Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-05
HIS LIFE AT STAKE.
Edward McAllen on Trial for the
Murder of Gabriel Moseby.
BREAKING A RAPID TRANSIT LINK.
interesting Cases Argued Before the
Supreme Court
.fHE NEWS OF THE COUNTY COURTS

The trial of Edward McAllen, colored,
for the murder of Gabriel Moseby, also
aolored, was begun before Judge Kennedy
yesterday morning. On the 10th of last
August the two men quarreled in a colored
restaurant on Arthur street, near Wylie
venue, and Moseby was killed by being
sabbed in the abdomen by McAllen. Nc
Allen fled to Wheeling after the stabbing,
where he was captured the next day. The
defendant claims he stabbed Moseby in
self defense. The prosecution is being
conducted by District Attorney Burleigh,
md the defense by W. II. Holmes, the col
nred attorney. assisted by Leon j. Long,
cx-Clerk of the Criminal Court
The greater portion of the forenoon was
taken up in securing jury, but II mel
we're finally secured, and Detective james
steel, of Allegheny, was made foreman.
DR. j. Guy McCandless first took the stand
and testified that death hal resulted from a
wound made in the. abdomen by large
knife.
closely Took Poker to McAllen.
Edward Brooks said there was trouble
between Moseby and McAllen, and that he
had warned them not to raise any trouble in
his restaurant; that they had quarrel in
an upper room of the adjoining house, and
when they came down again Moseby seized
poker and started toward McAllen, who
was getting q drink at the ice cooler;
that he warned McAllen to look
out or Moseby would hit him; that fight
ensued and Moseby was stabbed, and that
as soon as McAllen saw what he had done
he (McAllen) fed and he saw nothing
more of him that day. He said that he did
not think Moseby had any knife when he
made the last attack upon McAllen, for
there was no knife on the kitchen table,
where the butcher knife and other carving
utensils were usually kept.
At the close of Brooks testimony Mr..
Holmes the attorney for the defense, made
the opening address to the jury. 1t was his
maiden effort in a murder case and was
very creditably handled.
McAllen, the prisoner, was the first wit
ness for the defense examined; He said he
was past 81 years of age, and was born in LOU
iSyille, XIV. He came here from Clearfeld
county about nine months ago and worked
or E lward Brooks as cook in the restaurant,
but lett there eight or ten DAYS before the
trouble occurred He then went into
brooks kitchen to talk with Mrs. Brooks.
lie had. known Moseby but seven or eight
DAYS before the stabbing took place.
Shortly before the fight they had been up
stsirs together, and Moseby had said, 'I'll
get you before long" He did not attempt to
strike McAllen then.
The Story of the Stabbing.
The witness went into the restaurant with
gentleman from Finleyville to get a drink
of ice water. While they were at the
coli n. nrt MoA hot
fellows going TO hit You with a poker. %
81 said," continued the prisoner, "'Don't
let that poker fool you, Moseby.' He was
Il great deal larger man than 1 am and was
afraid OF him. He weighed about $50
pounds While was drinking he hit me
on the shoulder with the poker. / started
to run through the door and he struck at
Ire again. This time he missed me and
struck the door. He then threw the poker,
but it missed me- He ran into the kitchen
and went back to finish drinking. He
rushed to the carving table, where the carv-
ing knife is kept, and made a spring at Inc
with knife upraised was afraid of him and
grabbed knife off the bread table and struck
at him. The knife ran into his abdomen
and ran out into the street. 1 don't know
where ran to was SO excited, but got
on street car at Soho and came down to
the back of the Jail to give myself up. /
met a colored man there and told him my
story. He changed hats with me and
advised me to run away. went to Wheel
ing and walked all the way. was arrested
as soon as arrived in that city," On cross.
examination McAllen admitted to having
been arrested two or three times before,
once in Springfield, O., on suspicion and
once for stealing fruit.
Spencer Gordon and Albert Whitney
were sworn, but neither knew much about
McAllen or the stabbing. The defense
asked the court to hear the arguments this
morning and the request was granted