Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-22
MEANT TO KILL HIN
Blackman's Crime Found 10 Be
Premeditated
FOR He WAS PERFECTLY SANE
Wore Sqasaky Shoes and Oiled Them
Freq uently-Othsr Sensational De
vsloPmsnts al the Inquest Saturday.


Jackson, Aug. zI-The coroner :
jury Ia ths Cuddy murder case Was
commenced yesterday and continued
al day. when It was ADJOURNED until
"Wednesday next. The jury decided
70 vas their duty % ascertain with GER
talnty whether Blackman was insane
or nOt. Notwithstanding Or. klmosll,
the prison physician, had pronounced
him 80, and he : now confined IN the
Iona asylum
The testimony Of the 10Y Horton,
VINO found Mr.. Cuddy dead. and sew
eFai Others Was taken and elected such
facts as mas already been published /;
but the testimony OF Keeper Ed Ryan,
and of A life convict named James
Dugegt, throws new light on the matter.
Following IS portion OF C.:
Edward c. Ryan sworn. Was keeper
lu the broom shop OF Phillips Il Cuddy;
saw Mr.. Cuduy Just previous 10 MS
death. tie was s.tung At his desk
writing. Next saw nlm N the same
place sitting with bis feet crossed and
lis hands hanging By MS SIDE. HIS
head was bent forward. / spoke 70
hun but be d. not answer. ! asked
Horton Who hlt n,m and ne said that
there Was no one "a there but Il ack-
man. Dr. himball was telephOned for.
Mr.. Cuddy cd not come TO, 50 as TO
speak or recognize any one. AT this
tame Is ackmau VAS sitting on the other
side OF tne snoO, ana / got "tIusty'
10 see That ne dld not wash ms hands
or ms clothing Hall Master Mosier
took B.ackman 70 his office, but
/ did not near Biackman talk.
/ noticed that he was very pale,
but did not seq any blood on
nm. Two or three weeks before this
BlAckman refused 10 pile up some
brOOms and Mr.. Cuddy reported the
matter 10 me. The next morning tina
deputy talked with HIM. The deputy
told Biackman that ne must do the
work assigned nm or submit 10 pun
.shment. wnIch consisted OF losing the
privilege of the yard; being removed 10
a smaller cell; being gwen striped
SUIT or being hung up by the thumbs
Witness had noticed him acting ner-
yOus AZ times. l saw Blackman in his
Cell Tuesday afternoon ana SAID to him:
4biAt AitiAtl viii Q4tl YOU 10 Il 4OI-
He replied, II don't know" at IS my
opinion that no one else could have
committed the murder. am positive
that ne did Il.
James Dugett. sworn: Am q lifer;
work IN the office OF the broom shop;
was not n the shop at the time Cuddy
was struck. but few moments after |
went In. | mad a conversation with
Blackman relative to ms trouble with
Cuddy about ten days before the kill
ing. When Phillips went away TO Chi
cagO the last time CUddy was alone in
the front Office with four of US. and
Blackman refused TO pile up some
broOms. He told Cuddy he wouldn't
do Il. Cuddy told him that he must
do II. and ne again said he wouldn't do
Il. Cuddy reported him 10 the keeper,
who called Deputy Cellem, and, after
the deputy had talked with Blackman,
he told me that If Cuddy did not quit
bis meanncss with him he would kill
him. | told him that he had better not
do il, as he would fail and
be punished. He said he would see
that he did not get the worst of il.
BlRckman knew that Cuddy intended
10 leave the last of the week and told
me that he intended to kill Cuddy.
Before he went told Mr.. Cuddy what
Blackman said. Cuddy said ne did not
think ms life IN danger. Blac kman
told witness that the only thing that
could be done with hlm was to lock
him up. The murderer wore pair of
squeeky shoes and for several days be-
ore the murder be made practice of
lllng them regularly. He oiled them
ut Of my can. Biackman talked freely
bout ms work and everything except
Enat be was sent for. | never thought
aim insane. He told me that Phillips
you'd sign petition for his pardon
out Cuddy would not. He said If ne
killed Cuddy they could only lock him
up and be had just as soon rest q while
a. not"
Detective ALT Cuddy. a brother of the
murdered man, Is IN the city and fOrci-
by expresses MS dissatisfaction with
the authorities for sending the muir
derer to the asylum before an investi-
CATION was held.