Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-10-21
PATRICK C0YLE MURDERED
THE VsHDIOF nF 'HS 0ORoNER's
Jury
Thai His 0cE'h u n Caused by "A
stIosN Ins,i.a"d at the Hands of
EiIio't 81, ii SsaD tnsaxh.

The b. ay Of Patrick Coyle, who died
nj the alnshOlse from the effects Uf
blows supposed TO have been tons by
Robert Elliott, Jr., and Matthew Nc ion.
pugh. wa. forwarded to bis late bonn at
Pawtueket. X. &, by Deputy Coro her
Palmer on the 8 o'clock train Thursday
morning. The remains were accom-
panied by his mother and brother, who
arrived hsre yesterday afternoon week.
When the deceased recovered conscious
ness Sunday week and was able TO state
who his folks were they were sent noti-
ficatiun of hia condition. In reply his
mother telegraphed that she would be
here at once, and she expected to take
him home for treatment. 1t was at the
depot here that she first learned of his
death, and the nows naturally Affected
her deeply. She went to the almshouse
and when the body was removed to the
morgue went 10 the residence OF Deputy
Coroner Palner. She was accompanied
by young son who still attends school.
Mrs. Coyle is woman of about 30
years of age, md evidently her family il
M intelligent and respectable one The
name of the father Df the dead man is
Peter Coyle, and be lives at PaWtucket.
The deceased WIS married man but did
not get on happily with Ills wife, and
they wei living separate.
The following jury was impaneled:
John Pyle, foreman, Joseph M. Rogers,
| secretary, George II. Barnhill, Frank Z.
Smith, William II. Mccormick, George
| O. Morton, IL. @. Bertolette and
Alexander Guthrie. They viewed the
body and then adjourned until Friday
l in In fTIu flna
coroner time to secure evidence.
The coroner's jury in the case of Pat
| rick II. Ooyle met at the office of Deputy
| Coroner Palmer at 9 O'Clock Friday
to hear the evidence regarding his death,
| which occurred on Wednesday morning
last at the almshouse. In addition to the
jury there were present Deputy Attorney
Biggs, L. @. Yandegrift, II. O. Turner
and Walter Bacon, Esqs. DIR. Pyle was
the first witness called. He said that DIR.
Springer, DIR. Wallace and himself had
made post mortem examination. Coyle
during the time he lay &c the almshouse
was not wholly unconscious and told the
doctor that he had been struck with O
crutch, and the doctor thought that he
said the man had but one leg. Coyle also
said that he had worked down tho State
on a fnrm near Middletown and was
on his way to Trenton to get work at his
trade which was that of q wool-dyer. Tho
doctor then read his notes of the pos
mortem examination. He deduced the
opinion that there had been external
violence causing rapidly developing
meningitis with effusion into the mem
branes of the brain andspinnl cord, deatl
thereby resulting from pressure. The
wound was on top of the head little Il
the right of the medal line and looked
as if It was caused by glancing blow
, with o hard substance. The externa
: abrasion was not larger than q silver dol
. lar and there was no fracture on the
! skull. There was no discoloration at the
; back of the neck. He spoke nationally
, to the physician on Thursday, Friday
Saturday and Sunday, and said to the
doctor thet he could recognize the man
(. who struck him.
: DR.. Springer testified that he did not
8 doubt that death resulted from the injury
on the head. He subscribed to the state
ment of the post mortem.
DR.. Wallace, the resident physician al
: the almshouse, testified that Coyle tolC
him that he had been struck with crutcl
l by man with one leg. That he was hi
: on the back of the neck and he though
: on his head. He also told the witnes
!, that he Thought his assailant was con
a nected in some way with the railroad
a Ooyle recognized Elicit when he wa
It brought to him, and said that was tn
y man who struck him. On the occasio
q of McDonough's visit to the almshous
y Coyle was sure he had been with the part
= ON the night the injuries were received.
q Levi A. Bertolette, justice Of the peace
d testified to the taking of a deposition fror
Coyle on Sunday last, and then read tn
document, the contents Of which haV
been given.
! Officer Joseph P. Gross stated the cil
k cunstances of the finding of Coyle an
3 his condition at the time. After Ellio
y had been taken to the almshouse an
g identified by Coyle, Elliott said to IL
a officer that he wanted Matthew McDol
9 ough arrested and locked up as a witness
it that he had been along that nigh
n After McDonough was arrested
e admitted to Officer Gross that he was wit
= I. Coyle on that night. He said Coyle an
Z Elliott were drunk but he was not. 1
r said Coyle and Elliott had dispute du
Il ing the evening. Both Elliott and Nj
Donough admitted to the officer that the
had been with Coyle. Elliott said he lie
Coyle at II o'clock. McDonough sa
j: both he and Elliott left Coyle at IL o'cloc
II Coyle said both men were present wht
l. the blow was struck Coyle acknowledge
= to the officer that he had been drinkiI
70 for two days before he was hurt.
,r Officer Hanna corroborated the abo-
80 testimony. William II. Legg and Franc
At Il. Kelly were examined but stated not
le ing new. Magistrate Bertolette was I
le called and stated McDonough's testiinoi
y before him nj tho hearing of Elliott, viii,
" was to tho effect that Elliott hnd left q
party before tile turned down toward Il
railroad, and that he and Coyle we
alone when they parted, with nobody el
of in sight.
8, This closed the testimony, and the ju
y. found TINT Patrick II. Coyle came TO |
y death from. injuries inflicted at the han
Ia of Robert Elicit, Dr., and that Mattht
d McDonough was accessory to the fac
NJ n o two NJ, n were Friday committed
tt the coroner for triitl.
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