The herald., 1897-05-09
Cantwell Is Held for the
Crime
GALLAGHER is DISCHARGED
A DRUNKEN CAROUSAL WHICH
ENDED IN DEATH
Shocking Exhibition Of Brutality.
Cantwell Smears His Fingers In
the Dead Woman's Blood

The coroner's inquest held yesterday
over the body of Mollie Phelan, who was
brutally murdered in her room Friday
morning. resulted in Theodore Cantwell
being held charged with the crime.
Billy Gallagher was released. The ver-
dice returned by the jury was that
Mollie Phelan died from concussion OF
the brain, as a result Of blows admin
istered by Theodore Cantwell
The inquest was held at Orr & Hines
undertaking parlors, where the body
had been taken. William Brindler, pro-
prietor of the Richmond house, was the
first witness called. He stated that
Cantwell and Mollie Phelan had been
living in his house for about year.
Cantwcll had introduced the woman as
his wife.
They quarreled frequently, and on
one occasion Mollie had told him that
Cantwell had beaten her. At another
time the two quarreled and the woman
stuck Cantwell in the arm with knife.
inflicting a severe wound.
He said that on Thursday he went out
during the afternoon and left Cantvell
In charge of the building. When he
came back at o'clock he found Gala
gher there and all three were drinking.
The next time that he saw them was at
II o'clock, when man came with
note for Mollie. He opened the door
to her room and saw the three people
lying on the bed, apparently sleeping
heavily. The man with the note went
into the room, but failed to awaken the
woman, who was snoring loudly. The
man returned an hour later but left
again without awaking Mollie.
He heard nothing more until he was
aroused by Cantwell, who told him the
woman was dead. This was about 4
o'clock in the morning. He hurried to
the room and found her lying. appar-
emily asleep. Her body was still warm.
There was no light except that given by
a dim lamp, and he did not notice any
blood scattered about the room nor the
bruises on the body. By this time Gal
lagher and Cantwell had sobered up.
This concluded Brindler's evidence -
far as it had any bearing onthe murder.
Agnes Capistrano proved an impor-
tant witness. She Is employed at the
Richmond to take care of the rooms, and
was well acquainted with Mollie Phe-
Ian. who made something of a conf
dant of her. The night Of the murder
she had heard Mollie scream in her
room. Her outcry was cut short with
"a noise which sounded as II she was
being choked. This was about 9 o'clock
Two hours later she met Cantwell COM
ing up the stairs with a pitcher Of beer
They had spoken, and Cantwell said he
was going up TO Mollie's room and do
her up. The witness was on intimate
terms with Mollie. and ON one occasion
the latter had confided to her that she
was afraid that Cantwell would choke
her to death some time.
Billy Gallagher told a story much the
same as printed yesterday morning. He
said that he was very drunk all after
noon and night, and had no idea what
time he went to bed. After that he
remembered absolutely nothing until
he was awakened by Cantwell, who told
him that the woman was dead. He
claimed that he was oblivious to the
world during the interim, and that If
struggle had taken place he was en-
tirely unconscious Of it.
CantwelPs testimony was given in an
uldfIlcI, anu lie was evil
IDENTIFY laboring under great mental
strain. He at first denied that he had
ever beaten or choked Mollie. Under a
severe questioning by Coroner Camp
bell he later admitted that he had chokei
and beaten her, but he claimed that this
had occurred when she was fighting
with other women, and he was trying
to stop her.
When questioned as to the marks on
her throat he claimed that they had
been made with the boxing gloves when
he was sparring with the woman. He
was taken to view the body, and there
an exhibition of brutality was given that
fairly made the blood run cold. He
the woman's bloody hair and
his fingers in the fluid He be-
gan talking rapidly in rambling way,
to the different wounds and try
ing to explain them to the jury. Coro-
ner Campbell asked him how the
hands became bruised in the
shocking manner which they are. Can't
we'll seized both the members in one
of his and blurted out something about
its being done when he was holding the
woman once about two weeks ago when
she was in danger of bleeding to death
from cut in her forehead, received by
falling on the corner of the bed
He moved round ard round the body,
all the bruises closely with
something more like curiosity than
otherwise. When he had finished he
coolly wiped the blood from his hands
on the sheet and then helped to draw it
over the woman's face. He showed no
emotion whatever, and was not visibly
AFFECTED by the sight of the mangled
form of his paramour The case was
then given to the jury and they imme-
dlately rendered the verdict as stated.
Gallagher was released, but Cantwell
was hurried back to Jail to await hear
ing IN court on charge of murder.