The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-12
RAFID TRANSIT TRIAL
CarSon's Case Easily Broke
the Record for
Speed.
FINISHED BY TWO O'CLOCK
Yet Fifteen Witnesses We're Heard,
Counsel Summed Up, and Judge
Knapp Charged.

Knapp Charged.
The trial of William Carson. for the
m urder of his wife Bridget. which ended
yesterday in the acquittal of the accused,
was remarkable for the short time it con-
sumed, considering the fact that man
was on trial for his life. The trial began
at half past ten O'Clock in the morning
and at three minutes past two fifteen
witnesses had been examined, a half
hours recess had been taken. both Coun-
sci had summed up at length, the Judge
had delivered his charge aud the case had
been given to the jury. An hour later
Carson walked out OF the court room,
free man.
When the Court convened after
recess. Judge Hoffman began sum-
ming up for the defence. He said he
failed to see anything in the evidence to
warrant the jury in finding a verdict
against the defendant Nothing was
found at the house or on the defendant
that could produce the wound in the
woman's throat except the broken pieces
of crockery. He contended that the
woman came to her death by one of the
pieces of the broken pitcher, whether by
falling against II or in the hands of some
one. Judge Hoffman then proceeded to
analyze the evidence. He took first the
evidence of Mrs. Anderson, who swore
that Carson was lying OH the floor with
Kerrigan on top OF him, and the pitcher
standing on the table when she left the
room. When she returned the men were
in the same position, the pitcher was on
the floor broken, and Mrs. Carson was
lying on the floor with her throat cut.
II Id &l,nt fy,ar pih Ia a fnt.
Carson to get up, cut his wife's throat,
and then get back in the same position
under Kerrigan in the few seconds that
Mrs. Anderson was out of the room.
No matter in what light the jury took
the evidence they should not lose sight of
the fact that whatever Carson was doing
that day all the evidence shows that he
was defending himself from the assaults
of Kerrigan.
DESCRIBING THE ROOM
At this point Judge Hoffman paused to
enable Architect Broome TO produce and
explain the diagram of Carson's room,
which he made while the body of Mrs.
Carson was still in the room. Mrs. An
derson was recalled and pointed out
where the men lay when she saw them.
Resuming, Judge Hoffman quoted from
the testimony of Mrs. Kerrigan, Mrs.
Anderson and Carson, and argued that
from me testimony Carson was only de-
x
Carson did nothing whatever to his wife.
He asked why in the name of all reason
| Carson should want to strike his Wife
when she came to his rescue when he was
| being assaulted by Kerrigan? There was
testimony orsaa in sIek the fass Rssrgan to
neither was there any testimony
to show that Carson had any i'll feeling
against his wife. On the contrary, the
| evidence shows that Kerrigan was quar-
reling with Mrs. Carson. Referring to
| the testimony OF Policeman Kelly, that
Mrs. Carson told him that her husband
had cut her throat, the Judge contended
that under all the circumstances that
was no evidence against Carson. Neither
was the statement of Captain Farrter
| that Mrs. Kerrigan said. when in the
dock at headquarters that Carson cut his
wife's throat with knife, entitled to any
weighG against Carson. 1t was hard
enough for Carson to lose his wife as he
had without being obliged to take the re-
sponsibility for her death under the cir
cumstances. Justice asked that he
should be acquitted, and the evidence de-
| manded that he should be acquitted.
| During Judge Hoffman's remarks Car
| son frequently wept.
| PROSECUTOR wINFIELD's SPEECH.
| Mr. Winfield followed the Judge and
| said in opening that IL was his pleasure,
as representative of the State. not to ask
the jury to convict the defendant on any
count of murder. The woman ha d died
| from violence-that was settled. Their g
was such thug as involuntary man
slaughter in the law The law protects
the lives of all. 1t can't be allowed to
say that because they say they did not
| intend to commit murder that they
should 90 free. The law would not al :
| low that. He claimed that the fact t at
Kerrigan was brute and assaulted Mrs
| Carson should not be taken as plea in
behalf of Carson. II Carson went into
| that fight voluntarily he must stand hi 5
share of the responsibility for the WON
| ans death.
Mr.. Winfield read from Mrs. Kerrigan' S
| testimony and claimed that it showed
| that Kerrigan and Carson were engaged
in voluntary fight when Mrs. Carson
received her wounds. He claimed that
Carson was just as much to blame for her
| death as kerrigan. When Mrs. Carson
said that her husband did it, in response
| to the policeman's question, she only mad
one thing in mind; her wounded throat.
| When Mr.. Winfield said that he would
| not ask for conviction for murder, Car
son dried his tears aud became very
! clipper
| JUDGE KNAPP'S CHARGE.
| Judge Knapp then delivered his charge
| He said in substance
''Important as the case was, involving
| the protection of human life it contains
| but little for the intervention of the
| Court. The Counsel have kept so well
| within the legal lines that the entire con
| tention is one of fact. That is entirely
within the province of the jury and the
! Court has no right to comment thereon
! Both these men might. under certain cir
| cumstances, be held responsible for thu
| woman's death. If they were. engaged in
| u fight it was a breach of the law II
| which the decedent met her death
| and II that death was the outcome OF thi!
| unlawful act, no matter how it is con
4 ceded that both these men would bs
guilty of manslaughter. To give up th'
| plea of murder. the State must abandon
| two important pieces of tes timony. 1t il
rule of law that words spoken by
mortaIy wounded person are as import
ant as the blow itself. So, too the state
| ment made by Mrs. Kerrigan in th,
Police Head quarters was important an(
such testimony had convicted a man o
the highest degree of homicide. Blu
| there is such doubt about the testimon,
| of that nature offered in this case that tn'
| Court assents to the position taken b,
| the State.
J "If the statement of the defendant i!
/ true, that he was there only engaged in 8
struggle forced upon him by an intruder
he is not responsible for the woman
| death"
The verdict of acquittal followed as
stated in THE NEWS yesterday.
--<---
a Romance of the Stage.
| NF;o- ;1tsov Parr tho eNnroOn nf HNuf,,