The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-01
NATHAN'S BLOOD.
Further ClewS Connecting the Burglar Ryan
with the Twenty third Street Murder.
TIL DOG" TRACED.
Conklin's Theory Of the Puzzling
Crime.

police oficer, IN reference TO the dark mystery OF
the Nathan murder, with the large amount or new
and interesting matter on the same subject, set
thousands OF tongues talking on that topic OF un-
failing interest. which has so long baaied the
keenest scrutiny. In all places where men meet
the old question "Who Killed BENJAMIN
Nathan 2" was revived, with all the old and
some new theories and suspicious. Everywhere
the matter was discussed with equal zest, as
when I'VE years ago the blood OF the poor old
man stood fresh on the Was and floors OF his
stately mansion In Twenty-taird street.
Many saw In the recollections o. this
officer revived, after years or silence,
confirmation OF the old belief that 'murder
will OUT" truth come TO light and the guilty in
the long run be punished. The strange clews
when seem 30 couple Ryan the burglar with the
Nathan tragedy and TO point 10 still more guilty
principals were themes OF universal comment and
all longea TO know more Of the occult crime which
ever and anon seems struggling for publicity. To
satisfy in part this desire tho HERALD took meas-
ures to stil further develop the knowledge on
tnc subject possessed by the tall police oricer.
INTERVIEW WITH OFFICER ooNxLIN.
Sidney b. Conkn, whose testimony has SO
startled this CITY, dwells now in the rural pre-.
clncts or Richmond, S. /. From having been
policeman in New York, he Is now q farm laborer.
and although he was on ths stand all day on Fri.
day he Is already again al his accustomed place on
ex-CaptaiR Wilson'S farm, near Richmond The
writer saw him there in the afternoon and con-
versed with him Tor some time on the subject OF
mis- testimony Conkln Is small slightly built
man, with dark wnisktrs and small features.
de makes the Impression CT an IIterate but hon.
est and straightfoI ward man. A close cross.eX-
shake bin In single one or his statements. His
replies were given In a manner winch seemed per-
ler.ecty convincing as 10 their trnthuness.
ConKltn, during this conversation yesterday ar
ternoon, reiterated the most striking PORTIONS OF
mttee on Crime. but added some extremely i'm
portant points, which lend additional force
TO as Sw n. s5 having
vented him (Conklin) gong to Chester, Pa,
wnere Michael Ryan mad been In the
sawmill lie said that he subsequently, through
mere chance, had the occasion to be near Chester
garding the dog This 10 his story
THE "DOGn TRACED
In May or June, 1S72-but | am not sure about
the date was travelling ia company with my
brother, who was partner in Van Amburgh's
circus; we came me, to ohester, ana l thongnt
lice authorities mad previously prevented me from
seeing found MIN at his sawmlll in the neigh
he mad employed a. man BY the name or
Michael Ryan. lie said he hao, and asked him
TO give me description OF the man. He gave me
q description when corresponded exactly with
the man that nad arrested. There was no mis-
feet three or tour. Ryan, he SAID lett mis- place
three weeks before the Nathan murder. He
Il q
'ior whom nothing wouiu be too bad" asked
Chapman whether he missed anything since Ryan
had left. lie said Ryan had stolen several things,
among others LOG, ~ which he described, ana
which, from The description he gave or 1t, would
seem to be exactly like the dog" with which
LET CHAPMAN IDENTIFY THE ''DoG y
This raises at once tue lInportant questlon-that
really was employed by Chapman II would be OF
the utmost importance 10 let Chapman see she
''dogn found at the Nathan mansion and which IL
THE MEETING BETWEEN wAsHfNGroS NATHAN AND
Couklln laid great emphasis in his story upon
the striking manner in whlcn Washington Natnah
and Micnaei Ryan shranE back from one another
wnen confronted at police headquarters Both,
he said, staggered back when facing each other
ana ABRUPTLY declared that they could not te-
matte scene very vIvidly. ana Illustrated the
manner in which they threw up their arms, while
dismaJ ana terror were Impressed In their faces.
