The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-06
PLTRICk TAFT's DEATH.
The story Of tho Traaedy Told ~ Oss Il the
Participate.

Dennis Ryer faced Coroner Davren and
the jury last evening In the gloomy freight once
OF the Long Island Railroad Com panv In Hunt
er's Point, and told them the story Of the death
Of Patrick 7 II. He said:
II entered the VI rd shortly after o'clock on
Sunday evening. I patrolled until about 10x
O'Clock. Then, eoing Into the freight agents
ofire. found Taft standing by the stoYe In the
outer com apartment conversing with Mr. Michael
Welsh. Taft said, How DO you do, govern
orr l said that WAS toiersbly well.
When we had been talking half an hour Walsh
asked us to 60 out to nave drink with hin.
We did so. going to the Long Isl nd CITY Hotel
room. We drank whiskes. hen MIR. Walsh
and SIT down and began TO talk, 1at me n
while 1T nding at the bar. Soon I n invited us
to dfink. We drank whlskev. We returned
70 our seats, and lsit asked m for
chew of tobacco. handed NV paper of tob Geo
him, ana he opened II. aud found a ten-ornt
silver piece In IT,. He offered the piece to me.
sud said, We VIII get drink with IT, We
drank whiskey. We again seated ovfselves. and
talSed .I d. InIl TAFT and JthSuen, i w.s.lrete
invi el US to drink. While we stood. glasses in
hlnd' At the bar C1pt Harry. earee nan and
two cot panions entered. They drank. One of
the Captains companions IN cfruptod nv con
versation with Taft, aud walsh said ono OF NV
rem rks was not truo. do not remember what
1 did, tut suppose, according TO the evil
dcnce tnat h.s been given at thi. inquest.
frighien MIN. However, 1t ended IN ont shak-
Ing nds Walsh went up stairs to boo. aud
Taft ana cam to this oflce, letting Ourselves
IN with Iafts KEY through the Ferry
street door TAFT went to the q or Open-
ing into the freight yard. and turned the
4 yfrcqnently In the lock. said. well. PAT,
must make turn around the yard He
told ne not to hurry myself, but 10 sit
down. sat down Al the end Of the desk, aud
Iaft took tho high chatr beside tue desk, apOut
three feet from me. Wei ced eacn other. ana
c"nversed pleasantly, until said that must
have look at the loaded cars. lie Id that |
was too particular; they We not In danger. l
told HIN thnt thought they wer'; tnat had
hearc strange sounds IN the ,afd on Wednesday
morning, aud tnat my dog hao been much ex-
ctted. lie said that he hau heard IN 4 our wages
we're To he feuuced. and tn he did not intend
TO do night Work another winter Ihen eaid:
How utd Smlth make out ABOUT the clotn-
mgr lie ; Id that he supposed that the CLOTH
ing had been misAin, | sad: Pat.
we're trying on 'Its lie 1t damned lie hs
shouted, and = ringing up he tried to giasp the
Lislpi tuat lay iestde ne on the desk. neld II
q mlv. aud we struggled around the Offlce. each
irving 10 get tue fistoI. In the farther corner
there. 40 not know by whom, the pistol was
hnd We wrestled back to the desk. There tho
pistol was dischargod again. Taft fell, and
!aisin9 his hand, ho exclaimed, 81 forgive YOU.
DOnt expose me :" raised him so tbal hs rest
ed uartiy ON the chair In whirn 1 had sat, his
head reAiinR ON bis arm. He died within fifteen
minutes. went to the room In wnich Is tho
buler that heats up tho depot. hung up my
seen that everything was orderly, returned TO
the freight Office. felt laft's ha d. put out the
liglt ana went home. At my wlf, . suggestion
surrendered myself to Capt. Woods