The New York herald., 1876-12-02
THE HUNTERS POINT MYSTERY.

to tho OF Patrick Taits death, who found
lying on the floor OF the freight Office OF the Long
Island Railroad, last Monday morning, was continued
before Coroner Davren and jury last evening at Hun
tsr's Point As at the FIRST session, tho court
was ndincrentiy lighted, and crowded that the
proper observance Of order Impossible under the
CIRCUMSTANCES
Dennis Ryer who admits the deceased was acci-
dentally shot by his pistol, present In custody OF
Captain Woods OF the Long Island CITY police looking
cocl and free from nervous excitement and al times
be suggested questions TO his counsel who allowed
to be present and take part the proceedings. But
very uttlc progress made last evening owing TO
the privileges extended the prisoners counsel. and
ono occasion District Attorney Downing who is
Ing tho Coroner IN tho investigation, was compelled to
protest against the of time by that gentleman.
CAPTAIN WOODS TESTIMONY.
Captain w woods OF tho Long Island city police upon
being sworn testified as foilows:-0n Monday morning
last, officer Carroll TO my house in Astoria and
said that had been killed down at the :. Point"
belonging to the Long Island Railroad Company;
he said that he knew nothing OF the matter but that
"oid gentleman /" who had accompanied him was in
possession OF facts, and might communicate them
/ went down with the officer the
OF Broadway and Second avenue Astoria, and found
there the prisoner Dennis Ryer; the latter asked If
he could have private conversation With me; l said
'ccrtanly;' lie then asked mo II was gong down
tho 'lon.; - ''Yes," said. $50 as go down
the house and get cup Of Coffee" Rycr then said-
IL Will go along with you;" IAN right" answered.
when we had gone half block Ryer
said:-"Captan, am tho man that did
that deed; it purely accidental;
and II any body is to blame the man." when
Ryer got inside oi my house hc gavo PISTOL say
ing THAT is the pistol;' as got my coffee
took him down,to the station house, and, putting him
In the custody Of the Sergeant on duty then
down to tho ''Pont and dsnotifcd the Coroner; In fur
ther conversation with Ryer said that, walk
ing up and down the yard at tho freight depot,
he went into the oiice, and taking his
pistol out OF his pocket laid the
desk; TAFT attempted to obtain possession
Of the weapon, putting his hand around the lock,
tnat is how understood tho statement; asked Ryer
II he had his hand on the trigger ut the time OF tho
pistoi's discharge; he assured me that he had not;
then asked him how IL To oil he said that Taft
wanted II, aud hc would no. give II him, though he
tRyer promised 10 give II up IN the morning; this
time the pisol wont oil accdehally; Ryer us uLder
Stood SAID that nc still retained hold oil the weapon when
was dscharged hc also advised INC that the shooting
took place on or aboat iour O'Clock IN the mornings
the prisoner, TO my recoecton did not say how |
long he had been IN the Office before TAFT
killed; he did not say anything about having |
u quarrel with tho deceased; tue contrary, he !
said that they were the best OF TRENDS and lie |
spoke with emotion about Tait's widow children;
saw NO signs VI dissipation about the prisoner; wnen
asked him why he did not al once obtain
a,eiy alter the Occurrences tue deceased requested
him not 10 leave him, and uttered the words,
minutes: Ryer thought t4. The pistol twice;
whan he found that TAFT was dead the |
prisoner took his lamp anu other thugs, aud
locking them up went down to the dock think the
matter over; then he resolved ~ 60 home acquaint
ms wife ol the affair and then give hims ELF up; ho
did he says thGt when he went home II about
O'clock Ryer did not seem ~ account tor how the
Two shots were fired; ! don't recoect OF hlm telling
my why he put The lights out. 10 Juror--Ihe Lights
we're cxtnsushed when the body was found
by District Attorney DowniDg-Rycr did not say
vt.ata hpf INT
the snots were Tired: Rycr told mo that the pistol be-
lonced to the deceased and that he had loaned it TO
him year ago; II was Colts six shooter; thore
Two barrels loaded when got IT. four chambers
empty ana three nipples contained caps; the bull
examined tho where the deceased was found saw
pistol shot the right jamb of south door.
and oUllquc, entering the ssadde OF tho door, then
passing through ana making un indcntatlon on tho
outside; bullet found on the floor OF the oice Of
the character those In the pistol did
examine the dead body; the floor was swept and
scraped when got there; don't know who gave cirec
lions to do the cleaning.
pis r. p pSSSLER's TESTIMONY.
