The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-12-26
MRS. CAREY FREE OF MURDER
CHARGES.

Mrs. Bridget Carey. who was re-
Gently acquitted in Philadelphia of
the charge of numbering her two
children, was OIL Monday formally
freed from the additional charges of
having killed Patrick and Cecilia
Cook, and released in time to eat
her Christmas dinner with her
cousin, Mrs. Bridget Mcdonald.
On behalf of the Commonwealth
Assistant District Attorney Gray
admitted that the evidence in the
Cook cases was not so strong as i'll
the case Of the children, and that it
was useless to go before a jury.
Sympathetic ueighbors and rela-
tives were on hand to greet the
woman as soon as she was dis
charged, and all expressed conf
dence in her innocence.
The hnal scene of her protracted
ordeal took only few moments.
Immediately after the Court open
ed, Assistant District Attorney
Gray, without preliminary formali-
ty, made this brief statement to
Judge Carr:
"If your Honor pleases, I have a
motion to make with regard to the
case of Mrs. Bridget Carey, who
was recently acquitted of the mur-
der of her two children. We have
two remaining bills of indictment,
one charging her with the murder
of Patrick Cook, the other with
the murder of Cecilia Cook. We
have thoroughly and carefully in
vestigated each of these cases, and
find that there is not as much evil
dence as there was in the case of
the children. There is not sullici-
ent evidence to go before jury.
We desire, therefore, to submit the
bills for verdicts of not guilty"
AS the defense had no objections
to this procedure, the two bills were
at once submitted, and verdicts of
not guilty taken. Then followed
the demonstration of sympathy.
Mrs. Carey stepped from the prison
er's dock, free woman, and, lay
ing her head OH the shoulder of
Mrs. Mcdonald, burst into tears.
a brief talk with her attorney, Ed
win NJ. Abbott, followed, while the
Court clerk made out her formal
discharge. Mrs. Carey was then
surrounded by twenty or more ad.
miring friends and neighbors,
grasping her hand and expressing
| JOY at her release. One aged wo-
man, who lived near her, grabbed
her about the neck aud kissed her
repeatedly. Then the crowd liter
ally swept her toward the door and
into the corridor, where she was
deluged with congratulatory words.
AS she went away with her cous-
in, Mrs. Mcdonald, Mrs. Carey
expressed her satisfaction and
thanks to the District Attorney for
releasing her In time to eat her
Christmas dinner in freedom. II
| have no hard feelings" she added,
"against those who have prosecut-
ed me. 1 suppose they thought
they were doing right. But even
the witnesses against me must have
known 1 was innocent. 1 expect
to live with my cousin, Mrs. Nc
Donald, for the present"
| She made more complete state
nent of her plans to Mrs. Anna
Melloy, next door to Mrs. Carey's
old home. Mrs. Melloy was in the
Court room and accompanied her
part way to her new home. Mrs.
Carey told me she would not return
to Hamilton street." said Mrs.
Melloy later, but would probably
go up the State to her old home at
Centralia, Columbia county, after
few days. She said the attend
ants at the prison had been very
kind, helped her to get sewing
work and showed her consideration
in every way. She seemed stouter
and in better health than formerly.
The sympathy of all her neighbors
was with Mrs. Carey, and, know
ing her for years, we could not be-
lieve that she would deliberately
kill her little children"
| Mrs. Rebecca Welsh, who now
conducts a boarding house where
Mrs. Carey lived at the time her
two children died, was another
neighbor who went down to the
| Court room to bid Mrs. Carey God
speed. She confirmed the state
ment that Mrs, Carey would not
return to Hamilton street, and also
that her neighbors generally be-
lieved her innocent. She was only
L l. j 1 3