New-York tribune., 1873-09-03
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
TIE KELSEY MYSTERY.

continued at Oyster Bay, L. l., yesterday morning
sefore large crowd Of spectators. The examination
vas conducted By Corener Bayls, Henry O. Platt ana
Thomas Young. Since saturdays session. the excite
nent IN that region has been st fever heat ana the
tragedy has almost the sole topic OF conversation
Various rumOrs have from time 70 time been eircuaeo'
which have aqtaSed the entire community ou'
IN most the rumors have peeh pro'oU
70 BE- without foundation and there had peen
nc new Developments OF Importance Nhe"
she Coroneris Jury reassembed yesterday. some
very Important testimony was, however then enei'eu
especially that of William Morss, the JeWeief "no D
q clear idea Of the appearance construcuoh anu ~
harities OF the watoh-chain which he had repaiiN
cral years ego stin further the watch taken IRON '
body vas produced at the conclusion OF MS 'es'o
and foupa 10 agree in number and appearance WIN ""
,cootd taken by Mr. Morss three years ago ana ie"u
from the book kept by him for that PURPOSE -" Nv
not seen the watch since 1871. His tesumo"y 'o"S0
ipg the chain strongly corroborSuVe VI '"'' =
by Sarah wiletts sister oil Kelsey ~' '"' 'Df"'' ~
Saturday o 60,
s Arst witness called Dr. HenryC. Van sandt OF
oyster Bay graduate of the Albany Medical college,
hstesu6ed that called TO view the body wheh
Hhad been found IL consisted largely OF the lower
s,t Of body clad in panaloons. and was covered
With thick coating tar; whether the body had been
psuIlated by violence by decomposition through long
continuance in the water, through being eaten by
Aes witness could not say; in his opinion was the
result Of violence, the mutilated part was no more
subject to rapid decomposition than the remaining parts;
whether violence had been committed before or atter
death could say; there were indications that tue
body had been the water long time how long wit
ness could not say; the tar the portion of the BODY
recovered would itself death in time the eiiect
OF a muauOn like that discovered on the BODY WOuid
cause death very short time witness had seen nu-
nerous other bodies which had doubtless remained III
the water long time this, but they had not Deen
thHs mutila ed and the portion of the body missing IN
the present case had always resisted decay as long az
the remaining parts the disappearance Of the feet was
doubtless due to natural they had probably been
eaten by fishes bones had been separated the
nesh and hgaments having been removed
The next witness called Frederick Flemings.
boatman who Was present when the body was brought
ashore He had noticed the appearance of the body.
and saw that remained covered with clothing
when this clothing removed the body was seen 10
with tar and feathers and portion had EVIL
IDENTITY been cut away; as II was well protected Whle III
the water would hardly seem possible that fishes had
eaten any portion but the feet the entire portion above
the waist was missing, idea could ne formed con
rerning this portion the clothing fitted tight to the
.lIn The chain here produced and recognized as
being that taken from the body when the clothing was
removed the broken comb was produced, and was
identified as that which had fallen from the clothing
when 10 removed.
DR.. David VI. Cory, physician OF oyster Bay, ana a
uraduae Of the College of Physicians and surgeons in
Is6s testified that he viewed the remains on Saturday
morning. in company with DR.. Van Sandt they we're
covered with black cOtbing removing this black
toating, apparently of tar, was observed, IN which
arge quantity Of feathers mbedded; the pelvis
,nd surrounding portions we're somewhat decOmposed
and part of the body missing, having ap
nArently been cut away; the body upquestionaby
tbst of a man, and the entire portion remaining was
covered with the coating Of tar; 1t was by no
certain that the portion removed mad been cut
away by violence: indeed there we're indications
tho midi
xas the This portion seemed however 10 have
seen removed i'm different from the feet which
had apparently been eaten away, since the adjoining
portions left ragged and irregular The probable
rnects OF such mutilaton would he death within siH
hours though few have been known where death
has not ensued Had there weights attached TO
fhe body t would probably have risen TO the surface
within month or weeks, aud would probably have
been entire when discovered.
The testimony of william Morss OF Babylon but
formerly OF Huntington. next taken. He was
ieweler and had known during his residence in
Huntington in November, 1862 ne had repaired gold
bunting case watch No 523 and No. $685.. for Kelsey,
aud had attached bar and nook 10 gold cham which
Kelsey had recently purchased; II was hne chaln,
without bar or hook when purchased; Kelsey had
brought IT, together with hook and bar which he said
had long been IN the family; the bar was OF peculiar
ronstrnctOn of which witness gave the details; he
remembered the chain particularly, II helng an unusually
small one for gentleman TO carry, as Kelsey remarked
At the time in 1871 he cleaned the same cham, and
again noticed It's construction. The chain taken from
the body here handed to witness WHO, after care
ful examination pronounced u the same, a. aso the
hook and bar which were Stlll attached peGuartS
of the ring by which the bar attached enabled him
10 identify il beyond doubt The watch was next pro
duced by William KELSEY and, on opening it, it was
found that the number OF the movement 52Ss. and
of the case, $685. the exact numbers recorded III MI
Morrss book which he had already announced TO the
Jury az the numbers the watch repaired. He bad not
seen the watch since March 1871.
was summoned for the second time, he having testified
Saturday morning He was one OF the two Fishermen
clothing which had been taken from the BODY. HIS
testimony substantially the on Saturday.
The next witness Henry e. ShadboI OF Huntington,
was the discovered the shirt and other articles
ef clothing al LOyd's Neck on Wednesday merning,
Nov. g. The shirt was folded and covered with blood
and a boot aud neckte close hand; report
man. while moving, had been injured by scythe,
led the opinion that II had been used by him 10 sanch
the blood a companion, riding with himself, got out
and picked up thus exhibiting the bloodstans in the
lower portion below the bosom the shirt was left where
II had been found and Saturday following 1t was
identned by William Kelsey having belonged TO his
The shirt, being produced, was ldenuned as
me same by witness on Lloyds Neck. The boot
and neckte were also produced and witness judged
them 10 he the discovered by him on the beach.
He had seen Kelsey wear the same neektle Two weeks
William Gallienne was next summoned. He was one
of the companions OF ShadbOlt when the clothing
was discovered related by the preceding witness he
picked the shirt that occasion The three articles
f clothing we're handed witness and identified
THEoRr THE DEFENSE.
In contrast with the evidence above given, the follow
ing points held by the defense are of interest:
woman said 10 be OF unmpeachsble character,
swears that she saw Kelsey weeks after his sup
posed death a Tram Of the New-1Ork New-Haven
md Hartford Railroad She was acquainted with MIN,
and OF the conversation which they had. he
alluded 70 his disappearance and said that he was going
NewYork but At Bridgeport suddenly lett the train.
His appearance aud manner alarmed her, and she
stopped Norwalk and visited the home OF Methodist
Episcopal clergyman, instead OF returning TO Hunting
ton, az she had intended.
The body could not have remained in the water 10
months without being devOured by fishes.
Assuming that II could, there not enough buoy
sncy ~ the parts le TO keep them a6os for any great
length OF tune or 10 start them from the bottom they
had al hrst rested there