Daily Republican., 1889-10-07
The Case Against LeConey.

The grand jury OF Camdsn county will
meet Tomorrow aud Immediately begin
the taking OF testimony in the Lc Coney
murder case.
Prosecutor Jenkins will not attempt to
advance motive for the act, and will
leave that entirely with the members of
tue jury to decide. The States case will
be that lie Couey and Annie had frequent
quarreIs; that on the mornipg Of the
murder alter Murray, the hired man
went 10 the stables, an old quarrel was
renewed. and in the hsat Of passion the
uncle strangled the girl, afterwards
stabbed her IN the neck and finished by
nearly severing the head from the bcdy
by one powerful stroke; that, realizing
what he had done, he gathered come
clothes that contained tell-tale blood
spots and concealed them, and then went
TO the pump and washed his hands, and
that Murray saw this; that LIE Coney
went to William Smiths shanty In the
woods, told him of q quarrel and gave
him the message he was TO deliver to
Murray.
He returned TO the house, went up.
stairs. turned things topsy -turvey, re-
turned to the Kitchen, put on his boois,
and with Murray went to the citron
patch, where he was waiting the message
tnat his niece was killed, which William
LAvery brought The State will also
show that lie Coney before he was so In
formed, upon reaching the house, said
thst his niece had been killed and the
house robbed.
The State will also produce witnesses
who will testify that on Tuesday morn
ing the negro farmland Murray was
locked 10 the barn when officers of the
State visited the homestead to have an
interview with him, and that the door OF
the barn was unlocked by LIE Coney. The
defense, IL ts kLovD, Will attack the char
scter OF Murray aud Smith. The Btate
has witnesses who say they heard lie
C0pcy say that Garrett Murray was a
truthful man, and that he would stake
bis life on what he said. CoucerninR
Smith, Efforts TO prove that he 10 OF un-
| sound mind will be combatted.
Counsel for the defense will advance
testimony 10 prove that Smith and lie
Coney were not on intimate terms, and
had not been since the death OF his
brother Richard, and in consequspc !.
Smith did not WRIT the lie Coney farm.
Tie State will also show that Lingo
was not the man who rode with one Of
the farmers teams on the Tuesday morn.
log after the murder, and viii controyert
the testimony given by Brock, q teamster.
who positively identified Lingo, Saturday
As the man. Justice Knight, of Mer.
| chantville, eau show the arrest Of a col
ored man At MerchantvilIe on that Tr a.
day who gave the name of William w.
Biugh end said be rode In the wagon re-
ferred 10 by Book, and who explained
that he carried pears In the haudk erohief,
which Brock alleges contained overalls,
The Justice was satisfied of his In nocepce
and discharged him. Tho State will also
show that the key to LIE Ooney's trunk
had 0 small pebble In one of the nltches
aud, consequently, would not turn the
lCcg.
Witnesses will corroborate Smiths
state ment that LIE Coney called him early
on the morning OF the murder, and
bloody clothes taken from the house will
be shown. Stress will be laid on the
ttattinents OF the pby slcIans who exam
ined lie Coney's back.
A singular feature OF the case will te
the prosecutors presenting Lingo as a
witness against Le Coney. and who 10
protected by the state while detectives
are employed in the effort to fAsten the
crime On him.