New-York tribune., 1878-04-27
ANCHORED TO THE RIVERS BED.

MURDERED AND THROWN OVERHEARD.
,,vsrruy OF THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BERNARD
rrrny-HIs BODY FOUND IN THE ERIE BASIN,
GAGGED AND WITH THE SKULL CRUSHED.
Mrs. Bernard Feron, of No. 331 Van
Tr,,,tst Brookyp reported to the Van Brunt street
Police on March II, that her husband, boatmah hao
been IL ssing since the previous day. He was hl'(hNe
years age Afull description OF him was o
noce He left his home the morning Of March 10 10
attend to his business which that OF river spec
,ator" He was a quiet, peaceablc man, VINO
made his living by going about III DoR' 10
various vessels lying in the Erie Basin anu
purchasing old chains ropes, etc., Wmch he
sold TO Wholesale junk dealers along the docks lie h'
been I'm this business for number OF years and had ac-
cumulated considerable money. which be deposited Ill
the South Brooklyn Savings Bank at Auanticaye and
Cutonst When he left home on March l6 he had aJou
$50 in his possession.
Feron is supposed have gone directly from his house
10 the foot of Rchardss where his boat secured
He was seen alone in his boat the bay few minutes
after o'clock by John COwey, who lives in Elizabeth
st near Van Bruntst About l p N. that same day,
Feron's boat rowed 10 COnnels dry-dock, at the
foot of Richards-st., by three men, who tied
Il up, and then went IN the direction Of
Tlizabeth-St. They were seen by Michael Slmms,
who was at work the dry-1Ock but who says he
not close enough TO be able TO identify them The fact
that the boat was tied and not locked attracted
with lock When it became known that Feron had not
returned home, the suppostion that he had
been drowned and that his boat had been
found adTift by some one who knew 1t and brought
ashore Ftron was lame one leg being shorter than The
other and he could not swim. Captain Reilly, OF the
Van Bruut Street Police Station attempted to ascertain
who the men were who brought the boat ashore, but
was unsuccessful
Part Of the mystery connected with Feron's disap,
pearance however brought to light yesterday and
shows that he the victim OF a murder. Yesterday
morning, William F; Springer q boatman, OF No 50
covered inside he breakwater The body Of man, which
appeared 70 be fastened TO something at the bottom OF
the basin, the water at thar point being only
four or five feet deep The boaiman saw
that the dead man had rope across his
lures were unacceptable, but from the clothing
Springer thought the body to be that OF FerOn SPRINGER
r6Wed a.hO G. and the fact OF his discovery con
veyed The Van Brunt street station house CAPTAIN
Reilly, VIII several men, went 81 once 10 tlc SPOT where
the bOly had been found. and were convinced that IL
when an attempt was made 20 raise the body TO the
surface Oi water il fouEdto require the strength
OF three men rope tied thCUt the body, and 20
one end OF il stout canvass bag was attached This.
upon being opened, fouua to contain about loo
pounds OF iron chain and number OF IRON ] Dolls
10 form gag and the tongue much swollen, proruded
from le mouth The upper part OF the race nad been
crushed in and the skull was fractured The corpse
was fastened to raft Information OF the discovery
sent 70 superintendent CAMPBELL VINO dispatched III
specior Waddy and Detectives Folk ana LOoney
10 make investigation Coroner Simns was
also given notice, and granted permission TO
have tue body removed 20 an undertaking estaD-
lishment n Ilamiton-aye. jury was impanelled and
viewed the remains. Mr. FeOu attendant CT tho
Church Of the Visitation In NerOua-st., at which lis
funeral will he held to-day
The discovery OF FerOns body, with the evidence that
be had DceH murdered IN most brutal manner, caseI
great exoment in Red Hook Point The theory Of the
the police is that he went board of the vessels
lying IN The Erie BASIN to make purchase The men
board ascertantng that he had money in his posses
sion. attempted to rob hun. He resisted. when
lie was gagged and killed bv being beaten
on the head with a heavy instrument Then the heavy
meal attached to the body 10 conceal the murder
There indications III Fer0ns boat that any stug
ge took pscc in It. 1t considered remarkable that the
boat shOnd have been rOwed ashore by three men, who
probably perpetrated the crime. There is yet
clew TO lead 10 the discovery OF these
inspector Waddy said last evening, that the bag in
which the chains and bots placed saltbag.
There some letters on IL which could not be dis
tngusbed He thought the body had been kept
board the vessel where the murder committed until
evening. when wastaken out ia boat and thrown
board Idis must have been done by persons not IA
mliaf With the place, otherwise the body would
have been left % water only three four feet deep,
WHERE ~ would be certain ~ be discovered; by going
short distance 1t could have been deposited in deep
water.