Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-12-26
RYRNEs MURDER TRIAL.


DesaiIs OF saturday nights Tragedy Told
In the Police Court-rhe Accused Does
Not Remember Using Knife.
After the regular business of the police
court was finished to-day the hearing in
the case of William T. Byrnes. for killing
John p. Byrnes, was begun before Judge
Root. The complaint charged murder in
the second degree, Attorney O'Neill repre-
sented Byrnes. who pleaded not guilty.
Patrick ii. Hackett was the first wit
ness. He said: II keep a saloon on East
Main street. John p. Byrnes. the muir
dered man, was in my place from until
- Saturday evening. playing cards. Will
liam Byrnes came in at five minutes to
twelve and called for beer. George
Pinney. who was present, told him to take
one on HIM as he had one coming. They
all left the saloon together"
William Z. Conger said that he and
John p. Byrnes, James Mclaughlin and
George III Pinney were in the saloon
together playing cards. Il heard no con-
versation between the accused and de-
ceased. started out ahead and Pinney
said to me: Hold on, Skip. I'm pretty full.
see me home 1 told him he was all
right. John p. Byrnes then said: i like
Pinney well enough. but not that other
-. he is dead wood on me and l on
went up to my gate with me He told me
of some fishlng tackle that he had asked of
Billy, but that Billy had no line and the
tackle was all broken up. and he would not
give them to him He, the dead man,
| said he had them now and he (meaning
Billy would not get them again, adding:
! They don't belong to him. anyway. they
belong to Jack Pinney and Billy Cthe
accus.dl were rig back of US, coming up
the road. John said Billy owed him a so
and he was going to call him down for 1t,
very soon. Then passed good nights and
We separated"
DIR Axtelle told of the post mortem, as
published. and said that death was caused
by "A hemorrhagC from the opening into
the heart.
George II Pinney said: Il live at 1863
East Main street and am n machlRist by
trade. I was in the saloon all evening
play ing cards. Don't remember seeing
the accused in the saloon. / was drinking
hot WHISTLES. Went out together aremem-
Der meeting the accused outside. After
We left Conger. there was no words passed
| until We got near the home of deceased.
Then Billy and John had some words.
John called William and struck
him in the face. Billy moved him away
and John went for him again. / went be-
tween them, when got struck said /
was cut and was going home. Had not
gone tar when Billy called tor me to wait.
When he came up he said: Il don't know
why Jack feels like that towards me, we
were always good friends Cross ex-
amined the witness said: william WIS
always OF IA quiet disposition. Saw him
and the dead man often together. John
was not drunk"
Chief Egan told of the confession made
by the accused before the coroner. He
and the coroner cautioned him to say
nothing about the case unless he wished.
The INST time he did not say much. The
| second time the coroner told him again
he need say nothing. but that SO far as he
(the coTner) now knew, after examining the
other witnesses, the deed was done in self
defense, and it was best tor him to tell all
| the story. That's Just how it WIS done "
replied Billy.
Attorney O'Neill here objected saying
that this evidence was not admirable The
written evidence OF the coroner was then
handed to Attorney O'NeIll and after read.
ing it he withdrew his objection.
Attorney Russell then said that Levi
johnson WAS not present in court aud
asked to have the testimony given by
him before the coroner allowed in. II
Was allowed. The testimony was substan.
tally AS follows: He lives at 1860 Eas;
| SIHih StteStI anu WIS nome IN peu
on tue night in question.
Heard noise. opened his window
and looked out He saw three men to-
gether. two of them lighting. Recognized
the dead man. Heard John say: You
are so - mean, don't want nothing
to do with you" Saw blows struck; saw
John stagger and fall IN the street. One
OF the three had left and the other fol.
lowed. Two other men came along and
spoke to John and told him to get up. He
replied. Il can't" They then lifted him
up and carried him into the house.
The state here rested. Attorney 0'NeIll
put on the stand. to testify to the good
character and standing of the accused
three old and respected residents, Joseph
| W. kIndregan. William Pallett and Royal
Calender. who had known him from boy.
| mood.
He then asked that the bond be lett at
50. 900.
Judge Root said that there was no ex-
PLANTATION given of the crime by the de.
fepse. The accused was charged with
murder in the second degree and the
bond. he said. ought to be doubled.
Attorney 0Neill argued that the most
that could be proven was granddaughter
| there was no reconciliation.
Ju lge Root insisted that as the evidence
stood it proved murder in the second de.
gree.
Attorney O'NeiIl consulted with the &C.
| cused and after few minutes William L
Byrnes took the stand.
He was very pale and tmaciated and
| showed the effects of the terrible strain he
| Is undergoing. His evidence was as fol.
lows: II am the uncle of the deceased
| Nsver had a quarrel with him prior to this
one. He came to any house after fishing
tackle. 1 didn't have them. Saturday
went down town with my brother Stephen
stopped into Tom Fagan's on South Main
street Kelly's and Doran's places and had d
few drinks IN each. Went into Hackett's neal
IL o'clock aud had one glass of beer. Jack
the deceased) went out ahead and Pinney
and followed. We were forty feet be
hind him. He was standing at the tele-
graph pole opposite his home when we
came up. He called me a. and
struck me in the face. backing my eye
Cthe accused has black eye to-day.)
said: Hold on, Jack. what's the matter
with you:' lie strucK me again and struck
and cut Pinney over the eye. 1 don't re-
member using n knife. If I did i mus
have been In IA passion. don't remem
| Der it. / had knife. an ordinary jack.
knife Went to work when was fifteen
aud have worked on and of at Rogers &
Brothers ever since
On cross examination he denied telling
the coroner that he remembered using the
| Euife. He did not tell Jack to keep away.
He did not give him the knife because
he would not keep away. He showed Jacs
agains. the telegraph pole and left him
standing on the sidewalk when ne went &c
join Pinney. He denied also that he told
the coroner where the knife was hidden.
Judge Root after hearing his evidence
1 sRnn