The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-02
THE NATHAN MURDER.
What Sergeant Fitzgerald Knows aud Re-
members About Michael Ryan,
WALLlNG's OPINION OF CoNKLlN


murder, continue TO excite public attention. Tine
alleged facts as given by ConKlin should nave the
immediate notice or tie pchce authorities In order
thai their truth or fasity may be decided. IL VIII
not do 20 permit this remarkable story 20 60 by
default on the ground that "tnere is nothing in
IT," In order to get at the bottom OF the matter
the reporters or the HERALD are gathering
up ali the facts that may be IN the
possession OF those officers who were In any way
connected with the case. 1t VIII be seen from the
statement OF superintendent Walling and those
or Captain Davis and Sergeant Fitzgerald. who
were borh attached to the Thlrtieth precinct in
1870 that they all three consider Conklns state
ment absurd emanations from the mind OF
man who thinks that he has genus for detective
work, whlcn would have been developed were 1t
not for the opposition OF his superlors-tnspired,
as he thinks, either by Jealousy or by corrupt
motives.
SUPERINTENDENT wALL1NGs OPINION
A HERALD reporter called on superintendent
Waling and asked him what he thought Of Conk-
Inns latest statement Mr. Waling SAID
To me the story OF Mr.. Conkln IS ridiculous IN
the extreme. Conklin was never good officer.
Indeed ne was compelled 10 resign his position
because he was found asleep while on duty
In the Thirtieth precinct. roundsman dis
covered MIN, reported his offence, and had
he not sent In his resignation Conklin would have
been ANONYMOUSLY disgraced in the eyes OF the
entire Metropolitan Police force OF New YORK. The
man named Ryan was over sixty years OF age.
In common police parlance he tramp
who, a little while previous TO the Nathan murder
had oeen seen around the neighborhood OF Man
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in the vicinity or 125th
street. A man lived in this street by the
name OF Lord. Some attempted to enter
Lords house-a valse was subsequently found
near the place which con tanned bits, &C.. that
exactly fitted the holes found In Mr.. Lord's door,
Footprints were found also, which could
not be mistaken, the impression OF hob
nails was everywhere apparent. Conklln md
Ing the vase with the burglars tools,
arrested Ryan on the strength or IL. Ryan was
brought up before the proper authorities. Afer
thorough investigation it was discovered from the
servants Of Mr.. LORD that the poor old man, The
weak, feeble tramp, Ryan, had been coming 10
their mouse, on 125th street, regularly every day
for
SOMETHING TO EAT
which al once explained the appearance or the
mysterious footprints. Conkin iated to show
any connection whatever between Ryan and the
yalise, hence Ryan was honoraoly discharged. He
was however, aiterward arrested and sent to tns
Island as vagrant, but subsequently re-
leased at the request OF his brother. ConklIn's
statement, THAI he went 10 Morristown and saw
DARE-FAcED LIE,
because toe police all knew tkat fred Nathan was
not In MorrIstown for months before and Tor
months after the murder. How ConKlip could
have told q story supremacy ridiculous as this
cannot imagine. The fact OF the business is tnat
Uonknn Is gone in his mead. He don't seem TO
knew wat he's talking ABOUT Hear what he
says 10 your reporter" -
The day before the Nathan murder passed by
the Nathan manson and asked the servant girl wnose
Nathan % y said he "a brother OF mine WORKS Tor
auenty idenuaed Michael Ryan as being that man
'S sa fAS' him In is the
who called atthat and inquired for his brother
John. is certainly significant
All TINS IS a lie. No servant girl In the employ
OF tine Natnans gave any such testimony Ryan
"
wandered along Inc thorougnlares OF Manhattan
vle oeggins 1oI or i no one eG M,ta
ned him. 1t Is probable that no one In the family
had ever seen MIN before. To sum up everything
briefly as TO Conkn's statements viii say this -
Ffrst-Conkiin was never good oficer
Iyecoad-He was found asleep when the welfare
Of hundreds depended upon his vigilance
Thfrd-He was compelled to resign MS position
FourtIl-He failed to identify the valse contain
Ing the burglars tools with the old, oecreplt
Ryan.
evidence ana the facts, instantly discharged. and
(even admitting Conk!lu's testimony could not,
wnne operating ID I25th street, have Played any
part III a robbery in rweaty-thlrd street.
Strth-Conklin says ne saw Fred Nathan at
cordlug TO his ewn words Fred never saw tn
Conklin IN his lie. The whole stsry is that
or weak, maudlin otficer VINO, hearing this, that
and tue other thing, weaves from all tnaL falls
apon his ears cunning story but, unfortunately,
story winch the slightest Investigation shows to
be as empty as the winds. 1t Ia the tale OF a nan
d1snonored aud dis2raced in the department
STATEMENT OF SERGEANT JOHN FITZGERALD,
who was under captain Davis IN 1870. Iremember
well the arrest OF Michael Ryal. OF whom
special committee OF the Legislature. Ryan was
believed to be anything buj burglar. 10
not solid" AT the time OF Rysns
arrest he had with MIN an old black bag contain
ing a lot OF Old tools OF no earthly use. They
would not open a TWO and slxpenny lock- let alone
such doors OF windows as are found In the Don
before Justice McQuade, and sent ii Is said, to the
Asylum. on Blackwelrs lsland; at least 1t was
from the Island that MS brother obtained bis dls
charge. Ryan mad IN ms Gag
LINEN COAT, SPOTTED WITH BLOOD,
but the spots amounted TO nothing. AT the time
OF the burglary at the Donneliy mansion 1t was
occupied oy the Lord family, VINO were said 10 be
connected VILE the LORD VINO was robbed or some
$4,000 worth oil bonds. Ryan found
hanging about the DonHelly mansion BY OIL
seT 20 ana ce ser MIS- wsrs tnea
In tue footmarks found about the house, but they
custody tue name o. Nathan was never men.
toned whenever the members OF the force
take up the Rogues' Gallery pictures" and come
across the picture OF Michael Ryan, they always
THAT'S coxKLrN's BURGLAR.r
Az the time RYAN was arrested ne had. scat |
tered al over the bag some three dollars, mostly
OF the Court gave Tor the same:-
NEw Yonz, August %, 1879
Received from ohcer Conkln s. 81 money, taEsn
JOHN b. McKEAE, Justices Clerk
Sergeant Delamater also said that he remem-
bers well the linen coat iOunu Ia kyan's bag and
that IL WAS covered with blood.
STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN DAVIS.
/ was In command OF tue TnirtIeta precinct in
1870 and remember the arrest OF Micnaei RYAN. l
consider the statement maze BY eX-Onicer Conk-
lin ABSURD and eyldently made Out Uf whole clotn.
Ryan at tHe time OF his arrest was looked upon as
a naliwitted Fellow. Conklih made a great FUSS
over ms arrest, Is all "fresn" policemen do, wnen
they think they nave captured burglar; but
upon iull Investigation COnkhn found out that
his burglar" was OF no account. The statement
VI COnknn Is 50 absurd and io0lsh tnat 1T IS
hardly worm notice. II there had been the
slightest clew that MicAae Ryan had anything TO
10 with tne murder OF hatn0n wouiu have lett
no stone uBturned 10 nave followed II up. IL
would have Oeen great triumph Tor me TO have
been the means Of arres1nq The murderer, let
alone the reward that WAS offered.