Morning journal and courier., 1889-11-16
THE MURDER TRIAL.

McKiernan on the Ssand-He TestiAes !
That He Shot Clsary In Defense-Alle- |
cations By the state That the Defense |
isTrying to FIX tho Jury-The state
Looking Ter wild Blll-Arguments to
DO Made Monday Morning.
Yesterday was the third day of the trial of
Terrence NcKisrnan, who is on trial in the
Superior court on the charge Of murder. Be-
fore the trial commenced yesterday Assistant
State Attorney Terry made the announcement
that witness for the defense had the after
noon previous approached one of the jurymen
and tried to enter into argument with him.
He also said that there was Waterbury man,
who was not witness, who had approached
certain iurymen.
Attorney Case, for the defense, denied that
the defense knew anything about any such
proceedings.
Bridget O'Conuell. sister of MeKiernan,
testified that she found part of the bolt on
the floor.
The prisoner was then put on the stand.
He is thirty -three years old and was born in
Ireland. He has lived in Union City twenty
seven years. excepting four years spent in
Ohio. He said that on the night in question
he had locked up for the night and gone to
blcop W ING btOt0. no uIbt tuAuk u0 Eou0Cm~
bers was to fnd Murphy, Ceary, John Bren-
nan and Fitzsimmons. He asked in a sur
prised tone how they got in. Clesry answer
ed, "By that door, of course. Shut up, -
you, and get MS something to drink" Wit
ness got mp, lighted the light and got the
drinks. A man named Weber came in for
pitcher of beer, and witness gave it to him.
When the man had gene ''Wild Billie" called
for the drinks. After they had drank Clesry
then said, Gill 'em up again." Cleary began
talking about getting up an exhibition of
sparring. They drank their liquor and talked
about the spsrring exhibition. Cleary walked
along in front of the bar wish his coat half
pulled off and said, 81 came up to do you,
Terry" swell, you won't get me around
there to do it," I answered. Cieary called for
some more drinks. Murphy and Fitxsim-
mons got into wrangler over some woman
and chased each other into the kitchen, quar-
relling.
Witness told of his argument with Cleary.
The latter said he would not leave until he
was put out. He kept calling for drinks and
refused to give them to him. l then told
them, said the witness, that it was after one
O'Clock, and they must get out. Cleary said,
'No, We won't get out. I'll break your
id head" Cleary said to Wild Bill:
"Let's pull the bar out and drag it out the
door," The two took hold of the bar and
tried to move it. When the two grabbed
Lu6 DhT, 1 plck6o y tnS kldeS auo LII Dill
Brennan on the head. Brennan said, "God
d you've broken my finger" Cleary
jumped back and said, "by the living God,
I'll kill you, anyway, Terry!" I searched
suGned and ssed the pistol, cleary AIRY
went out the door and I told the crowd to
go out and take care of that man.
When went to lock the door found the
belt broken off. After the crowd got out
one of them said Eve ought to have given it
to the - -, in the first place, but we
will hang Terry, anyway" McKiernan alec
testified that eight nights before, this same
gang broke in my place while was asleep.
When woke up the people upstairs said
"there are men In your barroom. jumped
up and got my revolver; the last two men who
jumped out the window, was 'Bilr and John
Brennan. pulled the trigger but the pistol
snapped. The crowd broke out pane of
glass, and lifted the window. When they
got In they broke the lock off the barroom
door, and had just got in when the lady who
lived upstairs woke me up.
The accused was taken in the cross. exami-
nation through q tour of his life from the
time he located in Union City up to the day
of the murder. His whole career before the
police courts for petty offenses and for one
savage assault with knife on man in Union
City during q drunken brawl was laid bare.
The first witness called after the noon re
cess was James E. Sweeney, the deputy sheriff
who arrested McKiernan on the night of the
shooting. He corroborated the testimony of
McKiernan in regard to the bolt that was
burst off by the gang when they entered the
saloon on the night in question.
Elmer Ward, young man who resides in
Naugatuck, was the next witness. He testi-
fed that he was q saloon keeper, that he
knew Thomas Cleary and he had frequented
his place. On the night of February 25 he
int Wordto v,yo mil txvC prn,,
mans, Murphy and Fitzsimmons. Here they
had two or three rounds of drinks, and at Il
O'Clock he put tho crowd out and shut up
his place. Mr.. Ward also testified that Bill
Brennan came into his place one Sunday and
wanted TO borrow his revolver, promising to
wanted to shoot dog. Brennan returned
the pistol about 8 o'clock on the following
Tuesday. Previous to Brennsn's borrowing
the pistol the crowd had shot it at the target
out of the saloon window. One witness also
testified that Cleary was an ugly and vicious
man when in liquor.
George Noble, who lives in Naugatuck,
where he keeps livery stable. testified that
he knew Cleary and that he was very quar-
rslsome when drunk.
George Reilly of Naugatuck testified that
he saw this gang in Nsely's saloon about two
weeks before the shooting and that he heard
the man whom he aftsrward learned was
Cioary Say sOmetnluS ApOuG Terry duu tnAt
John Brennan had said: "Ry j, we must
60 and see that fellow some night; he is al
together too Independent and when any body
goes in and asks for drink he always says,
where's your money!"
James F. Curry Of Union City, a saloon
keeper, corroborated the previous witness
about Cleary's temper and disposition when
drunk.
Owen Cornell of Union City, a moulder,
said that he was familiar with Terry McKier-
mans place, and that on the night of the
shooting he was in the saloon and that the
locks and bolts appeared to be all right.
This was previous to the time the gang struck
the place that night.
Court then adjourned until Monday morn
ing at 10 o'clock.
All the testimony is now In and the argu.
ments will be made Monday. The State is
looking for "Wild Bill" Brennan. in order to
put him ON the stand again. After receiving
his witness fees he cleared out and hasn't
been seen since.