News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-04-05
THE BILL POOLE MURDER,
An Old Crime Brought to Light by the
Elliott Affair.

The killing Of Elliott and his funer;
recalls the circumst tances of the murde
of the famous @ Bill Poole, on Februar
"a. 1865, in 5tmwix Hall, New Yorl,
Poole, like Elliott, had gained som
notOriety as q pHgilist, and, like him
moved in an atmosphere of sport an
strife. Bill Poole, the pugilist, was
prominent member of the '@American
party and Of the United Americans. HI
was born in Sussex county, n J., il
| 1888. and had been a butcher in Wash
ington Market for some years. He hat
acquired some reputation as q pugilist
He soon became a leader in the anti-Irisl
| element in politics. The opposing
faction as represented by John MOrrissey
! Jim Irving and others, did not like tC
see their own LOCAL power weakened by
! the rising irJs2 sc and it was deter
mined months before the murder to get
him out of the way at the first oppor
tunity. The attempt to carry out this
design was made late on the night Of
Saturday, February "a, 1855. Earlier
in the evening, while Poole and some Of
his friends were drinking in StanwiS
Hall, which, until it was demolished IL
February, 1881, stood at No. $40 Broad
way, Morrissey entered the place, when
a row ensued, pistols being drawn by
both men. They were arrested, but re-
leased in a short time. Poole returned
to the hall in a few hours.
At about a half an hour after midnight
six men entered the place. They were
Louis Baker, james Turner, Patrick
Mclaughlin, Cornelius Linn, Charles
Van Pelt and John Hyler. Mclaughlin
seized Poole and, asked him to fight.
After insults had been heaped ON Poole,
Turner drew a large revolver, and,
placing the muzzle over his left arm,
fired at him. He, however, only shot
himself in the arm on which he had the
pistol resting. He fell to the floor on
being wounded and commenced firing at
Poole while in that position. One of
the balls took effect i'll POOle's leg and
also brought him to the floor. Baker
than ran to where Poole lay. and,
placing the muzzIe of a revolver against
his breast. fired, the ball entering the
left side Just below the heart. All of
the assassins then made their escape.
Poole remained in the saloon until half
past nine o'clock in the morning, when
he was removed to his residence at No.
164 Christopher street, where he died on
the morning of the Sth of the following
month. His last words were:-" die
a true American" At the post-mOrtem
it was ascertained that the ball was en-
bedded in the heart.
On Sunday, March II, 1856, the re
mains of Poole were laid to rest amid
imposing ceremonies. Long before the
time announced for the funeral the house
of the deceased was thrOnged by dense
crowd, many of whom were female
friends and relatives of Poole. The
coffin. uncovered, was placed in the
middle of the room, and a passageway
formed from the front to the back doors,
the crowd passing through to gaze at the
features OF the deceased. The widow
sat at the side of the coffin, sobblng
Historically, and Tom Hyer stood at the
head, crying and sObbing like child.
PooIe's little boy, his brothers, sister and
mothcr-in-laNv we've ALSO in the room. At
about two o'clock IN the afternoon the
Rev. J. b. Walleley, Of the Jane Street
Methodist Episcopal Church, commenced
the funeral services by reading the Goth
Psalm. He then delivered a long and
impressive address, closing with prayer
for the protection Of the widow and the
fatherless. The coffin was then closed
and borne to the street. The excite
ment outdoors was intense. The street
was literally blocked up with the dense
mass of human beings, and it was with
the utmost difficulty that the different
orders and societies could file past the
house. The roofs of the neighboring
houses were thicllly covered with people,
and the windows crowded to excess with
a curious multitude The streets along
the route of the procession were literally
jammed. 1t was estimated at the time
that there were about eighty thousand
people on Broadway and Bleecker street
to witness the scene. In the procession
about four thousand persons took part.
The route was through Christopher to
Bleecker street and down Broadway to
South ferry Baker escaped on a
California clipper ship. Geo. Law
rendered the services of his yacht the
Grapeshot, which followed, captured
Baker and brought him back. He was
acquitted of the crime of murder and
went to Paris, dying there few years
ago,