The Sun. — 1867-07-02 (London, England)

IIIE MURDER AT ALBANY.  On Tuesday, the 4th inst., a coroner's inquest was held at Albany on the body of L. Harris Hiscock, of Syracuse, a member of the New York Constitutional Convention. The circumstances of his death were these : —Mr. Hiscock was a prominent lawyer and politician; for several years a member of the Legislature, and lately chairman of the Judicial Committee. He was about forty years of age and a widower. The causes of his death were given by his murderer apparently with truth, and for the present at least we accept them. General George W. Cole, brother of Senator Cole, of California, entered the United States army asa private when the war broke out, and attained before it closed to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was a friend of Mr. Hiscock, married, and with two children. In 1864, while absent in the army, his wife was taken ill, and sent for Mr. Hiscock to make her will. The lady could not have been in such extremity, as her position appears to have excited the lawyer more to love-making than to drawing wills. Some very curious interviews followed, in which Mrs. Cole appears to have been subjected to strong importunity and insult, at the same time that Mr. Hiscock professed friendship for •General Cole. The lady dreaded an exposure, and the consequences of in forming her husband of the indignities she bad suffered. After the General returned from field service, he had occasion to visit Washington about four months ago when Mr. Hiscock renewed his importunities. The changed manner of his wife appears to have excited a feeling in the mind of the husband that something was wrong. She seldom smiled, and seemed broken-hearted. His suspicions being aroused, a direction was given by Mr. Hiscock repeatedly inquiring when he would again go away. He wrote to a friend asking if he had ever seen any improprieties between Mr. Hiscock and his wife, who replied he had seen suspicious circumstances. Immediately he applied to the lady, and from her lips learned the circumstances. At her earnest solicitation he delayed shooting Mr. Iliscock at once, intending first to remove his wife, and then force Mr. Hiscock at the mouth of a pistol to beg forgiveness on his knees, for the injury he had clone, and compel him to leave the country in ten days. He went over to his hotel to see him. Mr. Iliscock was leaning against a pillar in the reception-room at Stanwix Hall, talking to Mose 3 Somers and Patrick Corbett. George Cole approached from the Maiden-lane entrance. When about twelve feet off he raised his right hand, Mr. Somers's impression being that he was about to shake hands with him. lie continued to advance, lifting the arin higher until his hand almost touched Mr. Hiscock's head when he fired, and his victim fell backwards on the floor, almost instantaneously dying without even an exclamation. The general, in a rather incoherent manner, kept repeating, " He has dishonoured my simple, innocent wife." He was taken to the station-house, where, besides his pistols, there was found concealed upon him a long sharp-bladed spring-back knife, from which it is supposed that he contemplated suicide. In the Constitutional Convention, ou the sth inst., the death of Illr. Hiscock was announced by Mr.  a  Andrew; one of his colleagues, and there was great crowd to hear the eulogies pronounced on the deceased. No business was transacted, except the appointing of a committee to accompany the remains of the murdered member to Syracuse. Mrs. Cole is a daughter of Judge Barto, of Trumansburg, Tomkins county, and half-sister of Henry D. Barto, a prominent Democratic politician, a member of the Democratic States Central Committee of the present State Convention. Mrs. Cole has a large property in her own name, and is reported to have a half-interest in the bank of Henry D. Barto and Co. at Trumansburg.  A report is said to be gaining ground that Cole was instigated to the murder by Iliscock having advised his wife not to bequeath all her property to her husband.