Charge Of Attempted Rape (1)

Michael Hurley, a small sized individual, who looked as if he attended to his spiritual comfort devotedly, was brought before Justice Boerum yesterday afternoon, on the complaint of a girl named Ann Carney, residing in Kelsey's alley, who charged him with having attempted to commit a rape upon her.

The complainant in the case was sworn and testified that she was a married woman, and that the deft, was a married man and lived in the same house and on the same floor with her, and she had been acquainted with the deft. about three months. On the 5th of last month the deft, came to her house, and after some conversation put his arms around her and threw her down and tried to commit an outrage upon her. She screamed for assistance, and then the accused left. On her cross examination she testified that she had been married for only about four months. She and the family of the accused were on the most intimate terms, and she had slept on the bed with deft's wife and children. She always slept at the foot of the bed with one of the children. She had never slept in the same bed with the accused. After the accused had attempted to commit the outrage upon her she told her husband, but she did not tell deft's wife, because she was not on good terms with her then.

The counsel for the defense moved to dismiss the complaint on the ground that there was not enough in the evidence to hold the accused.

The motion was denied.

The further hearing of the case was adjourned until the 18th inst.

Alleged Outrage On A Child (2)

Andrew Doyle was placed upon trial this morning upon the charge of rape, the alleged victim of his passion being a little girl named Madeline Buggy, a child of seven years, who resides with her parents, near the corner of Dikeman and Conover streets. The child's testimony was of a positive character as to the disgusting details, and the mother testified that the alleged outrage occurred about the first of November last. Doyle kept a liquor store at the corner of Dikeman and Conover streets, and it is alleged that the child went into his place in quest of her little brother; that Doyle seized her in his arms, and took her to a recess behind the bar and behind a screen, and there committed the outrage. Doyle is a married man, about thirty years old, and swore positively that there had never been such an occurrence, and that he only knew the child from seeing her with others about his place and a candy store next door. Witnesses testified to Doyle's previous good character. Case still on.

Samuel D. Morris, for the People; ex-Judge Moore, for defendant.

A Father Charged With Attempting to Outrage His Daughter (3)


Yesterday afternoon, a young and attractive looking girl, who gave her name as Catharine Spolling, aged 16 years, came before Justice Walsh, and made a complaint of assault with intent to commit a rape against her father. She stated that for some time past her father has been addicted to habits of intoxication. Three months since her mother died, and since that time her father's dissipation increased to such an extent that on several occasions he made improper advances to her, when under the influence of liquor.

On Thursday afternoon, as she alleges, he locked her in a room and attempted by force to outrage her. She managed to foil him and escape and thinking forbearance in this case no longer a virtue, made her complaint to Justice Walsh. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Spolling, and he was arrested last evening and held for examination.

The Outrage On A Williamsburgh Girl Severely Punished (4)

Two weeks ago reports were published of a rape committed on a young girl residing on Bushwick avenue, in this city, by a New York rowdy. It will be seen by the annexed report of a trial, before the City Judge of new York, yesterday, that the rascal has met his deserts, not only adequately, but with a promptitude too seldom seen in our criminal courts:

On the 1st of April Eliza McKenzie left her home and came across the river to New York in search of a place. Passing along Pell street she observed at the door of No. 9 a girl of thirteen, whose name was afterwards ascertained to be Kate marsh, and in her guileless innocence not detecting in the bold manner of this seeming girl the loss of woman's greatest treasure, Eliza asked her if she knew any person who wanted a servant. A hellish fire flashed in the eye of the girl, and already conceiving the design of accomplishing the ruin of one of her sex, she answered in the affirmative, and led the poor girl to the top floor of the house, where she showed her a woman named Ida Campbell. Ida asked the girl to sit down, and kept her in conversation until James Campbell, a young fellow with a most villainous cast of countenance, and who was the chief actor in the loathsome scenes which followed came into the room. He caught Eliza in his arms and carried her into a back room, where, with the assistance of the two shameless creatures, he effected his purpose, despite the resistance and screams of the unfortunate girl. A respectable married woman, who lived on the same floor as the Campbells, testified that she heard the screaming on the day in question, and tried to open the door but found it locked. On hearing this plain statement, notwithstanding the perjured assertions of the prisoner, who said that the girl had willingly submitted to his embrace, and the strenuous exertions of his counsel, James D. McClelland, who made the most of a bad case and availed himself of every loophole, the jury, after a short consultation, found him guilty,, and Judge Bedford sentenced him to ten years to the State prison for his dastardly conduct.