Daily globe., 1883-07-31
THE GROGAN MURDER,

The Inquest Over the Body of Mortimer
Grogan-A Verdict Rendered that Would
Astound Philadelphia Lawyer.
The inquest into the killing of Mortimer
Grogan, whose death resulted from a row
over the erection of fence, with George
and Jacob Gundlach, last Saturday, was
held at the store of Mccarthy & Donnelly,
at II o'clock yesterday forenoon. the in
quest being postponed to that hour on &C
count of the funeral of the deceased,
which took place yesterday morning.
The jury consisted of the following Cit
izens: A. P. Wallich, G. Pottgeiser, A. Mer-
schel, WA. McManigal, A. Wardell and
Chas. Fallon.
The testimony showed wide difference
of opinion and was very confused, one wit
ness declaring that the blow which resulted
in death was inflicted by the old man ia
cob Gundlach, with spade, while Mrs.
Grogan testified that the blow was inflicted
by the young man, with a hatchet.
DR. Quinn was the first witness. He de-
scribed the wounds on the deceased. In
the throat of deceased cut wound existed;
it was three inches long and extended
through the jugular vein and windpipe
an abrasion also existed on the left side of
the head. Death had resulted
from the wound in the neck.
S. Fannigan was the next witness. Wit.
LESS testified to seeing Grogan come home
about noon Saturday; at the time Gund-
ZACH and hid son we're engaged in putting
up fence; some angry words took place;
Mr.. Grogan made five or six threats; he
said he would mash or slay them if
they did not let up, witness went out and
told him to quit; young Gundlach also
tried to talk to him. After a wrangle
Grogan picked up stick and struck the
old man; then George Gundlach threw a
hatchet and missed him, after this Jacob
Gundlach picked up spade
and struck Grogan; Grogan then made a
pass at the young man and they grappled;
the spade blow came after the hatchet had
been thrown. Witness thought the wound
had been caused by the spade blow; it was
a right hand wipe. Witness took the spade
and illustrated to the jury the manner in
which the blow was struck.
w. II. Butterfield was the next twitness: {:
Witness was present at the quarrel; he
came home to dinner and noticed crowd
around the house; they were wrangling
about fence; after while Grogan struck
the old man with a pick handle;
the boy threw a hathet; could not say
whether it struck him or not; then Grogan
came up to the old man and the latter
made pass at him with a spade; then
blood gushed out; after this the old man
and the boy jumped onto Grogan;
they got him down when Mrs. Grogan ran
to help her husband; witness went out and
parted them, and he was positive that the
spade struck Grogan.
Thos. 81. Hall was sworn and witness
had only seen the parties Qwranglipg
on his way to dinner; had
not seen any blows struck.
Mrs. Darrow then took the stand. Wit
ness had seen the old gentleman raise a
stick and strike Mr.. Grogan, when the lat
ter went into the house. She had not
been present when the row commenced.
The testimony of this witness was very
meagre and confused.
Mrs. Grogan, the widow of the deceased,
was then sworn. She testified as follows
Last Saturday my man went to the fence
and told them, Gundlach and his son, to
let it alone; he told them not to come on
his lot, as he did not want fence put up
till the ground was surveyed; the old man
said he would put snoot on my husband.
He, the old man, then raised a spade at
my husband when the latter struck him;
then George threw an axe at my husband;
Isaw the blood come; he said, "Oh, see
that" pointing at his throat, the axe Is
what killed my man. The men then scuf-
fed and went to help my husband. Wit
ness had endeavored to assist her husband
by trying to part them.
Chief Clark testified to the facts of the
arrest, and to the statement of the young
man, who had confessed to having inflicted
the wound with an axe; the boy also said
they were fighting over fence and that
his father had nothing to do with the kill
ing.
THE VERDICT.
The following verdict was returned
That said Mortimer Grogan came to his
death by means of a blow or blows in
dicted by Jacob and George Gundlach,
and that from the testimony presented be-
fore US, and in view of the fact that a
more extended examination is to be held
in the municipal court, we do not say
whether or no the act was done in self-de-
fense.
saI1