Connecticut western news., 1895-11-28
A LIFE AND A DEATH.
DAVID FLANAGAN ACQUITTED, AND
 HIS FATHER DIES.

Jury Finds the Slayer of Solomon Mann
 GuiitIess of Murder on the Ground of
 Insanity-straurs Combination of Glad
 pess and Sorrow.
 NEW YORK, Nov 22.-shortly befor. midnight David Hannigan, charged with the killing of Solomon Mann, the botraycr of his sister, was acquitted of murder. About the same time hls aged father, Wil- liam IIanniRan, died at his home on Eff tyslxth stroot
 Only ono short quarter of an hour sufii- nced for it ell In those few minutes David ITanngan was acquitted of the murder of his sisters betrayer, but hts poor old father, whose only wish was to retain consciousness until the nows of his boys release could reach him, had died.
 Tho verdict was the realization of tho sons hope; of the fathers prayer There was gladness In the courtroom. There was sadness in tho home. The shadow of a death form grief olouded the sunshine that aoquittal had brought. One life had been saved; one other had boon claimed in tho most mournful tragedy of the year.
 Up in that sad home on Fifty-sixth street there were nt II o'clock last night, the father, who was dying. conscious but unable to speak, his dim eyes always rest Ing on the door, watching and waiting for news from Dave, on trial for his life. The mother, almost blind and broken hearted. dared not leave the bedside of the old man. though the boy who had avenged Lorotta's shame waltu oxtremest peril. Her other daughtorAworo there. fearful and anxious.
 Down In the courtroom. worn with fa u.x1 .A..N -aN shA rha. jury were out with his life in their keep- Ing To them was loft the oholoe of re- turning 1t to him or of sacrificing t to the law. His frail littlo wife sat noar him, pallid and trembling. His brother, Jack HannlRan, sat beside him Jack knew he could not aid the father Ills assistance might bo needed by his brothor. He would stay where he was needed most Justice might save one lifo. Science had failed to save the othor.
 Pathetic soenss In the Courtroom.
 It was II o'clock when tho jury agreed upon it's verdict and sent word to Justice | Ingraham. At the same moment n mes senRer from the HanniPan household came breathless to the criminal court building to oall tho members of tho family to old Mir. Hannlgan's bedside, who had begun to sink rapidly half an hour before, and tho | physicians said that his llfe was only A | question of minutes. The prisoners wife, sisters and brother, huddled in n corner of tho corridor, hroke Into fresh storm of grief at the news, and their perploxity | was pitlful. .a.
 They had to stay to learn David's fate, and they had to say the last goodby. At last they decided that the two sisters should go where the angel of death was | nearest, while tho wife and brothor should stay with him, whose lIfo hung In the | balance. | Just as tho two weeping women loft tho building Justice Ingraham arrived, and the word that the verdict moro anxiously waited for than any other in the oity's history of tragedies, was to be announced spread with electric quicknoss. lt was 1i:s5 whom, in a heart leaping silenoo. tho jurymen filed In and took their places. As they entered tho box the prisoner, with the first sign of emotion he had evipoed In the long trial. rose from his seat, and bending over the tiny littlo woman that had SO faitl<:ully kept beside him kissed her tenderly. The olork called tho roll, but before he could put tho crucial ques- ton tho justice interrupted in his harsh and high pitched voice; Lot there be no demonstration of any kind Any ono so offending will be arrested and severely punished" '"
 Hannixsn Declared Not Guilty.
 "Gentlemen of the jury" said the clerk. have you arrived at n verdictY"
 We have, said the foreman clearly. What say you. guilty or not guilty"
 Evon If tho foreman had whispered his answer it could have beon heard in ovory oornor of the great room.
 Not guilty, on the ground of insanity, '" said he.
 From Mrs. Hannigan's lips came a most pathetic little half ory, half sob of | joy, and in the rear of tht room the jus. tioe's admonition was forgotten in storm of applause Liko lightning the news went to the corridors. where ohccr after ohoer went up, that all the police on duty could not stop
 Hannigan's brother broke down utter ly, but tho acquitted man stood like a statue until his wife's hystcrical sobbinR reached him. Then he broke down, too. and as they wept In each others arms there wero few whose eyes wcro not hllod up in sympathy. Jack HanniRsn rcoover- cd himself first and taking Mrs. David Hannigan with him sot out for homo. In tho hope of finding tho father still alive
 A motion was made for the roleaso of tho prisoner, but was denied by Justice lnRraham, who said:
 "I would not be justified in releasing | him without somo one to oaro for him | would almost be guilty of manslaughter myself if l should discharge him. think it best for himself and his family and all concerned that he should be taken care of properly somewhere until he reoovsrs from the excitement incident to the trial and what may follow"
 David was, however, permitted to visit his homo in tho custody of two deputy sherifs.
 HanniTsn Committed to an Asylum. | Npw yopu Nov on David Hannt.