New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-23
THE MIKE NORTON OUTRAGE.
TWO OF THE ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR
TRIAL


ToMBs-TEsTIMONY IN CAPT. RYANs FAVOR
HOW THE ARREST OF MILLER WAS aADE-DoUBr-
FULL FATE OF PARKER.
Philin RYAN and George Miller were ar
ragned before Justice Duffy the Tombs Police Court
yesterday on charge OF having committed at outrage
upon Mrs Louisa C. Merritt on board the tngboat Nike
Norton. on Tuesday night Mrs Merritt was asked
If she had the prisoners before she positively
identified Miller and said that when she saw him De was
dressed shirt and pantaoons She also SAID that she
recognized Ryan-who differently dressed tuesday
as The man who went out Of tho cabin but returned after
a lonc time with a lantern in his hand. Mrs Merritt
stated that her husband. Col Merritt Of the United
states Army. is In Newport, r. l. 1ho nau
seen an advertisement in Jersey CITY
newspaper that siewardess was "aii'eu
upon steamer, whose name she could not remember
On Tuesday afternoon she went IN search of the sa"
While looking for the she was aceosted by
man who asked. Lady, what are You looking
for I" She answered. am looking for steamer where
a stewardes- is wanted" The man replied, Il am the
agent for steamer and will take you on Doaru Oh
her" The man then led Mrs Merritt to the footof Dover
ST. where the Mike Norton lay II was high water ana
a schooner was moored between the tug-boat and the
wharf.
Mrs Merritt was conducted 10 tho cabin ~ the tug
boat and suspected nothing wrong unit, the man locked
the door md then attempted to kiss her He SAID
be back in short time" and went on deeh'
locking tho door after him. In few SECONDS
the man returned. followed by four others.
The lantern put and three OF the men attacked
her She struggled and tried but they covered
her face with a garment and she repeatedly out
RACED by the live men She entered the cabin about dsK
and was not released until after midnight weak anu
almost fainng ana fearing that the ruians would rake
her life abe succeeded in reaching the pier and crossing
sontj-st found Officer Mcbride of the Fourth Precinct
Police She told the officer pul story, and lie raped
- D a.Ylif ie .l1 IN
sponded. did also several other Officers capt VII
as sent the lady the station IN charge OF an oheer
DR. Powell called and ne ordered her To be taken 10
the Park Hospital While she was in the recepuonrooh
Of the Park Hospital Mrs. Merritt said that some one
came to her window and told her that she had better
let this thing drop If she persisted IN her complaint the
Judge would have her locked up in The House OF De''n
ton winch was worse than prison"
Counselor Price appeared in behalf Of Phlip Ryan me
captain Of the tughoat and said that be could prove ne
yond doubt that Ryan not one OF The men VINO hhd
committed the crime. Capt. Williams -tid that ne DE-
lcyed that Ryan had been absent from his boat
during the time that the crime committed; he held
very responsible position the captain Of sandy Hook
tug-boat Miss nonora V. hassett a teacher in one
OF the public schools in this city who il engaged to be
IN irred pt. Ryan, tcs tin IL that he was III her
company from p on Tuesday, until 100 a. m on
Wednesday. The crime was committed between dusk
and 1.:3O A. m on Wclncs lay morning. Miss Ha,-ett
about O'Clock on Tuesday night About IL o'clock they
went 10 FULTON Market To- eat sofi-'helled
crabs They remained there until after midnight.
and then walked back To her house. Capt. Ryan
went away from there about 1850 o'clock on Wednesday
morning Miss IIassett'- brother testified that Capt.
RYAN had been with him from until o'clock on Tues
day night. Nevertheless, hrs. Merritt positively
Identified RYAN Or her asailant-. Justice
Duffy committed him TO the Tomh- tor further cNama-
ton at D. H. to-day. Miller also committed TO the
Tombs.
Police Surgeon Powell who was summoned to tie
Fourth Precinct Police station said that me- had no doubt
that Mrs. Merritt had been outraged. lie had found
bruises upon her and body. Sue hnd confessed Ia
him that she Was conf med morphine eaicr, aud two
dracm, ~ morphine had been found in her posscsSon
Her mind nevertheless was perfectly clear, and she had
related her story cOhcfcntlY and in straightforward
manner.
