Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-09-05
THE TAR-AND-FEATHER MYSTERY.
Singular DevelOpmemts I'm the Case.

| The coroners inquest on the portions Of
human body found floating in the water near
to this day. Enough testimony has already
been taken to establish the identity of the re-
| mains as those of Charles G. Kelsey, the young
| on the night of November 4, 1872, and had never
| since been seen until these fragmentary parts
Of his body were discovered. 1t is made clear
almost beyond peradventure, that Kelsey was
MUrILATRD INHUMAELY,
and in manner which, in ITSELF according to
the medical testimony, would be likely to pro-
duce death within few hours. In view OF
these facts, the mooted point whether he had
ever addressed letters of an Objectionable char
acter to Miss Julia Smith becomes wholly I'M
important; because, if he had, they furnished
ment.
From the length of time that the body had
remained under water 1t is probable that
weights were attached to it when it was sunk;
as the head and feet were gone, the weights
may have been affixed to the neck and to the
ankles.
1T WAS NOT SUICIDE.
In Kelsey's case many circumstances combine
to render improbable the theory of suicide. In
the first place 1t is pretty clearly proven that
injuries sufficient to be a probable cause of
death had been inflicted on him by the hands of
others. Then it is safe to say that the persons
VINO were capable of infiicting upon KELSEY the
outrages which are now almost indisputabiy es-
tablished were also capable of murder.
KELSEY RECOGNIZES HIS AssAILANTs.
1t was proved on former investigation into
this AFFAIR that Kelsey tore the masks from the
races OF some Of his assailants and recognized
them, and called them by name. They knew
then that he could have them arrested and
probably send them to state prison, and, fearing
his vengeance, it is generally believed murdered
him.
THE VICTIM A POETIC CHARACTER
Kelsey was poetic character who wore his
hair long, falling over his shoulders. The per
sons who tarred and feathered him began by
cutting Off his locks. 1t was evening, and the
work was performed not only in comparative
darkness, but, as was proved on the former ex-
animation, recklessly, so that the shears were
permitted to jag the scalp in cutting the hair
until
HIS HEAD WAS COVERED WITH BLOOD.
The wounds thus made must have been painful
He was covered with a coat oftar and feathers.
He was suffering from mutilation, which must
have caused insupportabIe physical agony, and
from which speedy death was probable. 1t was
in evidence that Kelsey was terribly Infatuated
against his assailants-as he naturally and Justly
must have been-and that he threatened ven
geance against them. 1t is hoped that some of
those who are implicated in the tarring and
feathering will turn states evidence when the
whole truth will come out.
The New York Times, of yesterday, says:
THE FATE OF CHARLES G. KELSEY
is still the one topic of discussion in and about
Huntington, and the impression seems to be
almost unanimous that the brutal party of men
who tarred and feathered him on the night OF
November 4, murdered him, after mutiIatlng
their victim shamefully, and sunk his body in
the sound off Lloyd's Beach, attaching to his
waist and ankles the two heavy pieces of iron
which were stolen from the mill near by, that
night Scarcely any of those who are known to
have been present when Kelsey was seized and
tarred and feathered are to be seen on the
streets of the village. Royal Samms is in this
city, and visits Huntington about once a week.
DIR. Banks, who was recovering from a very
severe attack of brain fever, is rumored to have
had a serious relapse. There was a rumor yes
terday morning that some one sent word to DIR.
Banks that the upper part of Kelsey's body lad
also been found, and that he thereupon made
an attempt to commit suicide. Ciaudius b.
Prime and Arthur NJ. Prime, his son, are still
at Huntington. The latter works in a thimble
factory, and he has nothing to say as to the out
rage OF which he was a witness, according to his
own confession, significantly refusing to answer
all questions, on the ground that it might GRIM
mate himself
AN INSULTING PLAcARp,
purporting TO be signed by ID. w. Conklin, Joe
HendriSksOn, Ham Atkins, Jim Smith, and
Aus Gildersleeve, was yesterday found posted
Baylis, both "anti-tar" men. or course, the
names signed were used without authority. All
are can't tar' men, and have been prominent
in urging the prosecution of the assailants of
Kelsey. One of them offers $50 for the discov-
cry of the man who wrote the placard. All are
members of the Second Presbyterian church
where the funeral of Kelsey is to take place
and the placard Is intended as a hit at the
church.
THE CoRoNRR's INQUEST
at Oyster Bay is to be resumed this morning,
when the important witness, whose name and
whereabouts have heretofore been kept secret,
will probably be put ON the stand. The two
NEW 1Ork UeUtCulNeS VINO at OYSTER BaV are
named Kenney and Murphy, and it is under
stood that they are in the employ Of the suspect
ed, and that they are anxious to prevent wit
people The absence from Huntington i0 Of tine tine
district attorney of Suffold county, Mr.. James
II. Tuttle, is much commented on.
IMPORTANT WITNESSES.
Deacon William j. Woods returned from AL
bany last evening, and was summoned immedi-
ately to appear as a witness at the inquest to-
day. He is said to know all about the assault,
md 10 20. frix- Inf.
the former investigation. he is now willing to
make clean breast Of it. John Mckay,
another important witness, was also served with
a summons, together with Arthur I. Hurd and
Arthur Prime, all Of whom can give testimony
of the utmost importance, having been with the
mob who attacked Kelsey. Mckay told Prime
better be present at the place where Kelsey was
afterward tarred and feathered. Aaron Jones,
negro, Daniel White and Joel Scudder, the
latter Of whom heard wagon dart past him at
three in the morning toward the beach, where
Kelsey's shirt and boots were subsequently
found, win also be among those called to-day.
expected, be of the first Importance, and great
interest and excitement were manifested in
Huntington last night among the few who got
wind Of these important plans for to-day.
WHAT WOOD SAYS.
A Times reporter had long interview with
Mr.. Wood last evening. The latter said he had
already told all that he knew about the case of
Kelsey. At the preliminary examination be-
fore Justice Monfort on the night of the attack
on Kelsey, DR.. Banks came to his house and
said they had caught Kelsey, at the same time
inviting Wood and his wife to 60 over to Mrs.
Oakley's to see him. They went, but Wood
said had they known what condition KELSEY
was in they would not have countenanced the
thing by going at all. Royal Sammis told him
that he would have Kelsey punished if he staid
away from New York a week to do it, and on
the next day, when Wood went down to the vii
lage and met some of the people there, one Of
them said to him that Royal Sammis had no ade
a certain threat toward Kelsey when talking to
Isaac Adams, the tin man, and he repeated the
very words which Sammis had used to Wood
that he would punish Kelsey if it took him a
week. The men in Mrs. Oakley's yard all wore
masks, many of them looking like handker-
chiefs tied down over their faces, with holes for
the eyes. Some Of them wore q red mask. He
could not distinguish any of the voices Sam
mis- was in Mrs. Oakley's house. He saw
Kelsey after he had been tarred, but he does
not think there was any tar on his face. He
was in Mrs. Oakley's yard, and was guarded
by i've or six masked men, who made him
walk slowly almost entirely around the house.
He had gone out through the back gate, when
some enc called ont, "bring him back" After
that they made him stand in the yard three
minutes, and then some one again called out
s'let him go!' Wood could not distinguish the
voice in either case. Kelsey then went bsc K
again towards the gate, and that was the last
seen of him. The next morning Wood foupd q