The New York herald., 1876-12-08
THE MURDERED NIGHT wArcHMAN.

CONCLUSION OF THE CoRoNER's LNQURsr-
DENNIS RYER COMMITTED TO AWAIT -HH
ACTION or THE GRAND JURY
The inquest In tho case Of Patrick Taft, who was
shot by Dennis Rysr The Long Island Railroad depot
November 26 last. brought to a close late last
nightly the jury bringing in verdict against Ryer. IL
win be remembered that Rycr confessed the shooting,
but claimed that it accidental The following are
the closing proceedngs-
l.. r. Demlar NJ d., being recalled by request OF the
jury, said IN substance, to questions asked, that the
ball in the face of the deceased watchman, Tant en-
the base OF the brain, but its positive location he
did not determine; when = bullet the base OF
the brain paralysis Of the whole body results from he
shock II the upper part OF the brain perforated
the paralysis would not occur, though gunshots
alike in their results never two the same;
the pistol that Ryer did tho shooting with could not
explode all the barrels at once II 1t was properly
capped
BY District Attorney-The back OF the coat OF de.
ceased was dirty ana bloody when saw him; he had
been lying on his back and might have been shot in
thas position the shooting done with the dead watch
man lying on his back might satisfactorily account for
the bullet hole through the door.
District Attorney to Prsoner-Ryer, how DO yos
account the bloody and dirty back Of Tats costf
A. He fell on his back after the second shot ~
District Altorney-Do you mean 10 say that you did
not shoot TAFT when he was lying on bis backg A.
did not; nep me God. didn't
District Attorney-How do you account Tor the
blood Taft's Dack-could IL have come through
A. can't tell.
District Attorney-pid you throw TAFT DOWN.
No sir; we didn't even clinch.
In answer 10 lurther questions, Ryer said no must
have been excited during he trouble; so much SO that
he didn't notice that thero any difference Ia tho
OF the pistol Shots though he was sure there
only Two reports.
Coroncr-I could not tell how long the struggle con-
tinued
Disirrct Attorney--Can you tell tho jury how you
Kept the OF the pistol during the whole OF that
struggle toward TAFT and not toward your A. don't
think It was toward him all the time
Coroner-lsn't il strange, Ryer, with all your pro-
fessed friendship for Ta you should at that parLicu-
lar time accuse HIM Of dishonesty-ofa theitY A.
warmly did not accuse hun OF being thief, and
want Jury to understand II all asked nm
about the clothes and he might have taken offence at
that
that pistol at the time OF the struggle that he would
have used it TO injure you? A. don't think that he
wanted to hurt MOI he was always quiet, peaceabis
man. -
Howard NJ Smith, freight agent Of the Long Island
Railroad was then sworn and testified that he had
known Tat, the deceased, very we'll but never spoke
to Ryer a dozen times On Thursday, November %,
three days before the shooting, there manifested
from syossct Hunters Point, bundle OF clothing;
Smith neglected ~ take 1t out OF the New YORK
which IL was he thought, and the next morning he
semi word To the New York agent to tuat eiact the
answer came back that II not in the car traccs''
were al sent out along the road for the
bundle and 1t was found at jamaica having been lett
six +. NJ. the night before tho shooting; Smith thcn
had it locked his own private room in the freight
office the key Of which he alone had; the bundle had
nct been tainpcred WITH ana the owner application
took It away, signing tor 1t as IN ''good order" No
body intimaled suggested that TAFT had meddled
with the bundle.
The testimony OF Mr.. Smith thus efrcctualy DIS
posed OF Ryers Insin uation that tho deceased had
iampered with the bundle OF COATS, for such the cloth
ing consisted.
Peter Woods the assistant of the freight agent and
the man who carried the bundle from the to the
Office corroboraed Mr.. Smiths statement in every
particular
A. this juncture Coroner Davren informed the jury
that important witness had been heard Of who IN
passing the ferry the night Of the shsotng
heard words of dispute in the freight office. Tue
name OF the person known, but he could be
secured 1t for the jury, however. to say II they
wanted additional testimony or would take the case as
it stood. They agreed TO do the latter and at nine
O'Clock 1t was gwen them. Al twelve O'Clock thsy
brought in tho following verdict
We, tho Jury of the inquiston regarding the death
OF Patrick TAFT sunday, November 26, find that the
said Patrick TAFT came to his death by pistol shot
wounds the hands OF Dennis Ryer, and we further
more recommend that the suid Dennis Rycr be com-
mited to await the action OF the Grand Jury
Ryer was accordingly committed by the Coroner.