The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-29
MURPHY At THE BAR.
On Trial for an Early Sum
day Morning Murder
in Hoboken.
THE KILLING OF DENNING
Prosecutor Winfield Says the Case
Reflects Terribly on the Ho-
boken Police.

There did not appear to be much inter
est manifested this morning by the usual
habitues Of the Court House in the trial
of James Murphy for murder Perhaps
this was because no one, even the
Prosecutor, anticipated verdict of mora
than murder in the second degree.
Murphy was indicted for killing John
Denning in saloon in Hoboken
early Sunday morning on May 25. He is
of medium height, dark complexioned,
and wears a short black mustache. When
brought into court this morning he ap-
peared very nervous and visibly tremb1ed.
THE JURY.
In drawing the jury Counsellor DAILY
made fifteen challenges and the Prose
cutor seven before the following jury was
drawn:-Thomas Cox, foreman; Jacob
Christmas, Louis r. McCulIogh, Edward
Green, William J. Budd. James Hether-
ington, Cornelius O'Connor, Hugh J.
Tiernan, Thomas Barry, Michael Kelly,
William Parmenthal and Benjamin
Evans.
The Prosecutor, when he opened the
case, said:--
"Gentlemen, if l am not mistaken in
my appreciation Of the evidence In this
case, it will show a disgracefuI condition
of affairs in the City of Hoboken. 1t
will show such a state OF morals
in that city, and such imbecility on the
part of the police must be deprecated by
any citizen. From fifteen to twenty men,
all one Saturday night until broad day
light Sunday morning, were con-
c5egssed C9r6sr Of in woW and sso0n ssoond
Streets and while they were fighting and
quarrelling all the time two policemen
on that post knew nothing of it until one
man was killed out doors. We viii
also show that the police literally drove
Fleesey was the one who aided Murphy
in killing John Denning.
THE BARTENDER's STORY.
Lawrence Bradbury, bartender for
Frank Mathison, testified that during the
night dozen or more persons were in the
place; that there was a s'rasling'' match
there. James Fleesey went in the saloon
about half-past one o. clock; he was alcne;
there were others present; he saw him
have no trouble with Dennlng in the
saloon.
''Did you see any trouble between MUIR
ply and Denning" asked the Prosecu-
tor.
'Yes. sir; two men-Carron and Muir
dock-had been fighting outside, and
Murphy and Denning stood together
looking on. Denning told Murphy he
ought to go home, for but for him there
made some reply and Denning called him
q c. d-n liar, and Murphy struck
him."
JAII. FOR THE WITNESS.
The witness here began to instruct Mr..
Winfield in his duties and made several
insolent remarks which were stopped by
Judge Knapp, who remarked in quiet
way
@The witness has been drinking; he
should not have done it knowing he was
to be witness; the Court will send him
to jail when his evidence Is In. -
Bradbury received this unpleasant in
telligence with much surprise, but con-
Quoted himself better. Continuing his
testimony, he said when Murphy struck
him he did not knock Denning down, and
then Denning hit him. The two men
were separated and then came together
again, and then James Fleesey struck
Dennlng, knocking him down. Murphy
then kicked, but witness could not say
where; Denning fell on his face Witness
said" Before Invent out of the saloon to
stop the fight | shouted don't kick that
man. l went for Murphy, but ne ran
away: I chased him half a block
The Prosecutor showed witness q
broken bar of solder, which it is alleged
was used by Fleesey or Murphy with
fatal effect, and he identified it as having
been shown him by Frank Markey in the
saloon.
w dS IL yOuES4 ttShCO bu0 IIO56CuLDEs
mo, sir; we don't sell it,"
'No; suppose not. You sell another
kind of hardware in your saloon,n COM
mented Mr.. Winfield.
Thomas J. Hill, of No. 9 Park avenue,
testified that he was in the saloon that
night, but ne saw Denning picking him-
self up in the street and Murphy running
away.
'sSoon after" said witness, s'Fleesey
asked me for some whisky for Denning,
who had been carried in the back room.
When the policeman came Murphy and
Fleesey were out on the sidewalk; this
solder bar" Shown by the Prosecutor)
was handed to me by Frank Markey
about four O'Clock in the morning,
threw it behind the bar. | saw Denning
fall but did not see him struck When
the police came Murphy was asleep on
front stoop."
Cross examined, witness said he was
not certain the prisoner was the man
Murphy, who ran away after the assault
on Denning, he had never seen him be-
fore. Murphy did not return until he
went to sleep on the stoop.