Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-04-25
CHEATING THE GALLOWS.

The following is a fair exhibit of the man
ner in which people in our time, who com.
nit cold. blooded murders, through the vari-
Gus legal technicalities and the laws delays,
escape their Just dues:
The murder of Peter Keenan,, in New
York, by Policeman William Conroy on the
night of November 3, 1888, though nearly
eighteen months have elapsed, was ofan un-
usually atrocious character On the crimi-
nal records of that city more wanton and
unprovoked murder cannot be found. On
the night stated Conroy, who was on duty
in East Thirty sixth street, left his post, en-
tered the liquor saloon of Patrick Cody,
called for drink and refused to pay for it.
1t was apparent that he was quite drunk,
and on being demonstrated with for not pay
| ing for his drink he knocked man down
who happened to stand near, smashed in n
glass door and wound up by shooting Peter
keenan,, an inoffensive stranger whom he
| had never seen before. He fired three shots
at keenan,, beat him on the head with his
club, breaking his nose and nearly seVering
one of his ears, arrested him, dragged him
to the station house, made charge of dis
orderly conduct against his victim and then
resumed his police duty.
He had hardly reached his post when Kee-
nan died. Conroy was speedily arrested,
indicted by the Grand Jury, tried, convicted
of murder in the first degree and sentenced
to be hanged on the Sth of February, 1854.
During Conroy's trial Mr.. William +.
Howe interposed numerous legal objections
on which he obtained a stay Of proceedings
and carried the case to the General Term
OF the Supreme Court, where he made a
strong fight for .Conroy's life 1t hung in
the balance for some months, and in the
May term decision was rendered by
Judges Davis and Barrett sustaining Mr..
Howe's view of the law, but Judge Brady
wrote dissenting opinion upholding the
propriety of Conroy's conviction of murder
in the first degree.
From the General Term decision the Dis
trict Attorney appealed to the Court of APP.
peals and that court set aside the conVlc-
ton and death sentence. The case was
thus remitted to the Court of Oyer and
Terminer for new trial There it came
up for trial Wednesday before Judge Van
Brunt After brief consultation with As
sistant District Attorney Fellows, Mr.. Howe
stated that Conroy would withdraw his
former plea and interpose q plea Of murder
in the second degree.
Immediately when this plea was accept
ed Conroy's face beamed with smiles, and
Mr.. Howe said he had nothing to say in ex-
tenuation, except that Conroy was grateful
and would show by his future conduct
his appreciation of Judge Van Brunt's SEN
tence.
Judge Van Brunt in sentencing Conroy
said that it was but proper that be should
make few remarks in accepting the plea.
He was of the opinion that if 8 trial were
had Conroy would be convicted of murder
in the first degree, and that Conroy would
not only be convicted on the evidence, but
on the fact that he was policeman and fur.
nished with weapons for bis protection, and
with which he had committed the murder;
but he doubted whether the higher courts
would not again set aside the verdict on
some legal technicality. He acted on the
theory that CELEBRITY and certainty in pun
ishment are more important than severity
when severity is coupled with intoerable
delay and doubt. Conroy, the Judge said,
had had d narrow escape, and the sentence
he was about to pass was not adequate pun
ishmen' for the offence.
He then sentenced Conroy to State Pris-
on for the term of his natural life.