New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-23
MACKIN FOUND GUILTY.
THE JURY RETURNS A VERDICT OF
MURDER IN THE FIRST DECREE
SCENES or GREAT EXCITEMENT DURING THE
TRlAL-THE DEFENCE ATTEMPTS TO PROVE
tNsANITY-sENTENCE TO BE PRO


NoUNCcD NEXT WEEK
John Mackin was convicted in the Hudson County
Court of oyer and Terminer in Jersey City. yeser-
day OF the murder Of his wife On February p he
Shot and instantly killed his wife. Lizzie. her
moiner' Bridget Connors. and wounded his father
in-aw, Maurice Connors. When informed few
minutes after his arrest that the condition Of his
father-inlaw critical the murderer said that he
hoped that Connors too. would die. The murder
was committed at the home Of the Connors family
at No. 10 Phillps-st.. Jersey City.
M2ckin had been married three years and had two
children. He failed to provide for his family, and
his wife left him. They had separated before. and
her father made her return conditional on her
promise not to have anything more 10 do with her
husband She returned TO her parents home about
month before The crime
1t developed at the trial yesterday that Mackin
had called at the house the Saturday night prior
10 the tragedy, but not admitted He wept and
begged his wife TO forgive him. lie ran away when
Mrs. Connors directed her daughter. Mackin's WIFE
10 call her father. on the following night Mackin
again called. This time he bolder. and. forcing
his way in. caught his wife by the and asked If
she intended getting bill OF separation. She re-
piled that she did not know. and he declared that
she must inform him by Tuesday what she contem-
plated doing. On Tuesday. two days before the
tragedy she received letter from him. advising her
10 disregard the opinion of the lawyer whom she
had consulted. and who recommended a separation
At noon ON the day OF the shooting Mackin visited
the house 10 see his wife and child and denied
admittance lie returned about o'clock and sent a
boy to the house requesting his wife TO come out
and see him. She refused
Her sister testified yesterday that Mrs. Mackin
refused because she was afraid of her husband.
The defence asserted that Mrs. Mackn and her
sister went out 10 the yard 10 tantalze him by
making gestures of contempt when Mackn beck
oned his wife TO come to him. He was then stand
ing at the corner, half block distant from the
home of the Connorses This excited his anger. He
retraced his steps 10 lower Jersey City and pur-
chased .SS-calibre revolver with five chambers.
which loaded by the clerk who sold the
weapon. Mackln visited several saloons bidding
his friends goodby. saying that he was going to
Buffalo the following day. but complained bitterly
because he had been excluded from his father-in-
laws house and hal been deprived Of the privilege
of seeing his children.
He returned his father-n-law's house about I
Q clock. Mr. Connors just leaving The house
TO go his work He was employed as a night
Waterman. Without word Mackin shot him IN
the neck and Connors fell back IN chair MIS-
Mackn stepped TO the door and was shot twice.
one bullet passed through her right breast. the
other entered her right cheek and made its exit
half inch under the right ear niicting the fatal
wound. She expired almost Instantly. Mrs Con-
the shooting began. She received TWO bullets ana
staggered back to the lounge and died. Mackin
he brandshed the revolver and asked that police,
man be summoned. When Policeman Post arrived
the prisoner told him what he had done ana sd'u
that all they coud do was TO hang MIN
He almost cheated the gallows as ne hSd a
knife secreted in his SHOE and gashed his throat
while In his cell. His neck was bandaged yester-
day. as the wound had not healed There was a
scene OF excitement and confusion IN the court
room when Mackin brought in HIS mother
VINO is subject iits had to be carried from tie
room Annie Connors. "A sister-in-law OF tn" mur-
derer. also had an attack OF hysterla anu nau
to be conveyed from the courtroom she also
swooned her father took the stand ana COZ,
lapsed as Mackr being LED BACK 70 the jail
after the verdict had been rendered
Nackin sat like a statue during the trial lie
was like one preoccupied, and never raised his eyes
during the entire day. except when the jury re-
turned lie glanced for moment al the Court
then AT the Jury Not muscle quiverei during
the trying ordeal. When arragned he pleaded
guilty plea that cannot he accepted IN murder
"a SEES in \ew-Jersey. The trial was comparatively
short IT began at 10 o'clock in the morning ana
was gwen 10 the jury al "'' 'H""-''
after o'clock m
The facts were not disputed. The defence was
INSANITY and II was alleged that Mackin had not
been of sound mind since his birth. \ NUMBER
of witnesses including his parents, were sworn
in his behalf Msckn not put on the stanf
HIS attorney, Counsellor Rowe. made a strong ana
ingenious plea Prosecutor Winfeld's summing up
was brief but powerful Justice Lippncoit delivered
an impartial charge that was regarded as faVorapie
by counsel for the murderer. The jury was OUT
forty-fve minutes. They almost unanimous
for verdict OF murder In the FIRST degree, on
the first ballot. $500,
Mackin displayed no feeling when taken back 20
his cell in nlurderers row. where two others are
awaiting trial and one who has been convicted
IS awaiting the action Of the hlgher court on ms
appeal for new trial He returned u ms cen
and was silent Justice Lppinc0tt ANNOUNCED ihat
he would sentence Mackin on Saturday May =