The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-02
HUNTERS POINT TRAGEDY.
THE CONFESSION THdT RvER MADE
TO CIPTdIN WOODS.
shooting Tan md then Remaining for Hours
Alone with the Body In n Freight House-A
story that IN Not Believed In Astoria.


Alone with the Boiy In n Freight House, A
story that in Not Believed In Astoria.
Before entering Coroner Davren's Office
In Hunters Point last evening. Dennis Kyer.
who killed Patrick Taft on Monday morning,
ate some raw oysters and smoked a cigar zcst
fully District Attorney Downing, vino believes
that the shooting Of Taft was much less un-
intentional than RIVER represents IL, endeav-
orcd, seemingly somewhat successfully, to
elicit evidence to substantiate his belief
Capt. Woods Of the Astoria police testi-
ned that early on Monday morning an
ofiicer Informed him that a man had been shot
In the Long Island Railroad depot. lie asked
the officer whether there was a clue to the per-
son who had shot HIM. The officer said he
thought there was not, but an elderly man who
had Joined him In Hunters Point, and had said
This Is a frlshtful affair." officer; would ike
TO see Capt Woods about IT," and had ridden
out with him TO Astoria. could probably
give some informito regarding the shooting.
He, Capt. Woods, met the elderly man, Dennis
Wer RIVER asked him whether they could con-
verse privately. 1he Captain answered that
they cqyldl Ibsa Eler asked whether he W
Reng TO Hunters Poin.. He replied that he
was, as soon as he could get cup OF coffee.
liver said that he would like to accompany him.
when they had walked half n square tow rd
his the Captains home. Ryer sltd. "Cap-
tain, 1 am the man that did the deed.
II was purely accidental, anl came TO surren-
der myself to you" As they entered his one
Cuptain'-) house, RIVER gave him the pistol with
which Taft was snot. wing: " That Is the us
toll" He then took Ryer to the police station.
Later in the day ityer told tine captain thit, v
ing walked ABOUT the freight YARD FOR a while,
he entered the freight agents Office and put the
pistol on the desk, keeping his hani upon tue
lock. The muzzle pointed toward Taft, who WIS
seated In the agents stuffed leather armchair.
Iuen TAFT tried TO take the pistol from him. lie
l.tI.. B. f.l
aud laft WAS shot. II was then about O'Clock.
Rye iutefposed an earnest declaration that he
and Taft were very friendly and that lie felt
keen sympathy Ton Tafts wife ana Guild. aft.
kyer continued, sank - the hoor. tie asked
NJ ~, MmS-ne, ne Nu'I uo a., I'm ,, ~" Y ,
me stand 10y me" He raised Taft into a kueel.
iug posture. hi- head and right arm resting upon
the armchair. aft dieu within nfteen minutes.
lie took IhtIs lantern to "a closet where Iaft
usually keptit and then went cut to the end OF
the tier. sitting there, Looking out over the
water, he reflected. lie concluded that 1t would
be best to 20 home and consult his wife. When
a little way from the yard, ne turned back, and.
entering tie freig ght agents office, he looked for
. long while At lalt'. body, kneelIag
beside the armchair. Hts wife alter
10 the police, aud ne set out 10 md pt. Woods.
Two chambers Of the revolver were loaded aud
was a CAP on the nipple Of another cham Der,
nut II WAS not loaded, and the remaining three
Jtmb u the door of the inner impairment ot
the oflice, si.uting downward, glanced cut
through tue si'l, and ricpcneted from tue moor
ol the inner room to the wall. Iafts legs were
so close to the door that 1t could not I've opened.
Dr. Z,chariah r. Dennier testified that at
o'clock ON MOnd y mOrniug he Inferred that
Taft had been dead at least two hours. There
were two bullet WOUNDS In latts body. one
was IA the lett breast. extending backward to
the spine, wherein the bullet had LOGGED. The
other was IN the upper lip. reaching dire tlY uD-
ward, proc ably to the brain. Either would have
killed iaft. The wounds must have been made
by flreArm at short range for Iafts 5 lips were
blackened by powder aud particles OF his
tlnhA In fhA md fEaff
must have been In perfect health before he was
shot, and his muscular development was su-
perD.