Evening star., 1899-03-20
RILEY ON TRIAL.
Accused Of Murder Of James Ma
haney.
FATAL AFfRAY OCCURRED LAST MAY
Statements by Counsel and Hear
ing Of Evidence Begun.
THE DEPUTY CORONE r

The trial OF James Riley. indicted for the
| murder of James Mahaney the 2lst of last
May by stabbing him in the left side with
| knife, was begun today in Criminal Court
No. I. Justice Cole presiding. Justice CIa
| baugh occupied a seat alongside Justice
Cole on the bench. The mother and other
| relatives of the deceased were in court.
The defendant. Riley, well-dressed young
| white man of apparent responsibility,
| evinced the deepest interest in the proceed
| 1ngs. He was represented by Attorneys
Thon as c. Taylor and William H. Taylor,
Assistant District Attorney Shillington ap-
pearing in behalf of the government.
| The work of impaneling jury required
less than one hour. the twelve men sworn
| to render verdict In the case being
Messrs. Halle l.. Herrell. Benjamin Jud-
| son, John Hall. Benjamin Blethyn. George
| b. Smith, H. C. Coburn, B. G. Ferguson
Thornton X. Richardson. Henry Franc. ir.,
| W. ID. Garges, X. W. Tucker and Walter
| s Pratt.
In his opening address to the jury the as
| sistant district attorney explained that dur
ing the evening of the Dist of last May
| Riley, Mahaney and three men named
| Herman. Mansfield and Reagan were in a
| shed in South Washington drinking beer.
A1ouI II o'clock the party adjourned to
| saloon at the southeast corner of 6th and
| N streets southwest. None of the party
| was under the influence of liquor and Riley
| was entirely sober.
| Wh1le In the saloon. the attorney de-
| clared Riley chided Mahaney for alleged
| cowardice in connection with a difficulty
the latter had had a short time before with
another man. Riley struck Mahaney, ac-
ecrding to Mr.. Shillington and a moment
later struck him again. The second time
ne had a knife in his hand Mahaney left
the saloon, and he was followed out by
| Riley, who again struck him. Mahaney ex-
claimed, Riley, you have cut me-"
| He staggered to the office of the harbor
master, according to the attorney falling
Twice on the way, and was removed from
| there 10 the Emergency Hospital, where he
| died short time later. When the police
went to Riley's residence to place him un-
der arrest he went to a shed in the rear
! yard. The police went to the shed after
the arrest of Riley and found knife.
! The Other Side.
| Attorney T. c. Taylor in outlining the
| defense to the jury, declared that witnesses
| would be produced to tell a story contra
| dictory to that related by the assistant dis
| trict attorney. He went on to say that
| Riley and Mahaney had been raised to-
| gether, and prior to the occurrence in ques-
| taon not so much as one cross word had
ever passed between them. Continuing the
! attorney stated that the evening of the 21st
| OF May Riley was intoxicated, but it was
| ret an instance of voluntary intoxication.
! and. therefore, Riley could not have pre-
| meditated the killing of Mahaney. and un-
| der those circumstances could not be found
| guilty of murder
] The first witness for the government was
| DR.. l.. w. GAaZebrook the deputy coroner
| of the District of Columbia Dr. Glaze
brook testified that he performed the autop
| sy on the body of Mahaney and found that
| h. died from the effects of knife wound,
| the instrument puncturing the heart.
Joseph S. Mattinsly. the next witness,
| corner of 9th and n streets the evening of
| the 2lst of last May. Riley, Mahaney and
| three others entered. Shortly thereafter
| the witness noticed Riley strike Mahaney.
| There a scutfling. Some one took hold
! OF Riley and said to- him:
| You must not do that
| Riley replied: IF you don't let me go, I'll
| do worse
| Mahaney made a movement as though to
| strike Riley with a beer glass, but some
| body got in the way The witness saw Riley
| strike Mahaney twice with his fist, tumble
| in his pocket though to get a knife and
| then make lunge at him. The party at
| this point left the saloon.
Witnessed the Blow.
| Michael J. Reagan, next called to give his
| version of the affair, told the jury that he
| was one of the party that visited the saloon
the 2lst of May. Riley accused Mahaney
! of ccwardice and quarrel ensued. The
witness attempted to separate the men and
| noticed Riley strike Mahaney In the chest
| 1t was the only blow the witness saw pass
| between the men while they were in the
]
| ate In any manner. Outside the quarrel was
| renewed Riley struck Mahaney again. the
latter said: Riley, you have cut me-" and
then walked away. A few minutes later
| the witness saw Mahaney bleeding and
! gasping at the harbormasters Office. Ac-
cording to Reagan the defendant is larger
and stronger than was the deceased.
Christian SeitZ proprietor of the saloon
i where the trouble between Riley and Ma
| haney occurred, followed Reagan on the
| stand. The first Seitz saw of the difficulty
! was Mahaney with beer glass raised
| above his head. The witness grasped Ma
/ haney's hand, and ordered the parties to
| leave. He did not see any blows struck
At this point recess was taken. "
| Relations Were Friendly.
| The introduction of testimony for the
government was continued after recess by
placing Joseph Mansfield on the stand.
| The relations of Riley and Mahaney were
| peaceable, said the witness, the evening of
May q until after the party had entered
| the saloon. The witness saw Mahaney
| raise beer glass, and he also observed
Riley make lunge at Mahaney. striking
| the latter in the chest.
| Testimony of an unimportant character
| relating mainly to the fact that the wit
nesses saw Riley with knife In his pos
| session the evening of May 21, was given
| by Michael r. Welsh. Andrew Archer, Jo-
| seph Hitnor and John J. Doyle.
| John A. Howard, the next witness, iden-
titled the knife in court. the one with which
| was. 1T IS alleged inflicted as his property
| He had loaned 1t to a man, he said, and
| that individual had loaned it to Riley
| William Herman. who was one of the
party in the saloon the night of the row.
| testified that after Mahaney had been ac-
cused of cowardiee by Riley and had re-
torted in kind. Riley slapped Mahaney in
the face Mahaney went for Riley. rails
| ing a beer glass as though to throw at him.
| The proprietor of the saloon, Seitz. inter-
| fered. Mahaney went fer Riley again.
| showing him against some whisky barrels
! The proprietor then ordered the parties to
| Leave the establishment. The witness did
not see a knife in Riiey's possession.
| Miss Julia Mahaney was called to state
( that she was an aunt of the deceased: that
/ he lived at her house. and that she identi-
| fed his remains at the morgue.
POIfceman's Evidence.
| Policeman John T. Herbert. the night Of
! the affray, noticed Mahaney staggering to-
ward the harbormaster's office and he so
| testified. Mahaney fell twice, then lunged,
| fell and rolled on his back. Blood was no
ticed on Mahaney's clothing and witness