The New York herald., 1870-01-25
THE DUTCHESS CGUSsY MYSTERY.
The Authorities Waking Up-prompt Action Of
Justice Joseph r. Earnard-Warrants
Issued for the Arrest Of Suspected
parties--A Coroners Inquest
and Verdict Of the Jury.

PoUGHxEEfstE. Jan. 22 1870.
The feeling In this community In relation to the
Robert Thorn case. and the tardy action of the all.
thorites Increases the mystery thickens. Yester-
day morning. at nine O'Clock, Coroner Charles
Andrus had an interview with Mr.. Justice Joseph +.
Barnard, OF the Supreme Court. ana solicited advice
In tho matter. Justice Barnard informed the COro-
ner that IL was his duty 10 hold an inquest upon the
body OF the deceased; and. although delicate
matter, the friends OF the dead man must stand
aside. The Justice was also OF the opinion that
whatever might have caused the death OF deceased,
the fact OF the should be paced record,
it would materially AFFECT the punishment 10 be
meted out TO those who attacked Mr. Thorn II they
should eyer be arrested and found guilty. District
Attorney Wililam J. Thorn also made his appearance
IN the Supreme Court durlay the inlerl lew.
and urged prompt action.
Taking such counsel Corouer Andrus and Drs.
CooDer and Pine proceeded to deceaseds former
residence, when DI. Cooper MADE post m0item ex.
amlnalioa oil the body, whie the friends were wait.
ing 10 perform the funeral service, after which the
inquest was held and the following evidence was
glycn:--
Jane Pratt, being sworn, testided-I have been
housekceper for ROBERT Thorn ior almost year;
two weeks ago last tuesday nglt, ~ ABOUT one
O'Clock, Mr.. rhorn. called 10 me 70 strike light;
dld so; went INTO hs room on the ilrsS moor; MI.
ihorn had gun IN ms nand; there were three
otner persons IN the room; Two oi them caught hod
OF me; 4lr slhvras pointed the gun AZ one of the
meni one OF them took II out OF MS hana; he after
ward tou tnal thcy knocked lllm uOwn ana
ch0Ked him anu set upon nm and jGmmed their
knees his breast ana stomach; they also bruised
the moor; the next morning he was very hoarse
and could hardly speaA ana was bruised
rxs Sn ms o s s Se as e wse aua he aa baea
struck; he was bound and lett III a cold room VITA
nothing but shirt on, ana The ioor was damp on
whicn ne lay. aaw ths men take MI. Tnorns
p0ckctb00k al1 take money Ii0m IL and couLt Il; l
did not sec Mi. Tnorn after saw nitn lying on the
toor until The next morning; supposed when
him lying there that ne was dead AS ne diu not
sur; should tnink tnat Ms mead aud shoulders lay
on The nearta and MS feet on me noor; there was
back anu blue Spots on his arms, legs ana on his
stomach the neAs morning, xhele ne nad been
bfused he CoMm6hced vomiting tne Saturday
next following the receipt oi his injuries; the vom-
Ing continued TO more or less degree ultn ne died;
nc complained oil PAIN constantly IN his right side
near the PIT Of his stomach, little below IL.
DR.. Pes Les Piae oelag duiy sworn, testhes and
saYs--I nave maze an autopsy of tho body o. Rob-
Thorn with Dr. Cooper t.iiJ moraing ;cXternaily
the body presented some ccchyia0sls on the face
hands anu abdomen; the lungs, except The left one
were generally healthy; fAe sit presented an Old aa
hes,on, the heart healthy IN appearances, liver heal
thy; the stomach ana coon were little moIled,
enough there might haveabeen some n1amant.on;
should think tlaC these cccny loSs might nave been
tie result OF ie brulse ae receiyed and his expo
sure ~ the tune o., receiving the bruises; IN NY Op
ion his death was the resuiU OF exhaustion caused
by the exposure referred 10,
DR.. Joun Cooper beng duly sworn, testiies ana
says attended Robert horn III his last Illness;
first saw INN last Saturday evening: he them COM
planned OF difficulty or long sianl!Ing--a kidney
Igouble; the ak about his left eye was ciscoorea
he had retained nothing on nls stomach Tor two days
previous; he was very thirsty ANA wanted and drank
q great deaf or wafer, but would directly tniow 1t
up; the ecchynosis were, III my 0pinon, the result
VI debility or exhaustion; | dlo not discover the
purple spots his limb until last Tuesday, the day
before als death; saw him again about l0ur hours
before his Death: the beating ana exposure that ne
suffered two weeks before, III iny opiiion. nastened
his deasli; have been tod lie was siXty-eghL years
OF age; the mOttled appearance vi the lntestue3 |
think TO be Of the same Character that OK the
skin.
The Jury after delioerahop returned the following
yerdict:"The said KoDerC Thorn came TO his death
by debility and exhaustion on the 10Th Or january,
1870 We also und that the Immediate cause OF Ais
Death was bruises anu exposure received aS the
hands OF three perSuns-to the Jury unlDCwn---on
the nignt Oh tue atn aud 9Th OF January, 1870"
important steps have also been taken by the po-
lice and there is hope that the nlrerers o Mr Thorn
will soon be apprenendcd.