Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-16
VINO nILLED MIS-. KNIFFsN2

Knifen snd his cousin Hiss Emma Pur.
cJ.l were lEEssisd OF 8 clock this after
noun upon thu charge Of having -iltuliy
and fslcniously killed Mrs. Myra knifsn
The arrest was made upon complaint
Of Detective Pilger, who claims that he
has Teasouabls ause and does suspect
them guilty Of the mysterious murder.
The story Of the arrest forms probably the
most sensational chapter in the aun.ts OF
crime in this State. The scsne Of tbs rs.
uaarksole event was in lnrgs courtroom
OF the courthouse and was witnessed by
multitude Of spectators that dllsd every
seat, aisle, nook and corner Of the spa
cioua apartment.
The cGroner's Jury had been listening
ell day to the testimony OF several i'm
portant witnesses, and as the il G acct pro-
gressed there was corresponding en-.
hancement Of excitement, which had
tnAlly attained fever heat. as the
fourth Witness o. the dsy left the stand
Coroner Bowers arose 10 lis feet and au-
nouLcej "hliis Emma Purcell, please
take the CHAIR
4 sensation psrvadsd the mass Of spec
tato.s rs the pretty type wr:ter who
formed the central 6gure Of the myateI.
ious tragedy, assembled the witness.dtand.
When she had kissed the BlU.e she took
her tgAt on the witness-s.snd. The cor
oler then rtq7esied tie young LADY 10
remove her d4sE, black veil, which she
Immediately did revealing TO tbs excited
spectators hegdsone, pale face ,hat
snuue 90 white 81 Parisn marble.
Tho coroner MEed, What is your full
name z"
The words had hardly come from the
cgronsr's lips VIXEN Lawyer ChBuncey
Rsag!ey, one OF Eiss Purcells counsel
Jumped from his chair and cried "Hoid!h
Ii the midst Of a wild excitement he ad-
dressed the jary az follows: AS couusel
for Miss Purcell | instruct hsr not to
anawer that qaestion. In view Of the fact
! that Emma Purcell and DI. Arthur j..
kuiaan have been virtually uuder arrest
fcs t4o past i've days We hare decided 70
tasg this step"
Nas Pn.cell remained perfectly calm
CBrousr Bowers again asked the witae8s :
"Wtat IS your name n
Unasr the direction Of my counsel
refuge TO answer, was the cool responAe
that threw the whole room il o state OF
sensational excitement.
Police Justice Matneson than jumped
up and exclaimed /" Then we will sieze
her" As he said this be rushed OF Miss
Puroell spd taxing hold OF her Rru
dragged her iron the witness stand. AZ
tie Justice pushed her toward Detective
Pilger he turned and eEiel cut; "Ws viii
place her in safe keeping behind tb'
hsfa 4 Yes, and we will follow her L
the four corners OF the earth ard protec
her, wss the angry response from Law
yer Bessley. Detective leahy then lee
hia charge through the excited spectators
and passed down stairs.
Dr. HIifen was then brought owe
from his hcms by Detective Lssdy. whei
the police justice then read tao following
complaint:
STATE 81 S47 Jersey, county ri Mercer
OF the 9Th Of January, 1880, personally az
pesEed before ne, ora Of the police lstice
| OF the city o. Trenton, Charles p!lgeT, VIII
on bis OATH cGmp!Rips that at the cit
Aforesaid On this 81 OF January. A. n. lsg,
ons Myra kG.fisn was By some person Q
persons mallclogsly and feloniousiy killed
and that hs hath Just and reasolable caua
10 suspect and doth suspect, that Enm
plTc-l AMI Arthur \, Kuitian did ieIon
ou1ly kill ths said Myra KEi1eu OF wer
, accessories thereto, and against the psaC
Of the steta. He, therefore, pray that II
? sa'd Emma Purcell and Arthur s Knifia
7 may be apprehendGd and held 70 answ,
. said complaint, aud be further dealt wit
4 according 70 law. Sworn and subscribe
a before ne this G.h day Of Jannary.
, II, CEAEhEs PTLGEB.
' The friends Of the prisoners were mo
a Affected than they. After o1uaultation
A counsel formal plea Of not Ruilty vi
/. entered with respect to both end an e
/ animation waived. A commitment W
. at once drawn aud the pair taken dow
4 stairs and placed in sspsrste cells vii
(. copy OF the commitment in the
q pockets. The lawyers at once sought i
+ chief justice to procure writ of habe
3 corpus.
d Chief Justice Beasley refused to isBue
/. wri. u babeas corpus while tho lnyes
!. gaticn was pending bnt said the app
. cation could be renewed In few days.
y In the court hause, while the effldsI
:. VIVA being read DR.. E4!tsn trembl
II violently aud hurst out into tesrs. III
is Purcell lesniug over calmly said; "Nev
n mind, Arthur, We are innocent and e
u will protect rs"
4. Mis4 Purcell vas very much oompos
ID Of FIRST, bat when she reached her cell :
aauh unon tho bench aud cried bitter
d.. KniEen YES nearly prosttatsd.
Before the jury, Albert Patterson, pl
prietor of the drug Htorn 10 the Knid
~ house, testified to sceing the murder
woman the evening previous to her dos
2. and also Miss Purcell.
l looked in Miss Puroelia bsd.Tcl
- fret, and saw the things on the floor, G
~ also saw her trunk open There '
4 nothing said by any ons but thin
sad 10 shannon "Pick her up" 4
y ilrat thing saw was Kiss Purcsll lyi
y. oa the floor with her feet d.lg2ns
Z fror tue window.
DON'T Enow whether ala wa5 une,
= s4l01.; she laid still. When picked
~ sbe struggled aud eFi9d "isst me
" let me Ro." Then the n words We
u. "Ruu, Myra, RIM then began to Il
Wy for the doctor. laPksa ia The bad.
"a did not knew that 10 Tas pot Ia
house. / did not sec h-a. Euifeu, bu
locked IL tho room gh9 ,aom wGg
.ry disorder whsn vent into The large re
m. mp eteirs. 1t was open. Or. sham
IN had been ia the houge wAcn tirstgotI,
Ha was up GgRtG gitA Reid when
III Rg. in Wagu I irsy aaR the bed
Which lag Mrs. hUiTan, it was pus
~ agsiuut the door, sue when BF. sheph
IA. oamo We pushed the tn cror, so
hs o9uli aet srourl " difTt
'fe yis6 Farrell! pickei NJ ord put or
o. bad. Ny ituptuasion il t!1s Or. 81
OF non Pms her in 4 TocsnB char. III
W. thst when I SnterGd the faaN the 81
81 tims cav &is9 Pr-ceil Hi.tiug IN
m. c1atr.
mi Che cuttsirl @agn areva, md ca
'fa, not sea cla1rly acfnss tho raam | diA