Year: 1859

| MI. hyie, Dut advancing towards MN OtnerWlSe,
! would have been instant death to me.


! In regard to Mr.. Crouch's resgrati of Office,
! he here stated that this was done in the anticpa-
tiOn of better situation, which he had every rea-
son to believe he could get.7


| The crowd was pursuing and stonng Geo. KYLE
in Lee street, and witness pretty certain that
! Mr.. Kyle picked up his hat when on Light street,
but could not say whether he bad it on not when
! going up Lee street. Crouch would have been on
| duty at the polls at nine o'clock in the morning.
! Sergeant Lombardson, with squad of nine or ten
men, were at the polls. Did not see any of the
| Messrs Kyle fall.


| II. F. Geary said that he was Chairman of the
! Reform Committee of this ward and Adam b.
Kyle took his place, and that he had no doubt that
| Mr.. Kyle murdered in his shoes, but with re-
gard to the facts OF the murder, he knew nothing
| on earth; the arrangements were that the Reform
| Committee should be at the polls at hafpast eight
questions had been asked at the time in regard
to certain matters and if it was the wish of the
| jury, he was willing to testify and answer any
reasonable question; he came to the Coroner's in
quest not of his own will, but was summoned.
Coroner Batee stated to the jury that there was
good deal offeeling the subject of Mr.. yle's
death, and whether the action Of the Reform Com
mittee had done anything to provoke the feeling
Mr.. Geary and Dir. Cough for the purpose of
giving evidence on this head.


Several of the Jurors expressed an opinion that
they had nothing to do with the antecedents of the
murder, but that they were there for the sole pur-
pose of investigating by whom deceased came to
his DEATH


The Coroner stated that for his part he should
like to hear such testimony.


juror was decidedly opposed to this course, be-
cause it would place them before the community as
investigating into n case to whether was a
Democrat or an American.


Mr.. Geary said, as a LAWYER and citizen, he knew
of nothing regarding Mr.. Kyle's death, but still he
came there on summons to answer any reasonable
question that might be propounded But this much
he would say, that the deceased, Mr.. Adam Kyle,
never made 4 speech at any Reform meeting
he knew of. lie one of the fOrtv-fOur who
signed paper, the substance of which was "that
they agreed and promised upon their word and
honor as gentlemen, to vote, and assist all legal
voters to vote in lawful way at the ensuing cleo


on, and that they would stand by each other in anv
extremity that might arise upon the occasion
Forty-four names were signed to that pledge
and among these names that of A.
B. KYLE, Jr. They were to stand by as
peaceable citizens in peaceable way. The
question of arms or arming never spoken
OF in any manner, no there ever allusion to
this to his knowledge in public or prvat more
than that, of those iorty-four gentlemen, although
chairman he did not know more than four or five
of them by sight. They met with open DOORS
On the evening before the election Mr.. &. received
several anonymous notices that if he went to the
polls on the next election day he would be killed.
because he was Chairman of that Committee At
the last meeting the committee had, he made
speech dissuading them from going to the polls as
the idea of forty or fifty quiet men going there to
be attacked, would be downright murder He told
them that if each man would stand by the other
and go down together, he would go there as Chair
man, but, if not, he would follow any man to the
death, but would not lead.


George Kyle accused him at that meeting OF in
tmidating others. "'FOr my part" said Geo KYLE
81 have heard those threats, but will 90 to the
polls. Now" said he, ''if YOU have anv timiditv
my brother Adam will take your place if YOU
have given it up" Mr.. Geary said he would follow
any man to the polls but would not lead and that
M N was IN Al
to assist and do their duty signed in the paper
referred to, they (the Reormers) would Be to
blame. Mr.. Adam Kyle, who had never before ia
ken active part in the Reform affair, rose and
said he would take his place, but at that meeting
neither in private public, was there any propo-
stion, resolution, arrangement secret nnder-
standing public understanding, that they were to
arm as body and go to the polls. Mr.. G. stated
as reason why he was not down at the polls at
the hour named by the Committee that he was en-
gagged professional business until after nine o'clock


DR.. d. Cough knew nothing at all about the
murder OF Mr.. Kyle, and was not at the polls until
about an hour after the event took place. He went
there as sgner to the Reform document, be-
tween nine and ten o'clock, not being able to get
there sooner owing to professional engagements
he had not been able to attend any of the meetings
after the Friday previous to the election but so
far as he knew the meetings were all open.
About this juncture Mr.. Geary commenced
catechisng of the DR.. in reference to the proceed
ings OF the Reform Committee, but the jury over





point, Geary apologismg for so doing, as he was
only called there as a witness.
The next witness examined was John Fitzpatrick
who resides where the polls were held but did
not see the commencement; he heard the report of
a pistol, and on coming to his door saw George
Kyle opposite the engine house; he saw parties
shooting at him, he having at the time pistol in
his hand, defending HIMSELF he did not see anv of
them before the shooting commenced, nor did he
Adam Kyle at all: did not see Mr. Kyle fire; he
saw the crowd running to Dochtermans house but
did not go there himself; saw nobody with muskets
and did not recognize any Ofthose who had pistols:
a good many We're strangers to him; he might
have seen them but could not recognize any of
them.


