The New York herald., 1875-09-16
THE NOE INQUEST.

THE STORY OF THE NOE MURDER TOLD AGAIN
BEFoRE THE coRoNER-NoE's suspicious AS
TO HIS sAFErY-THE FINEST POLICE FORCE
IN THE WORLD" DOES NOT SHINE AT THE IN
QUEST.
Tho inquest concerning the death Of James II. Noe
on the 22d OF August at the hands Of burglar was
held yesterday morning the Coroners Office, before
Coroner Croker and the Deputy Coroner DIR. Cushman
II was a lame termination of terrible tragedy The
stories OF the principal witncsses-Mrs. Harris Mr.
Thompson, neighbor; Officer Johnston, &c--connrmod
In all its details the reports of this rghtful murder
previously published in the HERALD, and the testi-
mony of Pcreso, tho broherin-law Of tho deceased.
proved the fact that Noe without suspicious re-
garding his safety in this house. and that on Saturday
evening he caused the fastenngs of the scute to be
carefully examined, through which the burglar came
tho next morning. Tho 'nncst police force in the
world did shine this inquiry into murder with
tho murderer still at large.
MRS. HARRIS STORY
The FIRST witness was Mrs Catharine L. Harris, OF No.
273 Greenwich street. a tall slender woman, with
long thin facc She said that on the Sunday morning
OF the assault on Mr. Noe she heard cries OF Murder
For Gods sake helpl" the cries seeming to come from
the house above she at first paid no heed To the cries.
and in two three minutes they repeated her
husband up stairs and she informed him of the
cries OF murder which she had heard he expressed the
opinion that they emanated from drunken person
In boarding house near by, and went down stars
again, followed by his daughter; Mrs. Harris ascended
to the fourth floor and looked out Of the window TO
what the was she again heard the cries. and
went up to the fifth floor; looking out of the scuttle in
the roof she heard the cries. she mounted upon
the roof and slid down until she to a fiat roof
whence she leaped to the roof of Noes house, No.
275; thence she proceeded to the build
Ing adjoining Noes premises and called out
the top OF her voice, "Who is there?
Ehere are your" she heard no reply but, strange to
lay, the cries from below were repeated before; de-
Iermined, with womans curiosity to probe this mys
sery, she went back to the roof of Noes house. and
noticing the scuttle open she called down. 'Where
gou and who you?" she heard q voice in reply,
"For Gods sake hep!" she then descended from the
roof to the first floor; 1t was very dark she queried
'where you ?" and feeble voice answered family
''Herc in the corner;" she went to the from
which the voice proceeded, and found lying on
the aoor she asked him how he came there; he said
~ have been tackled by burglar gagged and tied
hand and foot;" his hands tied with rope he
lying his back and his feet from his ankles to
above his knees tied with the same kind of rope
he perfectly covered with blood she cut the rope
round his wrists, and he exclaimed ''rhank God you
have released me and will not let me die alone" there
two handkerchiels and checked apron round his
neck, all perfectly saturated with blood; they had
been tied over his mouth, but he had slipped them
Dr. she wiped the blood from his face and
recognized her neighbor Mr. Noe; he stated that the
burglar had attacked him during his usual morning
visit to his store she assisted him in rising and led him
out into the street; officer there encountered
who told Noe to 80 the hospital, which he did after
some objections; this was all she knew.
Helen Oberson, another neighbor gave some unm-
portant testimony.
NEIGHBoRs TESTIMONY
William Thompson, neighbor of No 264 Greenwich
street. said that he with Mr. Noe while the atter's
wounds were being dressed at the Chambers street hos
pa the deceased related to him his encounter with the
burglar follows He went usual into his in the
morning. he heard noise when he reached the second
floor and his way to the top floor he heard
pryng at the scutte; he waited few moments and the
scuttle opened and man came down Il few steps;
Noe asked him what he wanted; the man turned and
went out upon the roof followed by Noe who there
seized and threw him Noe said to the wit
ness that he thought he could master the man
he pulled him down the steps again, and
when they reached the floor the burglar, seeing u
paint iron lying on tho floor, said 'This will do
damned sight better than what have got;'' they both
rushed at the iron but the got 1t first and struck
him four times and then gagged and tied him; then
the thief went to water tank in the room and washed
his hands of the blood and Noe asked HIM for drink
OF water the burglar said in reply, Likely! While |
am giving you this it will give me twenty years ~ as
he left the premises he said, menacngly f you make
any noise outcry in less than half hour | will
come back and finish yOu and if you remain quiet you
will be released inside of an hour;' Noe described the
to the witness being about thirty years old five
feet seven or eight inches tall, weighing about $50
pounds, wearing light pants and vest, souched dark
hat dark coat, with whiskers and dark beard
JoHNsToNs NARRATIVE
Michael Johnston, officer of the Twenty seventh
precinct related how he went to the house and took
Noe TO the hospitals Noe weak that he had to sit
down and rest himself on the way ut the hospital his
wounds dressed and he put to bed Noes
tive the officer regarding his with the burg
lar somewhat fuller than that given by the other
witnesses According to the officer Noe asked the thief
hrst what he was DONG and he replied that ho u
Ratchman. Noe said, ''You thief" The man
acknowledged 1t and Noe made him q prisoner taking
him the lower steps of the ladder There he dropped
'jemmy" out OF his sleeve and struck Noe with II
the head. Noe seeing the paint iron the bench
rushed thither grasp it, but the thief first
struck him with IL and knocked him down. He gagged
and bound Noe but after twelve minutes the was
released by Mrs. Harris The officer, who does not
be gifted with great amount of intei.
door, although he claimed to have made thorough ex-
animation OF the premises
James 5. Perego, "A brother-in-a law OF the deceased
gave testimony which showed that Noe enter
him the previous evening Saturday to if it
securely fastened He thought that the door had beon
pried of by the thief with plank.
DR. cUsISAN's OPINIONS.
DR.. Cushman gave the result of the post-morem ex-
animation, as already previously published in these
columns He added that in his opinion the blow with
The paint iron must have been warded of and its force
broke for accidental fall of this huge upon
Noes skull would have completely crushed il. DR..
Cushman gave II also his opinion that certain dark
stains upon this terrible iron blood. While adj
dressing the jury both he and the Coroner fourishcd
the iron IN lively manner, which by some accident
might easily have caused another tragedy.
The Coroner in his charge said that he judged Noe
must have been struck senseess by the first blow He
was very sorry that the police had succeeded IN
hrresting the murderer after search OF three weeks
The jury then rendered verdict that Noe had come
10 his death through violence at the hands of some
person unknown and left with significant shrugs and
excamations about ''the finest police force in the
world"