The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-02-09
MURRAY'S TESTIMONY.
Did Leconey Murder His
Niece During His Half
hours Absence?
THE SOCIAL SENSATION IN ORANGE
The Murray Divorce Case Will
Probably Unearth Some Rich
Scandals.
spccfal 10 he sunday Morning Nelrs.

Special to Hc Sunday Morning Ncfrs.
CAMDEN, Feb. s, 1880. Testimony of the
most damaging character was given in
the Leconey murder trial today. Garrett
Murray, one of the principal witnesses OF
the State, was put on the stand Murray
is the negro farm hand who was on the
farm and ate breakfast with Annie and
Chalkley Lcconey on the morning Of the
murder.
He testified that he had only worked
for Leconey while in Merchantville. He
went TO him on May 20. He was en-
ployed to do general work about the
place Only Annie Leconey was on the
farm with them. She did the work of the
house. Witness remembered the morn
ing the young woman was found dead on
September Q.
fannie, Chalkley and l slept at the
farmhouse that night, said the witness.
II slept in the back room and Annie slept
in her own room. ] got up on Monday
morning at quarter to four O'Clock and
attended TO the stable and horses. Then
/ went into the kitchen and ate breakfast
with Annie and Chalkley Leconey.H
Witness was very clear in his state
ments. and Leconey showed the first evil
dence of nervousness since his trial be-
gan. t1c kGpL his manu- up 70 HIS AuOuCH
and his eyes moved restlessly from the
colored boy GO Prosecutor jenkins.
After breakfast" Murray continued,
81 got up first and ChalKley moved his
chair away. Annie kept her head resting
on her hand during breakfast | then
went back TO the stables
ssHow was Chaikley dressed at the
breakfast table?''
"He had on white shirt, torn, and
light pants. After / had been at the
stables while saw Chalkley come ont
OF the kitchen door. His back was to-
ward me aud his hands held out. He
went to the pump and washed and then
went back into the house. He afterward
went to the citron patch on the wagon
with me. He said on the way that the
last time we saw Nils Annie she was call
ing the dog on the porch. Leconey left
the citron patch shortly after we got
there and was gone about half an hour.
Jim Laverty came to the patch and said,
Annie lies on the kitchen floor covered
with blood
"Ieconey came back to the field after at
half hours absence ana before Laverty
came, he said to me:-'Lizz O'Donnell
has gone to the mill for chicken iced. =
Murray swore that the breakfast table
was in the same condition wnen he saw it
on returning to the house as when he left
IL. He said Leconey had two pairs of
light pants. Witness identified those
IOuHQ wei IN LHe DuSktL IN the ciOsSb Us
the trousers Geconey had on at the break
fast table that morning. Witness further
stated that Leconey said to him ~ don't
want you TO have anything to say to the
people today when they come here. J"
Next day Leconey said TO him:-'I want
you to keep your mouth shut If you
don't I'll kill you. If you tell what you
know, by God they have me-
Murray knew William Smith. He saw
him the next day after the murder. They
talked about the crime. On the day of
the inquest Murray says he asked Lee
coney II he should 90 to it. and the latter
answered, No, you stay right here and
keep Your mouth shut"
After describing the house and grounds
and the position of the body, Murray was
handed over to Lawyer Grey for cross
examination. 1t WAS very severe, but the
witness told the same story in atruthful,
boyish way. His past record aud his
movements just previous to his going to
the Leconey farm, were infinitely re-
lated.
The prevailing impression is that the
testimony given today, topping the found
alton already laid by the prosecution,
fixes the crime upon Leconey. William
Smith, to whom Leconey is said to have
gone and told that Annie was hnrt--this
was done in the half hour when he left the
citron patch spoken of by Murray-has
still more damaging evidence to give.
NJ - -. -