The morning call., 1894-12-15
8UTCHERY OF BLIND NANCY.
Voices of the Slain Woman's
Sisters Heard.
QUEER WORK OF DETECTIVES.
Rather Sensational Testimony In
PRODUCED During the Trial Of
Mrs. Bryan.

SANTA Rosa, Dec. 14.-There were sem
sational developments in the Meagher
murder case to-day. John 4. Meagher,
the husband of the murdered woman. was
on the stand all the forenoon, and his
story was very damaging 10 the defend
ant, Mrs. Bryan. He said he was reading
to his blind wife when ne was shot His
wife was working bread when the first
shot was fired. He fell to the floor and
was dazed for a time. His wife
her dear husband had been shot.
Witness Their said he crawled upstairs,
making trail of blood as he went. He
remained there awhile and relapsed into
Inconsistencies. When he recovered
consciousness he crawled downstairs again
and fell over the dead body of his wife.
The most damaging part of his testimony
was when he said that during the night he
heard number of persons come into the
house. He recognized Mrs. Bryan's and
Mrs. Fowler's voices. He heard Mrs.
Fowler say, Lib, look out for the cow
boy" to which Mrs. Bryan replied. sob,
pshaw don't mind him; he is out of the
way"
Meagher was positive that Mrs. Bryan
and Mrs. Fowler were the persons in the
house. The other voice he did not know.
but it belonged to young man, and be
Lad heard it since, and would know it
should he hear it again.
The attorneys for the defense had
Meagher on the rack of cross-exsmination
The most of the afternoon. Meagher was
questioned closely in regard TO Phiin Fitz,
the detective. lie admitted telling him
that be would give him 5000 if he would
succeed in convicting Mrs. Bryan, Mrs.
Fowler and johnny Bryan. He said Fitz
had thrust his services on him and after
ward told HIM that at the same time he
was working for him he was in the employ
of Z. j. Stilwell. detective employed by
the defense. Meagher denied subsequently
that he had ever offered Filz 500 TO secure
Mrs. Meagher's watch and plant" it in
Mrs. Bryan's yard for the purpose Of cast
ing suspicion upon her.
He also denied he had told one jan
son at Sebastopol that he would give him
$1,000 if he would pump enough evidence
out of Robert Hardin, brother of Mrs.
Bryan, to convict her. Further he denied
a charge implied 10 the questions proposed
that he had masqueraded al Sc bastopol for
the purpose of securing damaging evil
dence against his wife's relatives.
Becoming indignant at the sharp prod
ding he was receiving at the defendants
attorneys hands, he boldly accused j. Fl.
Saunders, one Of them, Of folio wing him
and conspiring against him whenever be
could. Witness also charged Detective
Stilwell. one Patterson and one Wilson,
who said they were detectives, of making
up evidence against him.
a sensation was expected when the wit
ness said be heard third voice in his house
the night Mrs. Bryan and Mrs. Fowler
were there, at the time of the murder,
and recognized it and could tell TO whom
it belonged. The sensation was nipped in
the bud. however, for the objection of de-
1endanrs counsel was sustained.
DR.. Maclay OF Petaluma testified to see
ing footprints of persons under the bridge
near Meagher's place. Some had been
made by small shoes and others by large
ones. He was there when PhIin Fitz
found handkerchief and bits of fur on
the barb-wre fence near where the foot
prints were. He said the stride of the
footprints coming from the house tC ward
the bridge were longer than those point
ing toward the house.
Marshal Collins of PetaIuma was a wit
ness, and told about going to the Meagher
place on the morning after the murder; he
measured the footprints and found the
strides in those pointing from the house
longer than the others.
Mrs. StTout. neighbor and relative of
Mrs. Bryan, said Mrs. Bryan had cloak
that had fur on it; an ordinary cloak, such
as many women wear.
Joe BRYAN was put on the stand by the
prosecution, but he could not remember
very well many material points. lie was
considerably confused. and it required
skill on the part Of defendants attorney to
extricate him from some of his tangles
when he was cross-examined. The prose
cution will probably close tomorrow.