Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-01
FOUGHT FOR HIS LIFE.
Self-Defense Is the Plea That Is Set
Up for Michael MalOney.
HESAYSAUSTIN REID HADAKNIFE
Mrs. Annie Cook Explains the Circumstances
of the Murder.
GENERAL WORK OF THE COUNTY COURTS

September l attended a picnic at Ross
Grove. They quarreled about woman and
Naloney stabbed Reid twice, death ensuing
almost instantly.
Judge Ewing presided at the trial. Dis
trict Attorney Burleigh and William P.
McElroy conducted the prosecution and
Thomas NJ. Marshall, Sr., and his son, con-
Quoted the defense. The prisoner is but 81
years of age, and when arraigned showed
great agitation, being almost unable to an
swer the questions.
Mr.. McElroy opened the case for
the Commonwealth and said they
would ask for first degree verdict. Mrs.
Maggie Reed widow of the murdered man
was the first witness, but her testimony
was only to the effect that her husband
when she last saw him alive at noon of the
day he was killed was not intoxicated
DIR. Rabman, of Sharpsburg, had made
post mortem examination with DR.. Kelly.
They found one wound in the back and one
through the breast. The latter was through
the heart and the Doctor did not think
deceased lived moment after receiving it.
DR.. Kelly corroborated this evidence and
court adjourned for the noon recess
Henry Shultz was the first witness of the
afternoon. He was friend of Reid's and
was near him at the time of the fight. He
told OF how Maloney was about to dance
with Mrs. Davis, or Miss Pettigrew, as he
knew her, and Reid came up and took her
away, when Maloney, he said, followed and
struck him. They grappled and Maloney
cut him, when a crowd gathered and sep
arated them.
RoHM SAW THE KNIFE.
Peter Rohm also saw the fight from dis
tance of ten feet. He saw Reid catch the
girl by the arm and when Maloney protest
ed Reid said. "You neb out" He saw the
two men scuff1e and heard Reid say to Shultz,
''Stay with me-" Reid ran and Maloney
followed and caught him. They clinched
and he heard Reid say, ''he's got knife"
several times. He saw Reid have hold of
Maloney's throat and holding him on the
floor of the dancing platform, and then the
police officer came and Reid told him
Maloney had cut him and gave the officer
the knife. On cross-examination the wit
ness was confused by Mr.. Marshall's ques-
tions, but stuck to his story in the main.
Richard Padden saw Maloney with
knife, but did not see the fight. Florence
Barret also saw the fight and described it as
Rohm had done. He also saw Maloney
with the knife after the first separation and
while Reid was standing ten feet away heard |
Maloney say, '"Where is the --"
clinched again and an instant later Reid |
called out "he's got q knife On cross
examination he said when Reid took the |
girl away the crowd rushed up to Maloney. |
He saw no blows struck, but when separa- |
ted Maloney had cut on the neck and his |
clothes were soiled with it. The witness |
thought he must have been cut in the fight !
F. c. Baird saw the knife in Maloney's |
hand, but did not see him use it. He, with |
others, tried to separate them. Mr.. Mar |
shall had him admit he had drunk about 10 |
ponies of ,bvrr,-but-ho- said he WAS |
not drunk He said he was re-
fused more beer because he had |
no tab emitting him to it. He had not |
struck ANYBODY, nor did he take knife out |
of Reid's pocket He was a friend of |
Reid's.
ANNIE COOK TELLS HER STORY.
Mrs. Annie Cook saw the fight and what
led up to it. When Reid took her by the
hand she did not want to go with him. She
saw Reid run away and Maloney following,
having him by the coat, and Reid crying:
"He's got knife" On cross-examination
she said crowd cf six or eight rushed on
the men. She did not know the last wit
ness was drunk. She did not see him.
Mrs. Matte Davis was the next witness.
She is the woman known to the crowd as
Miss Pettigrew. She said that was her
maiden name, but she was married last
MAY. She had taken a walk with Reid
on the hill in the afternoon and had had
l.. Il. r.
later Maloney asked her to dance with him.
She was about to do so when Reid ran to
her, caught her and asked her not to. She
refused and the men began to quarrel. The
crowd rushed up and she became frightened
and tainted. When she came too the fight
was over. Mr.. Marshall asked her but very
few questions
Edward Forster, the policeman who was
IN duty at the grove and who arrested
followed. He was told there was
4 fight at the platform and when he got
here it was all over and Reid gave him q
knife saying he had taken it from the de-
endant. He identified a knife shown
1im as the same. On the way
% the lookup at Etna, Maloney told him
hat Reid had grudge against him since
Decoration Day. Maloney had a cut some
wo or three inches on his neck from which
he blood flowed and made him weak. He
vas afraid the crowd would do him some |
larm and asked the witness if they came
lfter him to take the handouts off him that ]
lie might protect himself. The witness took
lin to doctor in Etna who dressed his
wound. When told in the lookup Reid was
lead, he said: Hell, is he?" On cross-ex- I
he sa d he had taken a glass of
,eer from the witness, Baird, wko had no
alb on his coat to entitle him to it.
MALoNEY WAS ALSO STABBED.
William c. Kemerer, of Etna, was at the {
ockup when Maloney was taken there
lie corroborated the last witness as to Ma {
oney's condition and the conversation To S
'Ir. Marshall the witness said Maloney's {
ut was about three or four inches on the
eck, and that a cut or stab was on his J
wrist from which the prisoner complained S
hat his thumb was stiff.
Henry Booker, an undertaker's assistant,
'roduced the clothes worn by Reid, and
aid he found no knife in the pockets Dis d
rict Attorney Burleigh then Offered them 8
n evidence, and also the knife with which d
he cutting was done, and the Common d
7ealth retired.
Mr.. Marshall, ST., opened for the defense
nd said they would endeavor to show that
he defendants action was in self defense
hat he had been set upon by crowd for as G
erting his right to the possession Of q partner ?
n the dance, which he had a perfect right to '
O. He said he would show that by the "
lerest accident two deaths had not oc- 81
urred instead of one, for the defendant had
cen cut v1clously by the crowd of Reid's T.
'iends. In the peril of the moment he
rev his own knife to defend himself and
e asked that he be acquitted
Mollie Heckelthorn, a 15-year-oId girl.
as then nut upOn the stand She coil .ba 4