The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-13
MURDERED and MANGLED.
The Victims Body Laid on the Rail-
road Track Near PaSSaic.
HIS THROAT CUT BEFOREHAND.
Futile Efforts of the Assassins to Hide
Their Crime.

Paterson, NJ j., was greatly excited all day yeser-
day over the intelligence that ono OF Its citizens.
member OF popular and prominent nre engine COM
pany OF the town and skiiful machinist, had
been found dead on the track OF the
Ere Railway, about four hundred feet west Of
Passaio BRIDGE with the strongest probability Of his
death being caused by murder That the body was
placed on the track alter death, In such position
that the next train bound must necessarily
over the neck and create The impression that
the had laid himself down on the
rails with deliberate purpose OF committing suicide,
is beyond doubt All the circumstances, az will DO
presently shown point to the conclusion that It was
case OF murder, and not very adroy disguised,
vither
Tho murdered mans name was Bartholomew Nc
Grail machinist IN the employ OF William Strange q
Co, silk manufacturers OF Paterson, and member OF
Engine Company No. g. Ho about
thirty fvc years of age and resided with his
family at No. ia Lewis street. opposite the
Peoples park. He had charge Of the silk machinery
In Strangc's factory and well liked generally
that his sudden and startling death causes profound
emotions OF regret mingled with earnest curiosity a.
10 the nature Of his mysterious fate
DISCOVERED
At half-past o'clock Sunday night freight
train, engine No. 24s, bound for New York.
ing Passaic bridge, when the engineer noticed the
body OF man lying with bis neck across the track,
about hundred eet west OF the railroad bridge AZ
this point there very sharp curve on tho road and
The engineers have some trouble in bringing thcP
engines to standsil without injury to the train.
The engineer Martin Murphy, however, stopped,
but until alter unavoidably striking and pass
ing over tie BODY OF tho man. Then, along with
Conductor Siebold, he got down and conveyed the
romans to the railroad station at the bridge.
Mr. Murphy said that they picked up the body
within few minutes after Il had boon run over by
the train and found II perfectly cold which would 20
strongly to negative the theory Of suicide The head
nearly severed from the body by the train, hanging
ON 10 only by small pieces OF skin at the naps OF
the neck.
THEORIES OF THE CRIME.
All the circumstances pointed to this one concu-
sion--that the had been suddenly murdered in
Bome place not very Tar distant from where his BODY
was found. ana bis murderers, Tor there certainly
must have been moro than one, hurried down to the
track of the Erie Railway to place It there and get rid
OF all suspicion concerplng his violent taxing of
The facts already narrated are enough to justify this
view OF the matter Tne urder could not nave boon
for robbery, for the was known TO go about
with very little cash IN ms pockets and With nothing
3 cash was found and taken from
his pockets. About one hundred ana hiy
s' the ar'i s.efss 70
aud, seemingly, not finding room to turn conveniently
appears 10 hay. gone ahead me again 70 inc op Of the
Mayor Acrgg looming up close at hand might have
aS acs ,he hos. Sown na few sps
to regain dark spot whore there Is an cnbankmens
on ono side and limo OF trees on the other. From
certain appearances Is surmiscd that the horse had
gone back and quietly uuhitched at the spot and
the lifted around 81 AZ 10 make no further tell
APPEARANCES OF THE DEAD.
MI George McGory, undertaken, Of Marshall street,
yesterday and encascd In ice within
wnlnu. easke. the mans sppsarance In
violent treatment. as tho dying expression on the
face was OF an asonzing character: lie had various
Instrument but The undertaken explained that these
were the sruson Of blood ihrongn the spdermis.
denly cut and the blood accumulates 10 The head.
Coroner Myers OF Paterson on hearing oil the anair,
was indicated to him tho body lying. He reached
the scene at one O'Clock yesterday morning out ne
then, with ohcer Erminston. OF TIE Passaio police,
no found out the following facts to justify hrs belief
that the man bad boon murdered:--
TELLTALE TRACKS.
He first found handkerchief, covered with blood,
In one Of the tan packets poe Of The mans coat; ;ni nc
Two facts made him surmse that murder |
had been done, but as ne continues si,. DIS
stances to lead him to the same conclusion rained
heavily Sunday night at nine o'clock in
morning tna 0'a .nsre were found iresn. tracks Of
wagon wheels leading directly to the spot wnere
back These tracks were only traceabc a little dis
tnnce on the other side OF tho railrond line and |
nss's house. '' This lane came in from tho Pas.
sale River to the western bound track. Near |
10 there found parallel marks as though OF a |
pair OF legs drawn rough The soft soil over 10 tho
SPOT where the body was found lying on the eastern
bound, with his head toward the western bound |
Track and the body itself between The rail-. |
haa the man in his vitality laid HIM
would have been necessarily found all around the |
peighborhood. There was nothing Of the kind |
svs. 'pS wDsr. tho upper par. Of bis
body lay, but other spots Of blood were |
discovered az distance from the track that precudcd
ina aggih al Ia hy n
train. Tho neck was so facerated by the driving
wLcet OF toe cns,ne, as Dr. Myers observed,
throat had been cut or not, but there were some
clean edges Of cut flesh noticeable that favored
washed 10 would DO easier 10 determine the
fact. The presumption Is that the murderers cut
II apthe place where the body found put The
handkerchief In the mans pocket 30 as 10 svade
WHOSE BUGGY WAS rnrsY
IL trsnspred IN The course OF Investigation that
Mrs. King, who resides In the neghborhood OF Passac
bridge, was cut orving between nine and ten O'Clock
Sunday evening, and IN returning home by way OF tho
at the identical place IN Aycrges lane wnero the ruis
In the ground indicate the the supposed
murdsrers 10 have stood Mrs. King was TOO timid 10
60 TO the spot ana lind out The cause OF the
presence OF this venice at SUCH an unusual
place and time as she had heard OF an assault aud
robbery which had been committed near tue place
some time ago. ANYHOW. Mrs King drove on nurre liy
TO her residence, ana knew no more about the matter
than that she had seen he buggy and horse
WIDOWS sTArEMEsL
Mrs. McGrail, widow OF the murdered man, Who
leaves four children behind him. tho eldest being
seven years DID, said that her husband returned on
Saturday evening from an excursion 10 Occidental
Grove the Hudson River. After supper he
went out, but camc back In his usual
time about ten o'clock. He had drank liquor that
day nor Tor long time previous, having. IN fact,
signed the pledge. On sunday having slept ull noon
be took dinner and went as she supposed, TO
the engine house. About nue o'clock IN the
morning called at the house and inquired for
him. Mrs McGrail replied tnat he was not at home.
The went and later she remembered the cir
Of le ms m ca In
ut her husband not returning In the attsrDoon
or evening She imagined he might have remained
nj the engine house all night. Tue stranger called
again and not finding McGrsii In, walked on hastily
Several members OF Engine Company No. being
n, the place when The body was found. told Coroner
Myers OF a circumstance relating TO one Tom ullen,
q member OF Engine Company No. 4. wooS came into
engine house No sunday evening very much excited
ana ssked Tor McGraL An enmity had bcen known
to ex,st hal ween Inc men aver sInee he nam