Year: 1873

The Inquest Concerning the Death Of
Omcer Burns-Wnlfam johnson, .


Young Negro, swears That . Certain
"Black Alp struck the Omcer-Hatch


Protests His Innocence-Both Com
mitted to the Tombs.


On the lst Of this month Oflicer Edward L. Burns,
OF the Eighth precinct, II was alleged, struck
on the head with stone by Isaac Hatch, young
negro whom he had arrested in disorderly negro
den, at No. 5l1 Broome street. The oficer was on
his way to the police station with the prisoner,
when the latter struck him with the stone, and
was taken TO his residence, where he died. DIR. 4.
]. I. Marsh made postmortem examination and
found that death had ensued from fracture OF the
skull due to violence Coroner Young held the in
vestigation yesterda. afse rnoon al the Coroners'
once. The Coroner stated that Mrs. Burns was
III at home, and, therefore, unable TO attend


Captain williams testified that he was Captain
OF the Eighth precinct; Oficer burns was men,
ber OF the force IN that precinct; on the night OF
the lst a raid was made on the negro den In
Broome street, kept by one Mullgan, because the
place had no license and was resort OF


PROSTITUTES AND THIEVES:


made % arrests in the house, Isaac Hatch among
the number; gave Hatch in charge Of 0ficer
Burns Burns was the last ofricer to come into the
uCH Witutss WIN uiu W tdnC AAdtCu W
house; he did not reach the station house before
Oficer Burns; the officer went through Broome
street. South Fifth and Prince street to the
station house; just as witness entered the police
station the doctor told him that the officer was
seriously hurt; the ofhcer was found lying within
four doors OF the station house. In Prince street,
and then carried into the station house; 0n1cer
Burns had served eight months on the police force
and was a good, gentlemanly ofhcer, above the
average OF policemen; the stone with which he
was struck was found; IT was round, smooth
cobble stone, which was perfectly clean and prob
ably carried IN Hatch's pocket


Officer Richard Jackson said he was acquainted
man; man @ found ocer Burns lying four doors rom the
station house; witness asked him what was the
matter but


then Burns took hold OF witness arm and walked
with him into the station house; when in the sta
tion house they noticed blood issuing from near
the ear Burns wound was dressed and he was
taken home; while in the coach on his way home
he was conyulsed by spasms and before the coach
Oficer when he found him; he did not hear Burns
say IN the station house tfat he had been struck
from the time he lett the station house until ne
died he was unable to speak.


Isaac Hatch, cadaverous, lantern-jawed, ugly
looking young negro, said he had been living at No
SO Thompson street, for the last six months; lived
by blacking boots; did not know Ufficer Burns
knew some OF the officers OF the Eighth by sight
was down at Mulligan's saloon on the night OF the
1st INST; went there about eight or nine O'Clock
Nick Norris and many others were there, laughing
and talking and drinking; no particular noise was
made; was arrested and did not know why; was
not tight but on the contrary, perfectly sober; he
was the first one taken out; he and Oficers Burns
went up to South Filth avenue and then turned up
Prince street; heard no one behind them he asked
Burns If anything would be done to him, and the
ofhcer replied that he would probably


BE RELEASED NEXT MORNING;


he did not 60 into the station house. because the
oiicer was hit; Burns was on the inside OF the
walk he was hit Just as he had turned the corner;
rA M " ha Va hn nnGf haU vi
been hit from behind, for he fell forward; all he
said was "Ohl'' when he fell; he only saw a black
coat-tail turn the corner, and 1t looked though
the man tthe owner OF the coat-taiD was running
away; he lett him lying on the sidewalk and went
down to Broome street; met no one on the way !;
went afterwards into his boarding house in Thomp-
son street; he was standing in the street short
time before when young man. called AL, told me
to go to bed and say nothing; this young man, Al,
was in Mulligan's saloon, in Br0ome street, when
the raid was made; was arrested that night be-
tween eleven and twelve or nine and ten, or
thereabOutS; was sound asleep when Captain Will
liams came to his door; he told Captain Williams
that he did not hit Ofrcer Burns; the Captain hit
shirt was e covered with bood when thew pot to
the station house the Captain hit him again in the
mouth with club; the Captain hit him without
any provocation; 1t was none OF his (the witnessD
business to go into the station house and tell them
that Onicer Burns was


LYING IN THE STREET;


ne never carried a stone or slung shot in his
pocket; did not know what slung snOt was been
arrested great many times for drunkenness and
once for assault and battery; while on the way to
the station house he kept his hands in his POCKETS
nobody but the Captain and AL spoke to him that
night; the Captain took him into a room at the
station house and told him ''he would kill him II he
did not tell him." and he told the Captain that tif
he would Kill him he could not tell him anything -
he did not remember talking to q prisoner who was
opposite his cell; there were great many prison.
ers to whom he talked daughter; he did say
that he would get square with AL Wilks-not to be
confounded with Black Al-for surrendering him to
Captain Williams; there was great deal OF fooling
and laughing last night IN the prison; ne remem-
shut;'' witness had said that detective was in the
next cell; ne knew that detective was there be-
brought in a man who certainly was not drunk
and whose voice sounded like Detective Watson's |;
he said to Bill Johnson, who was also locked up,
that they were fools who thought that detective
IN the next cell


WOULD HEAR HIM TELL ANYTHING,


for anything he had to say ne would say to higher
authorities and not consider Captain Williams
shigh enough authority because he had not $50
big say" as some OF the others; he would take
his solemn oath to God that he did not know who
hit Officer Burns.


William Johnson, another young negro-nat faced,
nat n0sed and thick lipped-said he BACKED boots
In the winter and III the summer worked on boats |;
was at Mulligan's on the night OF the LIST, but
away when he saw the police; as Match was going
up with Burns his right hand was in his pocket
and his left was down by his side; he saw Black
AL. follow the oficer, and when the latter fell
Black Al. ran away; he saw Black AL strike the
he saw AL fire the stone; could not see that 1t was
Q stone, but knew it from the sound when it





Match did alter the ofilcer fell when he caught up
with Al the latter asked HIM, "Did you see it2'
witness replied, "Yes;' AL, Match and witness
met together and Al. advised Match to 90 to bed !:
he told Captain Williams that it was Black AL
who had struck the officer; witness never carried
stones or brass knuckles during all this testi-
mony Match could scarcely suppress


BROAD GRINS OF DELIGHT


he said last night that 'ft too thn' to lock up
detective; he told Match If any one spoke to him
not TO answer him; he did not know why he said
this, but he knew that the detectives were not the
proper persons to talk TO.


Captain Williams, VINO was recalled by Coroner
Young said he had no conversation with Match
when ne took him TO the station house; when they
went into the station house, and before one word
on the subject was spoken by the Captain, Match
said, "Good God you don't suppose that struck
that mani, ne mad been to Jersey City and to Sar-
atoga trying to find this mysterious Black AL,
but had not succeeded In doing 30; ne never
heard anything about Black AL until Johnson
was arrested johnson was overheard by the Cap
tain swearing at Black AL, who, he said, had
got him into all his trouble, and that che would