The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-05-08
MLAREN'S ORDEAL.
Second Trial for the Murder OF
His Wife in Hoboken
Last Year.

Thomas McLaren Is today, for the
second time, on trial for the murder OF
his mistress, Jennie Knittle, in Hobo
ken, last July. He was tried In Decem-
Der last, but the jury disagreed. Nc
Laren is being defended in this trial by
William c. Heppenheimer and ex-Judge
Hoffman.
The case was moved by Prosecutor
Winfield at 1890 A. NJ. After some de-
lay this jury was Unparalleled to deter
mine McLaren's fate:-Daniel Coffee.
Louis H. Forest, s. o. Harper, Henry
W. Mertens, Henry c. Post. H. D. Clark
Thomas Lee, Louis Gruber, A. R. Gle
ment, William Baxter. John F. Kittrick
and James May.
DESCRIBED THE WOUNDS.
It was eleven o'clock when Mr.. Win
field opened. He consumed only five
minutes in presenting the States line
of argument. It was hat the defend
n had threatened his victims life pre-
vious to the crime and that he did actu-
ally shoot her.
DR.. Converse was the first witness
called. He described the course of the
two bullets which entered the murdered
woman's body. The bullets were fired
from a 3S-calibre revolver. One bullet
was found near the thigh bone on the
left side and the other near the right
shoulder. The shot first described enter
ed the left breast inc passed through
the walls of the stomach, causing a
hemorrhage, which caused death. There
were fully two quarts of blood found
in the abdominal cavity. The other
shot was fired three inches below the
right shoulder blade and seven inches
from the spinal column,
M'LAREN THREATENED HER.
Mrs. Demarest of Jersey City Heights
testified that she had known McLaren
and Jennie Knittle for six years. She
became acquainted with them when
they lived at No. Sc Bloomfield street.
They lived for a time at No. As Gar
den street. Jennie and McLaren paid
her a visit in September, 1898. They
had a quarrel while there and Tom
threatened to strike Jennie. He then
tried to persuade Jennie to go out with
him. She refused to go and McLaren
said:-"1ll drop you on sight" McLaren
to kill the Knittle woman. Mrs. Dem
Arrest took the knife from him. In Oc-
tober the witness visited McLaren and
She commented ON the fact that the
legs Of the chairs were sawed off. She
asked how it happened.
Tom has been at them" replied Jen.
be you, not the chairs. next time"
HER CHILDREN IN COURT.
During. a pause In the trial McLaren's
tno e father within Msha the l rail. He s0 kissed seea
them. The children sat on a bench a
few feet from where McLaren sat. Ev-
cry time her father looked around the
little girl would throw him.Sa Kiss. The
little boy smiled all over his face with
pleasure. when McLaren noticed him.
Ex-Judge Hoffman asked Mrs. Dem
aaesf to u m n Mer tro mGa tf betw saat M sng nan
and his wife. She Indignantly denied it.
Mrs. Louisa Seigler. who was ironing
in the kitchen at the time the shooting
DEsCRIBEs THE SHOOTING.
William. Houiiston, who was at Mrs.
Mulvaney's house, where the shooting
testified that McLaren. called there to
see Jennie. He quarreled with her n
told her he wanted possession of the
and he couldn't have them. McLaren
married. She insisted thai they were.
McLaren left and returned later.
he came back. He ordered him out
and called Jennie Knittle in to him.
She obeyed his call after some hesitation.
tered. Soon the witness heard Jennie
ghootw Then he heard 4 pistol shot
The door opened and the Knfttle woman
staggered out. McLaren followed her
and poking the revolver against her
side fired again. The pistol was SO close
to her that her dress caught fire.
failed to shake his testimony.
The case is in progress.