Back to: The Wiki; Documentation; Newspapers; Ogdensburg Journal
Case File: Conroy, Kate née Grundt (1896)
[Link to original] – Page 4, Column 4
CONROY IS INDICTED --- Extra Panel of One Hundred and Fifty Jurors Drawn --- TO TRY HIM ON AUGUST 3RD NEXT --- Hon. John C. Keeler and George Morton Appointed as Counsel. ---
CANTON, July 7 – There being no civil business to dispose of, court took a recess this morning until two p.m., first excusing the trial jurors. At two the grand jury was still busy, and another recess was taken until half-past four. Shortly before that hour the grand jury filed in and handed up a single indictment – against Frank Conroy. They reported that they had other business, and hoped to report finally at nine tomorrow, and retired. Conroy was seated in the room next to the railing between the court room and the bar, but as District Attorney Hale called his name, he arose and took a step forward; he looked in good health, and was apparently no more nervous than many of the bystanders. He listened attentively while the District Attorney read the indictment, which ran as follows:
The People of the State of New York against Frank Conroy, otherwise called Charles Conroy.
The Grand Jury of the County of St. Lawrence, by this indictment, accuse Frank Conroy, otherwise called Charles Conroy, of the crime of murder in the first degree, committed as follows:
The said Frank Conroy, otherwise called Charles Conroy, late of the City of Ogdensburg, in the County of St. Lawrence aforesaid, on the twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six, at the City and County aforesaid, in and upon one Kate Conroy then and there being did make an assault, upon her, the said Kate Conroy, with a certain knife, which he, the said Frank Conroy, otherwise called Charles Conroy, then and there held in his hand, in and upon the neck, head, breast and body of her, the said Kate Conroy, then and there wilfully, feloniously and of his malice aforethought did strike, stab, cut and wound, giving unto her, the said Kate Conroy, then and there, with the knife aforesaid, in and upon the neck of her, the said Kate Conroy, one mortal wound, of the length of two inches and of the depth of two inches, of which said mortal wound she, the said Kate Conroy, did then and there die.
And so the Grand Jury aforesaid do say that the said Frank Conroy, otherwise called Charles Conroy, her, the said Kate Conroy, in manner and form and by the means aforesaid, wilfully, feloniously and of his malice aforethought, did kill and murder, against the form of the statue in such case made and provided and against the peace of the people of the State of New York and their dignity.
LEDYARD P. HALE, District Attorney
As the legal phraseology of the crime reached his ears, he muttered in hardly audible tones, “God knows I never intended to do that.” On being asked his plea, he responded “not guilty,” in low tones. The court inquired if he had counsel, and he answered that he had not, had no means to employ any, and wished counsel assigned by the court. Upon being asked if eh had any preference, he replied that he desired Hon. John C. Keeler and George Morton. The court answered that probably he had made a good choice, and directed the clerk to note that Mr. Keeler and Mr. Morton were assigned, as the expense of St. Lawrence county. Mr. Keeler stated that he felt the responsibility resting upon him, and desired a reasonable time to prepare for trial, also access to the testimony taken at the inquest and before the grand jury. The court directed that he counsel for Conroy have access to all the evidence taken before the coroner and grand jury. After some consultation, it was agreed that when an adjournment was taken it should be until August 3rd, at two p.m. The court ordered an extra panel of one hundred and fifty jurors drawn. After making his plea Conroy stepped back and resumed a seat beside his counsel. He was neatly dressed in black, with a clean face save for a mustache. While his countenance shows signs of a reckless life, it is by no means the face one would expect to find upon a murderer. Soon after he was removed back to jail, and a recess taken until nine tomorrow, the extra panel being first drawn. Following are the names of the jurors and residnce.:
