The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-18
working UP Capital Cases.

The two letters found in the cell occupied
by Ryan and Oschwald are calculated to in
crease the prevailing doubt as to the guilt
of the unfortunate men. One is addressed
to the jailer and states that the prisoners
had resolved to commit suicide, finding es-
cape impossible 1t was written when both
men expected to be found dead in their cell,
and declares that they die innocent OF the
crime of which they were convicted. Osch-
wald however, had not the courage to take
his own life, and his portion of the poison
was also found. The other letter is from
Ryan to his parents, telling them that he
dies by his own hand and solemnly protest
ing his innocence. It seems incredible that
one who had the courage to commit suicide
to save himself from what he regarded as
more shameful death, should. with his last
parting breath, be guilty of lie to his
mother, especially when he confesses that
bad company and ''night walking" have
brought him to his miserable end If his
life had been different, he says, the evil
dence that brought on his unjust conviction
would not have had the force it did have
with the jury.
This remark calls to mind the well known
and remarkable case of the murder Of the
Italian organ grinder in Dublin some years
ago. The boy was found dead in a vacant
lot on the outskirts of the city with his
throat cut Where the body lay the branch
of young sapling had been freshly broken
off. Acting on this clew the ever vigilant
special detectives followed up the case, until
they hunted down and arrested ION sus-
picion" tinker named Cooney, tipping
'neer-do-weel," who was given to dad
company and night walking" On searching
his room the branch Of the sapling, fresh
from where the boys body lay, was found
under his bed. The model detec-
tives "worked up" the case beauti-
fully and everything was prepared
for the trial and conviction of the
vagrant tinker. But the story as published
in the papers met the eye of Sir Frederick
Hodson the Deputy Lieutenant of Ireland,
then in Paris. He returned Immediately to
Dublin, appeared at the tinker's trial ard
proved m effectual albi. On the night Of
the murder he had hired Cooney to attend
to his horse, and had detained him during
the very hours the deed must have been
committed. Cooney was acquitted. The
question then arose, by whom had the twig
of the sappling been placed under the tin
ker's bed? Investigation followed, and soon
John Delahanty, one of the very detectives
| who had run tho tinker down, was placed
under arrest as the real murderer Link
| followed link in the chain of evil
dence. and at last Delahanty confessed
the crime. The special detectives, of whom
he was one enjoyed snug berths, but were
threatened with disbandmont because they
had nothing to do. In order to ''makc up
n case" and prove the usefulness and neces-
sity of the special force Delahanty first cut
tho poor Italian boys throat and next dis
played his own efficiency by tracking the
murderer He would have hung Cooney, if
he could, as remorselessly as he took the life
of the unfortunate boy. Delahanty was exc
cuted for the crime. We commend the case
to the consideration Of Governor Bedle.
The circumstantial evidence against Ryan
and Oschwald was as we'll worked up as was
the case against the Irish tinker. But is
the letter published in last Fridays HERALD
genuine document? Is there Delahanty
behind the Jersey crime?