Can't Williams related 10 TrBrNE reporter yeeter-
dav the following OF the arrest Of the men upon
the tug boat was in koosevet-,t. looking after the
men 10 that they relieved each other properly when
heard an alarm rap from south-t.. the foot Of
Do,cr-.t FASTENED to spot and found that Officer
Mcbride had summoned assistance. The trouble
was made known in few words. and after -endihs
Mrs Merritt 10 the station took several men aud went
pnu the tip-bnat Mike Norton. which las at Pier ~
East River The cabin locked and the doors leading
a. the parts ~ the boat were also fastened ohrcr
Mcbride succi'rdcd IN entering the cabin window ana
searched the place. lie found nobody. II Wa believed
that the boat was deserted. AZ length boy
found who had been asleep m thr galley. Itc
calne rubbing his ewes. and gized ~ lstonisirht
al he officers upon tie boat. lie Sild ina, he hlr"
nothing about the crew and had not seen or heard any
thing nf a woman any trouble He had gone =" pcd
early IN the galley, and hid locked The door tnat ne
might sleep without being disturbed hy Tie crew ooh
the 10 the station, ana sent the men Dhch on post
in,trIcng Officer Mcrac, on whose post the tis-DoaI
lay LOOK ont for any body no might return ana pi-
Oiicor Mcbride after the others had gone, determined
t. return 10 the tnenon amt search u ihoroughy lie
procured small lantern AMI went on board Tie OPENED
every door. but or lonS time his search was l-'
He discovered place tAit rflrhi3 I' 'iI"HHu Ht
mole to the prDpelur shaft, but could nor sri
himself, hc went down mo the 'nAh'i.'
and got down INTO The SHAFT alley Holding H. lantern
IN his teeth he wrgeed aiohs througn p17,nSe Jis,
large enough 10 admit ls S"i} III plun' t"s"n ~,
the stern OF the vessel he found small pid'ia'h r
which some haw-eis ana Old ropes were stored II" was
about 10 return when he "a" man n9' 7'"hlns "u1
from under pile OF old rope. lurih'g sraicA re-
as'd, tb, r,pe- f,Sn men were found offer Mcbride
seized ankle OF each man ana - hod,n- tle idhlti
room turn around and he had Ia guide backward aH
pu his prisoners after HIM. They bean 10 Kick, ana
ankle and seized tie other nith both hani~. Inc re-
leased man pushed hi- way through Tie n'.nlor AM
prisoner deck. and at rNard took him % the lo'e
station. There he hi- nrnlr ~ 'reorer Miller
Cant, ilin- tlUIurd To the tug wlih Ohccf Mcbfl"
ana lr"'ullnE - O' "f ,i, IN cnune I" The SIR
face AGAIN. AMI tf.4Cr Whatever could DE- ivhd ~ NM
Ai,.i 7,y g TH'I ~'' -t Pran I'D iaf me man
49,. mnor sI,iiniu,r and II Is believed that ne
drowned. Capt RYAN returned 10 ms boat a"out >
oc0rk Wcii, sdiy morning. and iLen WAS aric''e'
Two men on the bua lived IN troy. AMI - tleJ nave '
been seen tr police De- c'r they pave lied IRON ne ct!
AMI propanly nave gone III the river
The name that the complainant signed 70 me aih"afh
in the Tomb Police Court yesterday Louisa g. Me-
ri,t Mrs, Merritt il small. adyke woman. Of slight
hglirc and apparently about - years Of age -he "is
dressed yer, plainly hui scity. Her features are pleas
Ing and Der eyes large and dark she iold
Capt. Wiiams that she had been an inmate
OF tho It Elizabeth asylum l,r tie Insane which !, near
Washington, -. e., from september, l~7' unn size 49,
cIcd about three weeks Mrs Merritt hal been m
duccd to enter thi. asylum TO endcayor to break Oh ne
habit of oprm eating -hr went 10 Baltimore after her