Patrick Brouhawn testified that he saw the
Messrs, Kyle coming to the polls, but did not know
them; saw Adam strike somebody, and then the
party struck at made a spring at him; Adam rot
down in some way, and in falling dropped his hat;
on rising he picked up his hat and drew pistol.
but whether he fired he could not tell after that
witness went away and saw of the affair
John Kpp testified, that he saw the Messrs
Kyle pass on their way to the polls. arm in arm
but by the time he got down to the corner of Lee
and Light streets, there was great firing in all
directions. While standing there, he saw George
pursued down Light and up Lee street BY crowd.
having no hat on; if there shot fred there
were twenty or thirty; George got in behind pile
of lumber on Lee street, and returned fire. but
there was man ran out from one of the little
| shanties on the quay, and shot at him with a
musket did not see Adam at all; saw crowd rush
ing toward Dochtermann's door, but could not re-
cognize any o. them, for he looked particularly to
! see if he could


| David keener testified that he went to the polls
| and passed through the crowd but did not reeog-
niZe any body in paricular after being at the win
dow some time he turned to leave, but he turned
| he saw two gentlemen whom he had often seen in
| the street, but whom he did not know: they were
standing with bundle of Reform tickets, and not
saying anything, but standing there quietly; as
witness went to pass them, some one walked up and
said, What have you got there?" he thought
| George replied Reorm tickets" 'Give us some2,
said some one; 81 will give you plenty of them
! presently" was the reply; witness could not saw
that this was said i'll an angry manner but was said
| in such manner that he appeared not to be afraid
of anything; then his attention was called to his
l'brother behind, and he man, whom he
| could rot recognize, strike Adam on the back
! of the head with, he thought, his fist:
Adam struck promiscuously with his loaded cane
| at the crowd: witness then moved a little toward,
| lOrk street, and as he went he saw Adam back out


into the street, striking with his cane as witness


apprebended trouble he backed farther toward;
! ork street: his attention next called to Adam


In the centre of the street, attempting to draw his


revolver, but man knocked him down. and an


other attempted to kick him; he rose and made a


second attempt to draw his revolver; it was an A.


lens revolver, but he noticed, prior to that in hi:


brothers hand, Colts revolver, but saw no knife
| as Adam drew his revolver some one fired pistol
! but could not say who it was; George was ther
| directly in the rear; that was the first pis


to-shot fired to the best of witness knowl


edge; of the pistols fired was at Adam


and Just it went Off his head inclined a little;


witness being dressed in black overcoat at III,


time, afraid that the crowd might take him fo1


one Of their friends and went round out of the way


a little, and sawAdam retreat towards Yorl, Street


appearing as though he were wounded: saw hin


STOPPING short time, if fixing his pistol upor


which he again turned and commenced firing to


wards the crowd, being assailed in return. by man,


pistol Shots witness thought he kept going dowi


Light Street, instead of which, he had entered


D0chterman's house; he did not see him enter


but after he came to the pavement again, saw


large crowd in front of Dochterman's door; hear,


some one say DON'T as he thought, three ol


four times; he imagining it a woman's


voice, he then went towards Lee Street


he knew no one in the crowd that he could identify


he met John Edwards on Lee street returning to


wards the polls after the firing; he had no arm


with him, and thought he could not have been pres


ent during the firing; after witness started toward


Lee street, he noticed several persons with rifles


muskets. with peculiar kind of undress mlitar,


caps saw several coming towards the place wher


the polls were held, with muskes; they appeared t


him to be like towling-pieces, being longer in tn


barrel than an ordinary musket, with a very small


bore.


Q. Did you police officer


A. | recognized David Crouch before tn e firin


took place; ! saw policeman (ofcer Hales) talk
ing to gentleman on the corner of Charles an
/, Lee streets.


John Higgins testified that the first he saw of tn
shooting discussion about Reforr


tickets; somebody asked if they had Reform tickets


witness thought they said they were, and that the
would give them plenty after while. The evidenc


was pretty much of the same nature as previou
, witnesses. Seeing a crowd at Dochterman's door
! witness went there, and Mrs. Dochterman recog