The times., 1899-03-21
RILEY BROUGHT TO
TRIAL FOR MURDER
The Alleged Slayer of Ma
haney Before a Jury.
Surprise When the Defendant Did
Not Take the Stand.
The Testimony All Iu-StOry Of the
Crime-The Knife Identified
by Its Owner.

James Riley was put on trial yester-
day in Criminal Court No. / for the muir
der Of James Mahaney on the night OF
May q last The defendant and his vic
tim, according to the testimony OF wit
nesses for the Government and the de-
fence, had been friends from their youth
and even up TO the very minute when
Riley struck the fatal blow no one had
ever heard cross word pass between
them. Both men had been celebrating the
launching of yacht, named in honor of
the hero of Manila. Commodore Dewey
and had spent several hours preceding
the death of Mahaney in drinking the
health of Dewey and the boat named for
him. The trial was attended by large
number of friends and spectators. Among
those present were Miss Julia Mahaney,
an aunt of the murdered man, and also
his sister -in-law, Mrs. Michael Mahaney.
The defendant was represented by
Messrs. Thomas G. Taylor and William
II. Taylor and the Government by Assis-
tant District Attorney Joseph Shillington.
a murder trial is usually very solemn
affair, but not SO with that of Riley, any
way, not during the time of the selecting
Of the members of the jury. Mr.. Taylor
never failed to enquire of each juror as
he was presented the nature of his busi-
ness. Three or four stated that they are
merchants. but did not deal in liquor.
This Mr.. Taylor assumed was good ground
to challenge the juror, whom he asked
to stand aside, adding that a merchant
who did not sell liquor would not please
him. This announcement always caused
much laughter, which on one occasion it
required the efforts OF two of the. bailiffs
to subdue.
The hearing was presided over by JUS
tice Cole, who, when all the testimony was
in, suggested that as it would have been
impossible to finish the trial yesterday aft
ernoon, it would be best to continue the
hearing until this morning.
Riley Avoids the Stand.
When several witnesses for the defence
had been heard everyone was greatly sur
prised that Mr.. Taylor announced his case
closed without having called the defendant
Riley to testify in his own behalf. The
failure to call the defendant to the wit
ness stand will forever leave the true
details of the killing of Mahaney a mys-
terry. Several of the witnesses for the
Government testified to having seen Riley
when he is supposed to have struck the
fatal blow. but not one of them stated that
he had a knife In his hand at the time or
that he even made such a demonstration
as a man naturally would when about to
deal deathblow. On the other hand,
many of the witnesses for the Government
testified that both Mahaney and Riley were
drinking heavily during the whole of the
afternoon, and some of those who gave
evidence for the defence stated that Riley
had drunk SO much that he was in a
stupor as late as $50 o'clock OF the morn
ing after the killing. One of the officers
who assisted in Riley's arrest, said that the
defendant was dumb drunk" within a very
short time after he had the difficulty with
Mahaney.
The jury is composed of the following:
Messrs. Halle L. HerrelI. Benjamin judi
E. Smith, H. c. Coburn, 3. G. Ferguson,
Thornton X. Richardson, Henry Franc, jr.,
w. H. Garges, 4. W. Tucker, and Walter
S. Pratt.
The First Witness.
The first witness called by the Govern
Glazebrook, who made an autopsy on the
body of the deceased.
The next witness called was Joseph Mat
tingly. He said that he saw Riley and
Mahaney in Seitz's saloon on Saturday
night, May 21 last. He said that Riley and
Mahaney quarreled and that the former
struck the latter in the face with his fist.
One of the party then took hold of Riley,
who wrenched himself away and went to-
ward Mahaney and made iunge at him.
After this all persons were ordered out of
the saloon by the proprietor. Some one
came back into the saloon shortly after and
said Mahaney was cut, The witness also
stated that when Riley struck Mahaney,
the latter took up couple OF beer glasses
and attempted to strike the defendant. In
the mean time one of Riley's friends push
ed him back several feet from Mahaney
Michael j. Reagan, the next witness,
said he knew Riley and knew Mahaney
while alive; that he was with both of them
during the whole OF the evening on which
the killing occurred. He went with Riley
from Mahaney's home to Matthews wood
shed, where Mahaney was celebrating a
boat launching The first blow struck in
the saloon. Reagan said was by Riley,
who seemed 10 strike Mahaney in the
chest. When they were ordered out by
Seitz. he said the quarrel was renewed in
the street.
Christian Seitz, proprietor of the saloon
in which it is alleged Mahaney was killed
was called next, but was not able to throw
any new light on the circumstances of the
killing. He said he was absent from the
Larroom when the trouble which ended in
Mahaneys death commenced. and that
when he returned the latter had two beer
glasses in his hands, which were raised
above his head as II in the act of throwing
them at Riley.
The Knife Identified.
Joseph Mansfield testified next, and said
that he knew both Riley and Mahaney we'll
and was with them on the evening of the
killing of the latter The rest of his tes-
| timony was substantially the same as that
| of Michael Reagan. The knife with which
Mahaney was killed was identified and
| claimed by John A. Howard. William
| Herman, when called, told the same story
of the killing as that told by Reagan and
other eye witnesses to the affair.
Miss Julia Mabaney, an aunt of the de-
ceased, was called, but she announced that
she did not know anything whatever Of the
killing of her nephew.
Policeman John F. Herbert who is at
tached to the Fourth Precinct, stated that
he was passing in front of the Clyde Line
wharf in a street car when he noticed
a man staggering across the street and
fall between the tracks. He got off the
car and went to the fallen man and
found him in dying condition. Herbert
sent call for an ambulance and the En-
ergency patrol responded and the man.
who proved to be Mahaney, was taken to
the hospital. He died before reaching
there.
4 Confession.
Officer Ernest L. Lake, who was with
| Herbert. corroberated the statement of the
| former in every detail. Lake, however
had talk with Riley in his cell at the
| Fourth precinct on the following morn
| ing, in which he said Riley admitted hav-
| ing killed Mahaney. Policeman Charles
| T. Peck stated that very shortly after it
was known that Mahaney was dead Riley
| told him that man named Radcliffe had
| killed Mahaney. The officer, who knew all