The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-08-11
RATES OF ADvERTIsHNG.,


At the session Of the Assembly
Committee on Crime, IN New York,
on Friday, Sidney H. Conkling. who
| was policeman at the time of the
| murder of Benjamin Nathan, in July,
1870, was called and told remarkable
story In connection Herewith, at
tempting to show how his superiors
endeavored to prevent the arrest of
the alleged guilty parties. Conk.ing
said: Soon after the murder of Mr..
Nathan, | got what [ thought was
clew TO the murderer. a burglary
had been committed at Mrs Lioyd's
house, In One Hundred and Thirty
fifth street. The burglar left behind
him a carpet bag, linen duster. and
key. / found his tracks. and traced
them long distance; while ! was do
ing this | met Capt Davis, who asked
me what | was doing, and ordered me
back to the station. bidding me nai4s.ll
my business; went back to the sta
ton, and the sergeant told me to go
and work up the case; tracked the
man and found him. tall man. 6 feet
g. inches high. named Michael Ryan.
and took him to the station; l exam
ined his shoe and it corresponded
with the tracks; when the captain saw
me with the man he said, well, now
that you've got him you can go on
with the case,' [ took the prisoner
before Judge McQuade; on the way
over the man asked me if l found a
linen duster in that valise; I told him
yes" he said: by Godl that coat
will hang me-" while we were at court
l took out paper which had picture
of the Nathan murder in it; l left the
paper and went away, and when l
came back Ryan was looking at the
paper; he threw it under the table
and denied having looked at it; on
this linen coat. which the burglar had
carried, we're the marks Of bloody
hands, one on the left shoulder and
the other at the right elbow; after
talking with the detectives [ went
down town and saw Mr.. Washington
Nathan: be gave me cold reception.
and said had better go home; that |
hadn't heard enough to End cut the
man who killed his father; after this
/ went and saw Mr.. Frederick Ma
than, who was glad to hear that I had
clew TO the murderer, he said.
Thank God. there's one man in the
police who wants to do his duty," he
asked me if Wash said anything to
mc dUout DdslHg WaitSI Dy the Uiiilc
of Ryan. and asked me what he had
come again and he would give me
money to go to Pennsylvania, when ]
went to the station the captain told
sent down to police headquarters, and
KeIso told me to drop this Nathan
business and never touch II again:
then went back and went en- duty: I
don't know what ever became of the
prisoner.
Q-Can you state anything further
that took place between yourself and
Frederick Nathan? lA-Neli, when
[ spoke about Ryan, Mr.. Nathan ap-
peared TO be startled and dropped his
cane on the sidewalk: when [ told
him his brother was too busy to talk
to me he said, What. business be-
fore the death of my father?" Wash
Nathan came to police headquarters,
and. when he saw Ryan. he said,
Take that man away, don't want to
see him.
The witness. Conkling. sticks to the
theory that Mr.. Nathan was killed by
some one who went to get money from
him and that ne was assisted by this
man Michael Ryan. brother Of "a man
who had been a waiter IN the Nathan
family. Conkline says that while in
conversation with Ryan he said. My
God. one night l drank wine with "A
rich man, and now l am arrested for
killing rich man." Conkling also
says that when he showed this bloody
coat to Fred Nathan he said be
thought he had seen it before in their
own house
Conkling was asked wether he knew
why the stockings and shirt of Wash
Nathan were not produced = the cor
oncr's inquest, to which he replied
that he did not know
Conkling says he knows that Ryan
followed Mr.. Nathan erom Morris
town. n. j., the night Of the murder.