The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-07
What Hurd May Know About the Horror
Which He Did Not Tell.
A TALK WITH CORONER BAYL1s.
An Important Witness to Wind Up the
Inquest Who Saw More Than
Has Yet Been Sworn To.


OYSTER BAY, L. l., Sept. Q, 1872
A universal belief exists here that Charles Kelsey
Is dead; that his remains are those which were
yesterday committed to the grave, and that the
cause Of his death was violence aid cruelty OF
an uncommon kind. The same belief extends
throughout this county and the adjacent one
of Suffolk, so that now in Huntington
only is there any considerable class Of
people who remain sceptical and stick to the as
sumption that Kelsey is still living an abashed
wanderer on the face OF the earth. 1t was not to
be wondered at that many people at first doubted
the possibility OF the remains that were found
noating in this bay being those Of Kelsey. 1t is
difficult to conceive Of body or parts
OF a body, composed OF perishable nesn,
remaining for ten months In the water
without dIssolving utterly away. Cases,
however, are on record that enable us to view the
phenomenon with more subdued feeling Of
establishment The body Of Preston King came to
the surface after SIX months In the water and the
flesh was not all gone; but, on the contrary was
largely intact Other instances are familiar to the
doctors wnere, after long lapse of time, bodies
have been
RECOVERED FROM THE WATERS OF THE SEA
in positively healthy state Of preservation. That
the remains buried yesterday are those Of Kelsey
one In this region now disputes. That these re-
mans palpably indicate that an inhuman outrage
was perpetrated on the living man is beyond ques-
ton. Everything points in that direction First
we have the
INCAUTIoUs HINTS
dropped by the conspirators the morning after the
tarring and featnering. They made it plain
enough by their language that something more
than mere tarring and feathering was done to
Kelsey Then there is the testimony OF the Shirt all
blood stained IN front, the evidence OF Wood, who
related how the victim was unable to stand be-
cause, as may be inferred, he was
BLEEDING TO DEATH;
but, above ALL we have the unmistakable evidence
of the remains themselves, examined by expert
doctors, and declared to have suffered while in
lie the most cruel torture that human devitry
could suggest
The question is not now, "who tarred and
feathered Keseyf'' but "Who murdered nim9" 1t
Would feel no q1ams Of conscience at engaging gin in
the first would draw back with horror at the idea
OF perpetratlng the second and more heinous
Next Tuesday, when the inquest is renewed an
advance viii be made nearer the solution OF the
mystery saw Coroner Baylls this morning on
Coroner" l inquired, "do you suppose any wit
this AFFAIR than any who have YET been ment oned
KNOWING AND MYSTERIOUS WITNESS. -.
81 a W Ant te tGeS t
thing was done. They say they saw it-at least
|
'Darned If know. haven't s~2n him. Know
his name, but can't tell 1t. He saysne would have
told all about it before, but he was afraid OF getting
Lives over at Huntingtonw
Dunno that neither. Somewheres around there.
intend to keep his evidence back to the last"
''By way Of 81 and climax ?"
mo. Just to save him from being burned out as
he says as long as can"
"Have you much faith In that mysterious witness
and his statements ~
Cant say; but unless he is telling lies like the
nUtl hn UnAT IN 20 nf
the other witnesses"
'Do you suppose District Attorney Downing will
aspect he win. II he only just comes to explain
himself and defend himself from tine attacks made
him don't want him have other ad
better taste on his part II he drew out Of this case
THE FEELING ABOUT MR.. DOWNING
Is strong. man met this morning, who was
strengthening out the gravel walk before his house
Trick Aney win up ToosdsV The s peope is
down on him like live dog on dead rabbit.
There won't be no inquest II he sets there. TIN
hold that inquest agin the people. Downing's o
dead cock in the pit you bet"
other day. have left the conduct Of the case because
District Attorney Downing came upon the scene,
and being the legal officer of the county, whose
DUTY was to aid in advancing the ends OF justice
and securing the fullest investigation OF an alleged
crime they considered he held precedence and
taken.
Those who knew the District Attorney feel salts
fed he Will withdraw from his irregular and awk.
ward position where he can only invoke unpleasant
| and disparaging comment.
| Coroner Bayis Is bewildered by
| COMMUNICATIONS FROM ANONYMOUS WRITER'S
regarding the Kelsey affair. They tell him to look
here and look there, ask this question and that.
gins to think the most Of those people are I hum.
bugs. He thought he caught mysterious negro
% waS was oe the 81 Mrs
Home" while Kelsey was being tarred I''s and I'd
feathered. Tnat negro was fraud, and Baylis
| BUNGLED INQUEST.
Mr.. A. T. Hurd Will be the first witness at the
If there had been sharp lawyer present on thurs
day the whole unsolved story OF the tarrng and
ieathering would have been brought out. Hurd
| several times in his testimony. He was near to
the masked men, and, OF course, looking on in
than usually sharp If he happens to be look
ing for or at some specific object. He was
| mutilation at this time 1t is impossible that he
could have stood still repressed the expression
OF his excruciating agony. He must have yelled
with pain unless he was gagged to surocation.
Hurd and Wood, 1t may be presumed, were
LOCKERS ON.
They were In a position TO see all that was done.
recognize the figures in front Of them-fgures,
very likely OF some OF their familiar acquain tances
II they could see SO plainly that 1t was Kelsey
who was lying on the ground when they entered
the enclosure, they must have been able to recog-
ulLt holuc vi tflosc WIZ suTTOuuuc0 MIN Dy their
forms or their voices. This thing was never done
In silence. Wood testified that he heard one man
call out "Let him 60 ~ and another, "Bring him
backl' Here were two who revealed themselves
by their voices. 1t may be fairly assumed that all
engaged in the v,, affair made themselves
Hurd must have known them by their
voices, for 1t has come to this conclusion, that the
Vigilance Committee was composed of a gang OF
intlmates. There could have been no strangers In
It. Strangers could never have been depended
upon to keep the secret and shield the guilty. II
was remarked at the inquest that
Mr.. HURD TREMBLED
when called to testify. His hands shook, and be.
lore he began his story he called for glass OF
water. This Is trifle; but 1t shows the witness
was not Indifferent and the fact OF his trembling
only goes to prove that the case to
him was one OF the most anxious
interest. Dispassionate people who know all
| those who have been implicated by name say they
cannot believe 1t was the original intention to do
more than to tar and leather Kelsey. Some OF the
party OF vigilance, 1t Is thought came to the scene
| OF action flushed with rum. This made them reck-
less and sanguinary and nc, In the high excitement
/ OF the moment. even such a deed muflQr