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
He dwell Tor some time on the significant cir
curnstance that Ryan, who had evidently Thought
that he had been arrested for the Nathan murder
and not for an attempted burglary, tried TO jump
on the steam car while 1t was passing through tue
Fourth avenue tunnel (stean cars were then
used. In the total darkness, ana mis- hands ben.
shackeo, this, Conkun says, would nave been
certain death, and II ir likely ths5 man Would
expose himself to almost certainty OF death II
he had only been guilty OF an attempt at bur
gary THIS circumstance made ConKlin thlnk
AZ once that Ryan WAS murderer, and that II he
had not killed Nathan he mad committee some
Another circumstance which Conklln regards
as a INK IN THIS lngeniousy woven chaln OF evi-
before tue murder Nineteenth street, on the
west slde--iar away from his home
AS regards the "dussersp Conklin says that
Frederick Nathan had declared ne nad seen IT. on
his waiter, john Ryan "a brother OF Alcnaep.
The question ls:-.'How came tie dustcr which -
far too small for Micnael In bis possession ~ He
tanks this circumstance may lead TO an addl-
coSKLN's THEORY or THE MURDER.
Another circumstance 10 which Conklin az
taches Importance Is this:-The day before tue
Nathan murder man passed BY the Nathan man
thus was" The girl said lt belonged TO MI,
Nathan. con-, said ne, "a brother OF
passed on. The servant glrl subsequently,
identified Michael Ryan as being that man. TINS,
added to the fact tnat servant girl IN me Nathan
residence At Morrlstown, y. j., Identified him ss
the man who had called 1t thas house, also and in
CURED Tor his Droencr John, Is certainly sIgnff
cant. Conklln then dwelt on the otner curious
incidents telling so strongly against Ryan, thas
Morristown TO New YORK, &c. lie wound up hT
saying that al these cews might be misleading,
but PC FOR his own part iet CONVINCED tnas Ryan,
in IL TBis conclusion appeared TO HIM irreststi-
Bile. He was then asked II he believed that " asu-
ington Nathan was in any way implicated in the
awful crime, and said Tar oe IL from nue. 10 say
that Washington Nathan took any active part IN
1t; but rom all the circumstances am convinced
ne knew tnas the deed was To be done"
JoUKpAN BHIBED.
Conklin said, la regard to JOurdaUS conduct,
thas there was no DOUBT he was briDed to suppress
any real Investigation or the murder. ''My prls-
Uner Was Ia the Harlem Court Prison, ana was
no doubt discharged because could nos appear
against him, having been ordered post l eau
prove that by Judge McQuade, 1t was thus that
Jourdan prevented my appearing against Ryan,
de knew nothing about Ryan's Whereabouts now,
and no clew to ascertain them except tnat he nad
a sister or sster-in-laW-he cid no. remember
wnieh--in AlDanI.
HR STILL CAN FIND RYAN.
Conknn was then breezy informed Of Frederick
Natnan's complete denial OF all knowledgs con
corning him. Conkuss manner when receiving
this information was certainly calculated 70 IN
spre confidence m hif ver3citr. be said, ION.
Fred Nathan must be mistaken. lie probably
does not remember my name, out he CANE have
forgotten the circumstances OF my going 20 see
him a. MorristOwn, our coming back together 10
New York taking the ears 20 tbe 81. James hotel.
wneTo he then boarded, and walking down TOW ara
seventeenth street and Fourth avenue, where We
separated, ne walking toward Iirsg ayeAuc. just
remind MIN OF tne req bag carried; he'll rcncm-
Der me II he aces me again. Conkiln theh con-
1rmed his abatement as 20 Frederick Nathan's
urterances in the strongest possible manner, ana
nnally expressed his thorough conviction that nc