streets The present
extent of paved streets on Manhattan Island Is
Grauite and trap-blOck pavement, 244 miles; cob
BILE stone pavement, 70l2 miles; macadam pave
ment, 20 = miles asphalt pavement, Z mlle-tota
340l2 miles, AT the close Of the year there were
2352l public lamps in use in the streets, avenues,
pubic parks and places of the city, including 30
electric lights in flfth-aye., Broadway, Inrty-
fourth-st.. FOurteenth-st, UBiOn-SquaTe and Madi-
usnl1ar.. IGl 600 cnLic Iee1 of nns Avnre scl