The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-13
VOL. XIV NO. 3l7.
JERSEYS LATEST MYSTERY.
A MURDERED NAYS BODY RUN OYER
ny In ERIE FREIGHT TR4IM
The Staring white Face That startied En-
stneor shedd on sunday Nisht-A Crfme
that Puzzles the Authorities OF Patterson.
hut no clue ns yet 10 the Murderers.


but no clue as yet 10 the Murderer-.
Two hundred yards above the station Mt
passaic bridge. on tho Eric Railway the road
makes sharp curve. and there it is crossed by
private roadway leading from tho river road
from Paterson to Newark through the private
grounds Of Mayor Aycrlgg OF passaic City TO his
handsome residence on the hill above the rail-
road On Sunday night. at twenty -nvo minutes
mast TO- M a freight train eastward bound
rounded the curve. Engineer John Shedd saw
the body OF n man lying across the track, MS
neck on the left rail his white face staring right
up at tho clear sky. and rendered more palid
by the moonbcams that shonc upon 1t. shedd
Immediately reversed his engine and whistled
down brakes. but before tho heavy train could
be brought TO a stand still the locomotive had
struck the man and passed on hundred feet
and more. Then with lanterns the engineer
md Conductor Scybolt looked for the body.
They found II under the engine. where II had
been caught The wheels had passed over the
neck aud nearly severed the head.
That man was dead when | struck him."
snid tho engineer. " He never moved and. my
God. his hands are codl never killed that
man"
Oflcer Coan OF the Passaic police. whose post
includes the station and the crossing tried to
arrange the mans limbs aud mutilated head.
The legs were So stiff that the officer was
Obliged to tic the feet together to keep them in
aproper position. and it was noticed that from
the terrible wound in the neck hardly drop OF
blood flowed. Still. the men never for minute
suspected foul play but concluded that the man
had been struck by the train which had passed
about two hours before
The body was that Of n man about 80 years OF
age. well dressed in flannel suit, with good
and clean underwear, silver badge bearing
yirilant Engine Company No. 9 OF Paterson
In his pocket was keyplats with the n, nnnme
WINS aroused aud he took the body in charge.
locking II up In the freight room. He then DC
tcrmned to telegraDbn 10 ths enghe tSSn re,n
pany who sleep in the engine house received
the telegram saying That McGrai had been run
over and killed Mt the bridge; They thought at
first that IL was n hoax: and then two OF their
number. Thos. Ice and james Wilkinson, went
gram corroborating the FIRST. Then Coroner
Myers OF Paterson was informed. Hnd ne mas;
the dead man Besides the awful wound in the
face and head. evidently made by it's striking
against the ground rs the train dragged the
body There was cut on the hip. ana the right
arm was broken: A close INSPECTION led him
thing sharner than car wheel Careful exam
ination of the pockets Of the dead mans cloth
ing brought to light f2.40 carefully tucked in
one corner of q pocket and in the inside cont
pocket white-howered silk handkerchief. sat
urAtet with blOo1.
The mystery began to deepen. II looked like
murder. G. II. Odds, Chief OF the Paterson
police. was summopcd and the ground about
the spot whore the engineer first saw the body
lying was examined The exact spot whore the
locomotive struck it could be- determined. be;
cause from that point to where the train stopped
the ground was ploughed mp by the body rs II
was dragged along the track. On rail where
projecting bit Of steel and there. too on the end
OF tie was a little pool OF blood The man then
had hled before the train hit him. Then it was
that there wagon tracks leading from
the river road up 10 the railroad track, plainly
in the sand Hst forms the RTSy" er r0NS
heavy shower Mt 3 o'clock on Sunday evening
and no vehicle had gone TO tho Mayors since
These wagon tracks did not cross the railroad
track but near the track, on the river side were
the prints Of horses feet. rs n made IN turn
ing around. II looked as though the wagon
had been lifted around.
Then more important signs appeared. Below
both tracks and near this carriage road there
was seen in the cinders that form the railroai
% Sgs b S9I OF Eno4eh blood had owed ' at his
spot to form a eliot Seer II heavy body had
evidently lain. and then II seemed that IL had
the engineer first saw that white face staring
upat him.
Coroner r0n Myers and Chief Odds Of the Paterson
police. TO ascertain NJ cGrails whereabouts on
eS oIa' a and we'll Sed II had resided in
Paterson for years. working for some time ut
the Paterson Iron Cg3mpanys works and ater
he WAS mnchinist He was II member Of Engine
Company No. 6. and in all situations bore the
reputation OF a thoroughly good fellow. He
lived in Lewis street and had a wife and four
young children. the eldest being only y years
3ld, Mrs McHrail. VINO IL IN delcate neailh.
had not seen him since noon. when he ate hls
dinner. dressed himself carefully. and went
out saying that he was going 10 the engine
house. At the engine house he was seen from
hall past until o'clock. being present at
committee meeting Where WIS McGrail from
O'clock on sunday afternoon tiltwenty min
utes past 1912 That WAS the problem to be solved.
Dennis McGrath. neighbor met MN Jew
Int stfse,s He q" was apparenty GONG home
Two or three boys reported that they saw him
s,out half past 9 lighting WIZ % two men in
b. was Sighting with, and what was the result
Of the fight. no one had yesterday been found
Then the question arose. Who did the deed? p"
There was At first not living soul on whom to
cast suspicion NJ Grail had no enemies, Icing
aparticulnrly good natured man. Then II was
whispered about that one Thomas Mullen had
diskcd him since the campaign for Chief En-;
glneeT. in which Mullen was n candidate. and
was defeated by King. who received McGraips
hearty support Here was a peg on which to
some menbers Of y" No 8" said that Mullen
had entered the engine house at hall
night evidently excited and very much heated
and asked Tor McGrall. Being told that he WAS
,n 2' IN ne said. II he comes n, keep him here G
train in tho morning, and want to see him."
But Mullen did not come back. nor aid he
led Coroner Myers 70 order his arrest, He was
soon i9und, and answer to inquiries said that
he hhi wanted t. see Mr(irai about lob which
he lMcGraO had promised To get for him. He
told asiory Of going 10 McGrail's house. and
AK, asStp h ior hlm on sunday evening, and said
very anxious 10 sec him. and that he called
nRnin the next morning, Coroner Myers did
not deem that there was eyilencn enough
against Mullen 10 hold him, and Mullen immc.
diately went 10 work. H. WAS working yester-
day afternoon. and there was a strong impres-
sion abroad that he was in no way mplicated in
the murder.
Mrs. McGrails story. however. coptradicts
his She was terribly excited and unneryed by
the news OF her husbands death. and this add
ed 10 her delicate health rendered her almost
unable 10 talk nationally
man had called at o'clock on Sunday even
ing to see her husband but had hurried away
without telling what no wanted. He called
hsain Yesterday morning and, when again ask.
ed his business had hesitated said he had an
engagement. and then fastened away agHn
Mrs, NJ Grail could not tell whether the man
was Mullen or not.
Thus the matter stood last evening. No one
had the slightest nkling to the murder.
At the engine house his old companions sal
In groups and talked ofthe murder" He was 81