D. J. Crichton, Oswegatchie; Fred Charter, Brasie Corners; Myron Beckstead, Louisville; Charles H. Risley, Hermon; Dohn A. Dutcher, Potsdam; William P. Lindsay, South Colton; James H. Winslow, Edwards; Orrin A. Hicock, South Potsdam; John M. Leete, Potsdam; Amos Abernathy, Madrid; Simeon Smith, Lisbon Centre; Harvey H. Noble, Gouverneur; William Backus, Oswegatchie; John S. Rutherford, Waddington; Geo. Barr, Oswegatchie; Barzilla Taylor, Louisville; Charles D. Hamlin, Norwood; Henry D. French, Potsdam; William Stickney, Canton; George L. Ryon, Oswegatchie; George Chisholm, Wegatchie; James McGillis, Oswegatchie; Hnery E. McCurry, Norwood; George H. Fisher, Madrid; Leonard Fenton, Fine; Albert Thompson, Cranberry Lake; Curtis Bristol, Oswegatchie; Charles Chamberlin, Waddington; Fred Freeman, Taleville; Frank Gurley, West Stockholm; Hiram Hall, Edwards; G. B. Havens, Ogdensburg; Henry Holland, Oswegatchie; Francis S. Burnham, West Potsdam; Fred Sykes, Canton; Henry Clements, Lisbon Centre; Sprague C. Downing, Richville; Syranus Widrich, Depeyster; Frank Eyesman, Edwardsville; John Halpin, Rossie; George W. Dunn, Canton; J. G. Felt, Hammond; W. H. Hackett, Massena; Thomas Simpson, Waddington; M. J. Fobare, Louisville; George W. Drew, Norwood; Ira Lints, Edwardsville; George N. Gibson, West Stockholm; Adam Hobkirk, Waddington; William J. Bromaghim, Flackville; W. J. Gordon, DeGrasse; Edward Brennen, Norfolk; W. E. Dewey, Racket River; William A. Bacon, Potsdam; Ira G. Havens, Dekalb Junction; John O’Hanlon, Waddington; T. J. Donahue, Benson, Mines; John Davis, Jr., Gouverneur; Harvey E. Estler, Benson Mines; I. G. Farmer, Gouverneur; Peter Allen, Chippewa Bay; George Riley, Louisville; Persley H. Andrews, Pierrepont; Charles Evans, Fine; Amos Streeter, Elmdale; David Bullock, Hermon; Anthony Dean, Pierrepont; Judson Dewey, Hermon; Ruther H. Rutherford, Waddington; Thomas G. Kirkland, Canton; William Brown, Lisbon Centre; Milford Hulett, Pierpont; Wm. Taylor, Massena; Addison Ekey, Madrid; Arthur Roulston, Rensselaer Falls; Leonard Williams, North Lawrence; Henry McKnight, Waddington; George W. Hatch, Fine; William Forsyth, Waddington; James F. Northrup, Morley; James Miller Flackville; Jerome Trussel, North Lawrence; Wallace Johnson, Flackville; George C. Wilson, Waddington; William Allen, Edwards; David DeCarr, North Lawrence; Dan L. Henderson, Oswegatchie; Levi O. Ballou, Chase’s Mills; William Sheets, South Potsdam; A. O. Riggs, Buckton; W. E. Gore, Richville; Judson S. Leach, Gouverneur; Clark J. Bowman, Gouverneur; William A. Kelly, Colton; George Andrews, Buck’s Bridge; Frank Gilday, Morristown; David L. Salls, West Potsdam; Robert Wilson, Edwards; E. W. Kinney, Massena Center; J. D. Smith, Dekalb Junction; T. P. Griffiths, Richville; Albert Wilkinson, Winthrop; Henry A. Hewett, Pierpont; J. Niles, Nicholville; Benjamin R. Hesselgrvae, Madird; Edwin Marsh, Stockholm Center; Thomas D. Davis, Richville; Theodore F. Rosegrant, Oswegatchie; Frank N. Decker, Dekalb; S. S. Thayer, Flackville; Herbert Patten, Lawrenceville; George Green, Massena; Henry M. Dyke, Brookdale; Page Priest, Dekalb Junction; Henry Murphy, Waddington; E. B. Rhodes, Hermon; J. W. Ager, Star Lake; E. L. Hutchins, Massena; F. W. Newcombe, Depeyster; Buel Wright, Oswegatchie; Oscar V. Veitch, Madrid Springs; Cornelius Foote, Madrid Springs; Cornelius Foote, Madrid Springs; J. B. Simpson, Lawrenceville; William Day, Morley; Charles Chambers, North Lawrence; Leander Chase, Rensselaer Falls; Marshall Swain, Taleville; T. D. Shepard, Wegatchie; Robert Bowman, Oswegatchie; V. J. VanOrnum, Pitcairn; George Kingsbury, Winthrop; John E. Price, Gouverneur; John J. Murray, Brasher Falls; W. C. Berry, Oswegatchie; King S. Root, Colton; William A. Rowell, Oswegatchie; Nelson Lauber, Lawrenceville; Samuel Clements, Jr., Lisbon Center; W. D. Brodie, Chippewa Bay; Dennis Mahoney, Hogansburg; Alpheus Martin, Massena; James M. Thrall, Gouverneur; Arthur Wood, Oswegatchie; H. I. Jenkins, Winthrop; George Rogers, Gouverneur; E. B. Capron, Oswegatchie; J. Allen Harper, Lisbon Center; Charles F. Gibbons, Buck’s Bridge; John B. Wilson, Louisville; Frank Spears, Colton.
