Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-18

McKeesport at the time the murder must
have been committed"
The Coroner pressed her to tell the re.
mafnder of her story. but she said ,he conJd
not, but was finally induced to proceed She
then gave rambling accounts Of fiphts cIo.-
Ing with the statement: ST once beard
Eddie say to his aunt, I'll have Won in the
poorhouse inside of q year." with tbis
she stopped, and would not speak further.
Constable Piper was put on the stand.
His testimony was worthless, but his man.
ner OF telling it was amusing. He was at
once christened by Grant Miller as "Dick
Dead-Eye." 1t took about an hour for him
to tell his story, and he treated his audience
to all the debates that occurred along the
road. A section OF his testimony was as fol-
lows:
Il says to the doctor, says I, this is a
compromising position for an officer of the
law. To my mind this is q case of murder.
It is shrouded with mystery, and we must
fathom it. I doesn't care to handle dead
people, and specially wimmen folks, but
you jest make the examination and I'll see
that the law protects you. I admit that I
made mistake in not huntin' for clews and
revolvers. but the critical situation for once
threw me off my guard, but I'll never let
my nerve desert me again."
Drs. Black and Virgins then testified re-
garding the autopsy and showed the fatal
bullet. John Topper, gunsmith, gave ex-
pert testimony as 10 the force 3Scaliber
cartridge would have. As the ball had
gone clear through the body, he thought the
pistol must have been discharged close to
Miss Douglass.
FIGHTING WAS FREQUENT.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander Shaw both gave
hnr five focf Echt
between Miss Douglass and Myers had
been frequent.
None OF the other witnesses were present,
and the case was given to the jury. Inside
Of hve inmates they returned the following
verdict:
Miss Margaret Douglass. aged about 81 years,
was found dead in the yard of her residence,
port, on Thursday, May 10. 1890, about o'clock
P. NJ. From all the evidence the Jury fnds that
death was due to gunshot wound in the right
o'clock P. M And we further and that the
nephew, James E. Myers, was then and there
at the time said wound was received, and we
further believe said gunshot was iired by his
hand.
The prisoner heard the verdict without a
tremor, and held out his hands for the irons.
On the way down to the Hotel White be-
tween 5000 and 1000 people were gathered
One of the missing witnesses was John I.
Kuhn, Cashier of the First National Bank,
OF McKeesport. The story behind his being
called is that the bank had a note signed by
Myers for considerable amount 1t was
overdue, and notice had been served on
Wednesday. Myers said he would have
the money on Thursday, and, it is alleged,
it was on that note that the summons was
issued. Whether the death Of the old lady
was caused by fight over this affair is one
Of the questions that are now puzzling the
detectives heads.
HE MUST KEEP QUIET.
The attorneys tor the defense were inter-
viewed yesterday. They say there is not
enough evidence to convict Myers if
he keeps quiet. Attorney Robb said
the case would be fought on the
ground that the shooting was accidental.
He said no one who wished to commit
murder would infict such a wound. He
would neither affirm nor deny that the shot
was fred by Myers.
In the meantime, Detective Gilkinson is
working on the case. Although it is
claimed in McKeesport that the father of
Myers is dead, the detective claims he is
still living, and expects some developments
along that line of investigation.
The remains of Miss Douglass will be
buried on Monday afternoon. The Rev. A.
j. Young, of the Second q. P. Church, will
conduct the ceremony.
In the excitement over the Douglass case
the John Cross affair was almost overlooked.
Nothing new was developed in it. With
all their efforts nothing more can be learned
than that he was found dead, with his
breast crushed. His remains will be buried
this afternoon.