Evening star., 1898-05-23
RILEY RESPONSIBLE
Verdict of Jury Respecting Death Of
James Mahaney.
QUARREL PRECEDES TIE KILLING
Disputation in Saloon Over Trivial
Matters.
PRECEDES TRE KILLING
a ecu SED NAN IN JAIL

This morning Coroner Carr held an in
quest at the sixth precinct station over the
body of James Mahaney, a young man who
was stabbed through the heart late Satur-
day night in or near Seitz's saloon, at the
foot of 9th street, near the river front
James Riley. who had been on friendly
terms with Mahaney and who is charged
with having inflicted the fatal wound, was
present After several witnesses had re-
lated the story of the trouble the jury re-
turEed verdict holding Riley responsible
for the death of his former friend. He was
thereupon committed to Jail.
The homicide took place about IL o'clock
Saturday night, and was the result of a dis
pute started in the saloon. Mahaney. with
the staD-wound in his heart, left his friends
and started toward the harbor masters
office, saying he intended to return. He
was seen staggering along the street, his
unsteady step resulting from an over-in-
GulSence in beer and thu death wound
There was nothing unusual about the sight
Of a staggering man near the river front.
and two policemen VINO saw him paid no at
tention to him. 1t was not until he fell that
the police went over ard saw that he had
6e een stabbed. Several persons gathered
about the dying man, among them the pris-
cner. Riley. He soon disappeared, however,
and it was about midnight when Policeman
Schneider found him in the yard in the
rear of the saloon. A knife supposed to be
the one used ir the affray was fouEd in
water closet. Riley was locked up. In the
meantime the wounded man was removed
tc the Emergency Hospital, where he died
about ten minutes after his arrival.
Mahaney W. an iron worker ard Riley
is a carpenter. The latter has wife and
one child. The deceased was not married.
Result of Autopsy.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook testified that
he performed an autopsy the body of
Mahaney this morning. On the knees OF
the dead man the doctor found scars which
indicated that the deceased had fallen be-
fore he died. There was a cut across the
lower end of the dead mans coat that had
been recently made. Just below the fourth
rib witness found a wound. and the sharp
instrument that had been used had pene-
trated the heart. Death was due to hemor-
rhage following the stab wound of the
heart In other respects the mans condl-
tiOn was normal.
Joseph S. Mattingly 493 n street south
west, testified that he was in Seitz's saloon,
corner of 9th and streets, about IL
o'clock Saturday night when a party of
young men came in They We're drinking.
While in the saloon he saw Riley strike
Mahaney with his fist. One of the men in
the party said to him:
Don't touch him: he's a friend of mine"
Did you see any weapon?" asked the
coroner.
No, sir answered witness, but l saw
him fumbing in his pockets for something,
and / told him not to do that; that he
would get in trouble.
Story of the Quarrel.
Joseph Mansfield 1245 Union street south
west, told the jury that five friends had a
keg of beer Saturday night at the launch
ing of a beat. Before parting they went
over to Seitzs saloon to get a glass of
haa nd hi fl1nr Il Mol,
got into dispute. Riley, he said, told Ma
haney that a man named Ratcliffe had
struck him tMahaney). and that he had
not resented it. Mahaney said he had seen
Riley fail to resent assault.
when was it? Riley asked.
THE time Smithson struck you,'' was
Mahaney's answer.
Riley. he said. struck Mahaney with his
fist, and the latter attempted to defend
himself. They went outside, and while
standing the corner Mahaney said:
Riley, you've stabbed me-
Riley remarked to witness:
Its all over with me now.
What did you understand Riley meant
by that remark?'
Il didn't know what he meant"
Witness said he Riley close his knife
and put it in his pocket.
What kind of knife did he have?"
Il couldn't tell 1t was dIrk. and 1 didn't
get a good look at it.
The cutting, witness said, could not have
been done outside the saloon. Both men
had been drinking, and Mahaney staggered
q little. There Were twenty men, he said
to drink the beer at the landing, and wit
ness said he was not drunk
William Herman, 112g "a street southeast
sad he did not see the cutting, but he
was positive that it occurred while the
men were in the saloon.
When the Cutting Occurred.
Michael Reagan, 90 Florida avenue
northwest. testified that he vas in the sa-
loon when the quarrel took place When
ne saw Riley strike Mananey he separated
them and then they went outside When
the pavement was reached he saw Riley
deal Mahaney another blow, as h sup
posed, with his fist but one of the men
in the party said; There's blood
witness; then remarked: My goodness,
he's cut"
Mahaney walked away, and witness
thought he hal not been badly injured.
Witness saw no blood stains except on the
THE trail of blood was followed and Ma
office"
Witness said he had been drinking. but
ne was sober enough to know what hap
pened. He did not see the knife
Policeman Henry Schneider testified 70
the arrest. The prisoner told witness that
ne had defended himself against a razor.
witness knew Mahaney was quarrelsome
when under the influence OF LIQUOR He
had heard that Mahaney had carried a
razor. but he had searched him and had
never found such weapon on him. Sat
urday morning he swore out warrant for
for diSorderly conduct because
OF the trouble he had With Ratcliffe
Joseph Hltner testified that he saw Riley
looking for Mahaney about 1890 O'Clock
Saturday night. Riley had penknife in
his hand but witness could not give
description of the knife.
Joseph Doyle gave similar testimony The