The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-07
URAEMIC POISONING
CAUSED HER DEATH
So Says the Coroner Jury 10 the
Kelly Case.
HUSBAND RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
Witness at Inquest Could Give No
Direct Evidence of a Quarrel but
Several Testified to Statements
Made by Mrs. Keliey..Dr. Haggerty
Ascribed Death to Injuries Kelley
is Accused of Inflicting.

| of criminal neglect and shameful abuse
the coroner's jury last night eXonerated
Michael A. Kelley for the death of his
wife which occurred Thursday after
noon at 8 o'clock under such suspicious
! circumstances, as told In yesterday $
| Tribune.
Deputy Coroner T.. NJ. Pennypacker
went to the house in the Brick Row, on
| Pittston avenue, yesterday morning
and impannelled jury consisting of
DIR. w. l.. Keller. Louis Neuls, .. Nj.
| Custard. Charles Helm. John II. Flack,
and Thomas Cain and after performing
| post mOrtem eXQneration adjourned
the inquest until o'clock p. m. in
the arbitration room of the court
house
At re-adjOurnment there was a large
| attendance, many besides the witness
es being there out of curiosity Chief
of Police Robling sat beside DR.. Penny
packer and directed the prosecution.
James Cullen, Il brother-in-law of the
dead woman was the first witness
called. He knew nothing of the quar-
rell's betwkeen Kelley and his wife,
which are alleged to nave taken place
two weeks ago Sunday night and the
night before her death.
on election day he went to Kelley's
house to induce Kelley to come out
" Nott anu saw hiS. Ntlty SlltiiS,
In a chair mending Il pair of boy
breeches She looked as if she was i'll
| and a cut on her face heightened her
delicate appearance. The day before
she died he again saw her She had q
strip of flannel tied over her forehead.
When he asked her how she came by
the cut on her head she sf@d that
during the night she had occasion to
come down stairs to get drink of
water for one of the children and made
n misstep which caused her to fall.
Witness was Of the opinion that Mrs.
Kelley indulged more or less in alco-
hol He also saw her ON the morning
of the day she died One of the neigh
boring women told him that Mrs. Kel-
ley was very low. He went to the
house and suggested that a doctor be
sent for Kelley said he had sent. for
one already and so witness departed
for his work.
MRS. KELLY SEEMED AFRAID.
Mary Cullen, a sister Of the previous
kelly's house, Wednesday at noon, and
found her getting her husbands din
ner. She complained of pains all over
her body and that it was difficult for
her to walk Witness insisted on send
ing for a doctor. but Mrs. Kelly said
she didn't want one, ,as she was ashamed
to have anyone see her face. The hus-
band was lying on the floor, drunk. at
the time and when asked why he didn't
send for doctor replied that the wife
didn't want one. Mrs. Kelly seemed
afraid, witness said, to tell how she
received the injury on her face and
when pressed for an explanation stated
that she had fallen down stairs.
DR.. Haggerty testified that he was
called to see Mrs. Kelly and arrived at
the house at o'clock in the afternoon.
two hours previous to the reported time
of her death. Her face was all black
and swollen, the abdomen discolored
and distended and many bruises were
found on her body. She complained OF
a pain in the stomach and soreness all
over, and said she felt as IL her lower
extremities were paralyzed. When the
doctor asked her what was the cause
Of her injuries she replied that she had
been kicked and abused by her hus-
band. He did what he could to relieve
her pain and then left, after prescrib-
ing how she should be cared for.
DO you ascribe her death to the in
juries she received?" was asked by DR..
Pennypacker.
at the time; but l may have been mis-
taken" DIR. Haggerty answered.
Mrs. Sophia Durkin, a neighbor, knew
nothing Of the alleged fights between
Kelly and his wife. She knew that Mrs.
Kelly was a drinking woman.
Patrick Roche heard that there was
a quarrel between Mr.. and Mrs. Kelly,
two weeks ago Sunday night. and again
on the night before she died; that he
whipped her; that her face was badly
done up, and that "she was n show"
lnl La D,,,1
edge of any of these things.
WAS BADLY TREATED.
Mrs. Elizabeth Schnefef testified that
she went to Mrs. Kelly's house one
week ago Monday in response to Mrs
Kellys request, and found her in bed
suffering terribly. She told witness
that her husband had licked her at mid
night the night before. She was very
low at the time. She had poor rising
we all could see that" the witness
went on to say. She never heard Mrs.
Kelly complain of any illness. She
heard nothing of the fight until Mrs.
Kelly's children called her in the morn
ing to come to see their mother. Wit
ness saw Kelly put her out of the house
several times, but not recently. Mrs.
Kelly was a good, steady woman until
about two years ago, when she took to
drink.
Mrs. Patrick Kennedy, who lives next
door to the Kelly home, heard nothing
Of the fights except what the neighbors
told her. Kelly and his wife got along
pretty well as far as she knew. Wit
ness was with Mrs. Kelly just before
death came. Mrs. Kelly said to her. ac-
cording to her testimony: "Grog caused
this. If ever get well I'll never taste
1t again." This was about an hour and
a half before she died.
The list of subpoenaed witnesses hav-
ing been exhausted. DR.. Pennypacker
made his report of the post mortem ex-
animation. The organs, he said. were
in a very bad condition. showing excess
sive use of alcohol The kidney and
liver were in a frightful condition. Two
or three sets of vital organs We're SO
diseased that death would have soon
resulted at all events. The post NOR
tem he said. would tend to show that
death was due to uraemic poisoning.
The jury. however, would have to de-
termine. he said, to what extent. if any,
Kelly's conduct had contributed to his
wife's death.
The jury went into secret session for
about five minutes and returned the
following yerdice:
I'VE. the undersigned Jurors, find |
that the said Mrs. NJ. a. Kelly came to
her death from uraemia superinduccd
by alcoholism. While sears were found
upon her body, we do not think they
were the cause of death"
KELLY WAS RELEASED.
Earlier in the evening. in compliance
with the statute requiring n hearing |
for a prisoner within twenty-four hours |
after his arrest, Kelly was brought in |
before Mayor Bailey in the police court |
room and after being formally accused |
by Chief Robling, was remanded for Il |
further hearing. The mayor left or |
ders that in case the coroner's jury ex- |
onerated Kelly he should be released, |
forthwith.
AS soon as the verdict was rendered. |
Chief Robling went to the station house |
and set Kelly at liberty. When Ser |