Or. H. H. Dcnncr testified that he was physician Of
1t,een years practice, nine OF them being IN Hunters
Point made n post examination OF the body
dead only two hours; iound gunshot
wounds the body; one about two inches below the
left nipple. elanc'ng directly backward and entering
the spinal column; l extracted the bullet shown
the jury) but Gs YET have not compared with the
pistol barrel (Aser looking at the pistol trying
tho ball, the Doctor said IL would n.y. The line OF the
bullet In tho body wound was direct; tho second
wound was in the upper lp and passed directly m
ward through tho upper bono OF the jaw; proDed tho
wound and felt extraneous substance Ut
the base OF the brain, but did not extract
,l the pistol at the time OF shooting must
have been held parallel with the wound;
either would have produced DEATH The deceased could
not have talked much alter receiving the wounds; no
must have died within fifteen or twenty minutes from
the time of the shooting; there u excessive
amount Of internal nemorrnage; | examined the bull
lot hole the door aud saw The bullet; 1t tho
same as lound in The DO iy; these gunshot wounds
made at short range; the face wound burned
v other had ylulliuu a
breast wound was Deep tho bullet gong nearly |
through The body all the organs the deceased were
found IN healthy concition think that no was |
about five feet ten inches IN height he was nney de-
veopcd; the hiring must have occurred IN the room;
the Taco wound Was III an upper direction; the BODY
wound would seem to have been with the men |
parallel; there were two contusions on deccaseds |
forehead.
By u Juror--Think that in this the powder |
would have burned from the distance OF loot; do
think the deceased could speak after receiving tho
lace wound but he could speak after the body wound
was givcn
DANIEL coNsrocK's TESTIMONY
Daniel Coms,ocK tesiiGcd-l live at l56 Union Place, |
Grccnpont. auc am employed as night waichman by |
the railroad coinpany am expected 10 be In the yard
where TAFT and yer were; am there every night from
d TO D, Sundays excepted, but WAS there part |
OF last sunday night; saw deceased the freight |
olicc about quarter to asked him get
freight out ior me; saw Rycr about seven O'Clock
that night IN the telegraph office; TAFT did not carry
pistol, Uut Ryer did; Rycr SAID that he would |
shoot man about there he sad ho would shoot nc; II
was about showing down lrcgnt train;' he called
a OF a b-h, and was going To HIT him with
lantern, but dcsistcd; afterwards he apoogHcd; (
but with more words Rycr said that before he got I
through he would borc some one; he made motion at
the time OF trouble put his hand IN his pockel,
II to take out his PISTOL lett about O'Clock last
Sunday night, and about haifpast eight or Moncay
morning came back: tho crowd was tncn about tho |
depot; heard last spring that the prisoner and de-
not good tcrms; of late they seemed to
be friendly; was on friendly terms with both OF
them; have seen Ryers pistol, and tho one shown
looks IKE IL.
BY counsel Tor prisoner-Ryer's duty required
pistol, should think; he looked after the freight
the dock and IN the cars there was danger from river
thieves.
JANIS KEILy's TESTIMONY.
James Kelly tcstGed-l am employed by tho rail-
road company IN the machine shop; am there IRON
O'Clock seven O'Clock, ali night; didnt hear any
pls,o. shots last Sunday nghi WAS awake and did
not leave my post that nights did not hear OF fait's
death uDti eight oclock nextNonng; never heard OF