The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-03-07
MATRICIDE
ON TRIAL..
Dennis Mccarthy Before Jury at the
POtlSyile Court.
HIS STORY OF THE SHOOTING
Cll'rs Thot His Mother Was Accidentally
Shot While He was Trying to Take
the Revolver Prom Her Denies
That There was a Quarrel.


| full panel of 65 Jurors was exhausted and
only eleven jurors selected, when John NJ
| Sullivan, Of Pottsvile was recalled and
sworn as juror No. l2
District Attorney Bechtel made the open
ing address, beginning at 1875 o'clock He
said the jury can acquit or convict of mur-
der in the first degree, OF find the prisoner
guilty of murder In the second degree OF Of
voluntary manslanghter, They must find
one Of the four verdicts named The Com
monwealth would press for a verdict of muir
der in the first degree The intent Of the
person perpetratiug The crime is a matter of
importance aside from the question Of malice
The story of the murder was rehearsed. On
January 22d, the prisoner, Dennis Mccarthy,
was brought home in an intoxicated condi-
tion and, after quarreling with his sister, the
latter went to a Squire Office to swear out
warrant for his arrest While the sister was
away he shot his mother fatally The District
Attorneys address lasted II minutes and was
was fOrcibly delivered.
Tipstave Joseph Anthony was then sworn
and put in charge of the jury. Court Steno-
grapher Patterson is taking a stenOgraphic
report Of the proceedings
Miss Jennie Mccarthy, sister of the accused
was the first witness sworn. She said they
iA'NN NhNNt a LilA0 nun NlduuuhN AllN anu
that she was not at home when the shooting
occurred The defense asked no questions.
DR.. A. d. Sherman, of Mahanoy City, who
held the post mortem examination January
23rd, stated that bullet had gone through
the sternum, or breast bone, and the aorta.
or large blood vessel leading from the heart
Death at once would be the effect of such
wound Hemorrhage was the cause Of
death.
The doctor identified the bullet which had
been split by contact with the bones
Mr.. Dolphin conducted the cross examina-
tion, which was lengthy going closely into
details. He brought out that the ball struck
the vertabrae near the sixth rib, and that
where the bullet struck the back bone was
considerably lower than where it entered the
body, showing that 1t took downward
course. At the request of the attorneys the
doctor illustrated on the person Of Attorney
Swank where the bullet entered, where it
struck the backbone and the place it finally
! lodged, near the point at which it had en-.
, tered the body. After being detected from
the backbone its course was upward and al
; most parallel with its downward course
Examined by Mr.. Swank. l found no
other signs of wounds or abrasiOns other
; than those mentioned.
DR.. John R. Bssell Deputy Coroner, told
the story of the inquest and of the post
mortem and identified the portions of the
pin that had been found in the wound near
the sternum.
: Mr. Swank did the cross examining and
/ said he judged the pistol had been held from
, three to four feet from the body, which had
been prepared for the ice box when he saw it.
He judged the distance by the DETECTION of
the wound and that was his only means of so
| judging,
! James Reese was sworn. His residence is
, Park Place, about three miles from Mahanoy
City. He saw the prisoner at the home OF
the McCarthy's that day.
Q. Did he say anything about shooting his
mother2
A. He told us he had shot his mother
To further questions he answered that Nc
Carthy told he and his brother. Joe Reese.
that he had shot himself twice. He, the
witness picked up the revolver near the
, kitchen door and gave it to Squire Brennan.
He reached the spot about five o'clock in the
evening. 1t was just getting dusk.
To Mr.. Dolphin Reese and his brother
! were driving. 1t was Sunday evening. Nc
Carthy hailed them and said he had shot his
mother. They stopped and found the pris-
oner sitting on the ground. The revolver
was lying about three feet from Mccarthy,
who called the attention of witness to it.
t Mrs. Mccarthy was lying near the kitchen
on her right side Mccarthy asked for the
! revolver while we were on the way to
1 Squire Brennan's, and was refused.
5 Court at this time 545 o'clock, adjourned
until o'clock this morning, and the jury
was sent to Pennsylvania Hall hotel under
, the tipstave's care for safe keeping.
TO-DAY's PROCEEDINGS.
A slim attendance marked the opening Of
Dennis McCarthy's trial this morning.
Some delay resulted from the absence of both
sides witnesses owing to the inconvenient
running of railroad trains. A rumor that
the defense will spring surprise gained cir,
) culation this morning and aroused some in
terest
Comment upon the prisoners appearance
indicates that in the publio's mind he would
be one of the last men to be picked out fol
principal in such crime. His countenance
is singularly open and free from guile he is
about 35 years old and apparently feels hi,
position keenly His two sisters dressed il
deep mourning and his brother were seated
at the table with him.
= Squire Neal Brennan was the first witness
r He was sworn and identified the revolver,
self-coeking, hair trigger affair. The 'Squir
y received the revolver from James Reese
;, John Reese was sworn, and Tehearsed tn,
u story of seeing Mccarthy near his home oi
u Sunday evening, January 22nd Reese an,
d his brother were driving and the accuse,
was near the Mccarthy home. He hailed tn
l. Reese brothers and said Boys I've shot m
N mother; I've shot my mother" He hear
h the defendant ask his brother, James, I
d return the revolver.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Dolphin. "I di
p, not know the voice that hailed us. Nj
It Carthy was sitting alongside the road nea
D. the house. knew who lived in the hous
Il l saw my brother pick up the revolver whic
r laid about four feet from Mccarthy, aud the
es went back to where the body of his moth,
le was lying at the bottom of the step Just ou
re side the house. The body was lying on Il
r right side and facing the house. Her ar
was still warm, but l concluded from h,
appearance that she was dead. l saw /
blood. Two other men We're there but
~ I, don't know who they are Mccarthy ask,
81 my brother for the revolver and he refus,
20 to give it TO him.
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