The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-05
The inquest Before Coroner
Rollins.
Testimony Of Officer Mangan, officer Evans
and the Two Carpenters
Which of the Nathan Brothers Had
On the Bloody Shirt!
"A Little Light That May
Grow Greater.


1t was expected that there would be an immense
crowd the Thirtierh street police station In anti
cipaton OF proceediD, s but up 10 eleven O'Clock
there not more Than lily persons present,
every one OF whom WAS more or less intimately
acquainted with the deceased Mr. Nathan or ins
family The Officials, however, imagined that there
would be q crush. It was deemed advisable, there
fore, 10 obtain us much com
fort under the circumstances as possible
nor to hold the inqusiiIon at the station mousse
where The accommodations were very limited. and
shortly reporters mad taken their seats at
only available table IN the police sitting room IL
was announced that the Eighth District Ciyil Court
room, corner of Twenty second street and Seventh
avenue, had been decided on as the best place 70
OPEN THE PROCEEDINGS.
The members OF the press and the few members OF
the jury who had come together. along with the
small number Of spectators already on hand, there
upon proceeded to the place designated
THE NArHASs IN COURT.
shortly after eleven O'Clock Coroner Rollins put IN
appearance and was followed by the remaining
members OF the jury, and very soon afterwards
washington Nathan, with MS brother Frederick,
accompanied ny Emanuel b. Hart, entered the
court room and took seats within the space enclosed
by the Iron railing which shuts out the common
herd of spectators from the privileged few. or
the Nathan brothers were the observed OF all
observers, and they sat down those seated
IN the back part Of the court room went so
far as to stand upon the benches in their
eagerness to get good view OF them. They
were both attired In deep mourning, and bore evil
dent traces Of the great grief which has over
wbelmed them during the past few days. Wash
ington, to those who acquainted with his gene
raj appearance before the sad calamity which des
prtved him OF his klnd-hearted father, looked in
an especial manner changed and certainly did not
In anywise appear like one VINO could, even in The
most indirect manner, have aided allotted In
deed which certain heartless and nconslderate per-
Sons have-by inuendo, II not openly--accused him
Cf having committed.
GOOD WITNESS.
The first witness called was officer Mangan, who
on the Twenty-thtrd street post the morning Of
the murder. lie seemed TO be above the ordinary
ealibre OF policemen IN point Of intelligence and
gave his answers TO the questions put to him by
District Attorney Fellows, who represented the
people, and to the jurors, who examined him at
great length, in quiet, confident way, that gave
general satisfaction Police officers, a general
thing, when they are In any way ofciaily con-
nected with important case, make des-
perate attempts to show their own wonderful
smartness by making mountains out OF mole
hills Of incidents that may degree. by the
way they stretched out, lend influence Tor or
against suspected parties. Mangan was not OF this
stamp, and the consequence was his testimony In
all points remained mistaken by the seyercst
examination.
WHO OPENED THE DOOR FIRST BEFORE SIX O'CLOCK.
The only really valuable portions or his evidence
that relative To his hearing the alarm of muir
der, what he when ne entered the house, and
when he "triedn and saw the hall door shut last
during his term Of duty. The latter was probably
the most important point OF all II point OF evidence
in a case like this can be called important which
throws the murder in deeper mystery than ever for
II the onicer's statement true II were utterly i'm
possible for any one 10 have lett the house by The
front was between the time he "tred" the door or
rather the door shut the last Tine the time
when the Nathan sons appeared on the stoop to give
the ALARM One very important fact elected by his
testimony showed how unsafe thing 1t is for sensa
ton newspapers to jump too suddenly nj conclusions
in case where mans life may he at stake before
fhey have good foundation TO spring from.
WHOSE NIGHT GOWN WAS STAINED WITH BLOOD?
II will be remembered by all who have made
themselves familiar with the details Of this terrible
murder and every incident connected with IL and
is surroundings what a stress pat upon the
fact that Washington NathaD's night gown was
Desmeared VITA blood when he came out On the
stoop to give the ALARM Jet Mangan testified that it
was Frederick Nathans night gown and socks which
visible about the other These stains Frederick
accounts for by his having knelt down and leaned
over the dead body Of his father when he found
The corpse first and by his having stood IN the pool
NJ bood which surrounded It. Thus ~ will oe seen
That General Blair did not see so otndly after all.
Of the murder from his window IN the Firth Avenue
HOTEL which overlooked the Nathan mansion, II viii
DE recoliected tha5 he persisted that The Young man
win the side wbiskers lie had seen sitting at the
third story window a, haf.past i've O'Clock was the
one he saw half honr Afterwards on the
stoop with his nightshirt stained with blood.
Inis, to ali the reporters who had been informed
that Washington Nathan, who does not wear side
wjliskers, was the one whose night gown had been
found stained with blood, appeared very much Ike
contradiction; hat IL VIII be seen by Msngans
evidence that the General correct Ia his state
menl TO the identity OF the Two brothers. How iG
was possible FOR nearly every newspaper in the city
10 get SO muddled abou, this little incident OF the
dor The result OF the inquest VIII show that 10 Ia
little In its bearing On the gult or innocence OF
eny person In the house, Is mystery.
IT may be that owing to the lestre.
lions put upon The Investigations Of the
reporters the detectives mad a hand IN The mlsin-
formation. IL may have been accidental on their
part, but for all mat II was mlschieyoas the ex-
IRENE and might nave been crininaiiy 80 had any
evil result flowed from il.
COULD LOUD NOISE BE HEARD From ROOM 10 Room
the testimony VI the carpenters did not amount 10
much as whole, and although they very
rigldly examined Oy TWO or the jurors nothing but
pne fact that could tend TO throw any great light
che case was elected. This fact was simply this;
They stated that 10 the best of their belief IL was
Impossible Tor person sleeping on one OF the
doors above that occupied by old Mr.. Nathan TO hear
any extraordinary nose below them In the house but
that they did believe person sleeping ON the same
noorTcoutd De awakened by loud noise la the room
This, taken IN connection with the fact that they also
swore tbat THERE was only one sliding door between
old nr. Natbans room and tnat OF the rear sleeping
apartment, becomes very important feature In the
AN OUTSIDE CONFEDERATE WITH THE MURDERER
IL Will be seen, according 20 Nanganis testimony
NJ has already been mentioned that no person conid
have left the house by the front door between the
time when the 0nicer saw IL STINT last and when the
alarm was given without having been detected:
sud yet Washington Nathan states when he
game down stairs he found 1t open. Now, The detec
uyes have opened their eyes at this, and the rcsur
Of the inquest VIII undoubtedly prove that they have
opened them TO the extraordinary part OF the case
with g0od purpose. Granting MaDgan's statements
about the door To be true ana washington Nathan's
Also, says one Of the detectives. they show lust
ihis:-Sonieb0dy In the house might have mad a
confederate who aided Nun in doing the murder.