The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-06
PRICE TWO CENTS.
DEATH IN A BURNING BARN.
TWO HUMAN BODIES FOUND TNA HEAP
or ISHEs fFTER 4 FIRE
What Led 20 the Theory that n Murder Had
Been Committed-rhe Burned Harm ~ Stop
ping Place for Tramps-Mr. Udshrs story.

What Led to the Theory that "a Murder HAD
Been Committed-rhe burned harm ~ Stop
ping Place for Tramps-Mr. Udahrs story.
The sky in the northeastern part OF New
Jersey was illuminated for miles around on
Thursday night by the burning Of an old barn
in the township Of Planncd, Union county.
In Railway. nine miles distant. the Fire Depart
ment turned out. supposing the fire 10 be in
their own town. The alarm was sounded in
Plainleld at about IL o'clock. and the flremen
OF that place reached the scene shortly after
ward to find only n small heap Of ashes on what
had been the site of large. old fashioned barn.
belonging to Mr.. Charles Hyde. President of
the OIL City Bank OF Pennsylvania. and also
President OF the City Bank Of Plainleld. They
returned to their homes. and half an hour later
Thaddcus Doane. the Chief Of the Plain1eld
Fire Department. was waited upon in the City
Hotel by Charles Zuckswcst. member OF
Zephyr Hook and Ladder Companw, and
young man named Conkling. who informed
him that in riding by the ruins Of the fire they
had stopped to look ut II. and had discovered
two human bodies lying among the ashes.
The Chief. Frank Corlc. and some others,
Immediately drove to the spot. and were amazed
to find there two bodies burned beyond recog-
milton. The suppostion WIS they had been
tramps, and subsequent developments led
many to think that they had first been muir
nnerVu ns H. ~ ,nn ri, wnrI hnI MN pin SCI On
| evidence Of Michael Udnhl. u livery stable keep
er. strongly pointed to this belief. His stable Is
about three hundred feet from where the barn
stood. He said Yesterday - Il hr thought that
there were persons lighting II on the night Of
the fire. His attention WA directed to IL by the
| sound Of loud talking ana swearing and at first
| he thought II was only one ot the usual cnrous-
| ais that gangs of irnmps have had there almost
nightly. The sounds subsequently were like
| those oi persons quarrclling n IL seemed to
him. At about 9oclock the disturbances ceased.
IA M Huff farkpu purIa lNsua httgl IL
The murder theory was strengthened by n re-
| port from Scotch Plains n few stations south Of
| plainneld. IL was said that some citizens OF
| that place had met u tramp with u scorched face,
and that the burns looked to bc very recent. He
| was skulking along the roud and behaving sus-
/ piciously. 1t was suspected that he was drunk,
and had been delayed in getting out after the
| barn caught fire.
The barn stood in an open field, few hun
| drcd feet from Netherwood station. on the Gem
tra Railroad. and near the new hotel building
there; II was Just outside of the city limits
tramps travelling. through that region. Mr..
Hyde used it for nothing. else. but to
in Nctherwood. They found Il more con-
genial gen place l2r their orgies than any In the
letters. ,N6tice.-Tramps. Aiientionl' The
| Tracy, read that IL any tramps are caught they
shall be- imprisoned and compelled to work IN
| the day on the public roads. and that fifty cents
shhll hn PAD To officers who arrest them.
| chief Engineer Doane. who viewed the bodies
| IN lhe hnrn. Saidtat tll"N were ilnrccORnizhble.
| Chief Dnnnc found the bodies lying partly out
| side of the ruins. His theory is that they had
fallen out Of the hay loft with some of the hay
| after they had been hurried and while the barn
was still IN flames He did not believe that there
had been any foul play. The police did not
| make any extended investigation into the sus-
| picious circumstances about the case. II was
said that they were acting without n Chief. the
| Common Council having failed To confirm the
APPOINTMENT Of their list Chief, Mr.. Breen. be-
| cause of his politics He is u Democrat.
No one was to be found who knew who the
two persons We're Patrick Flanagan saw two
| tramps pass his barroom. on Third street. on
| Thursday. They were hall drunk. and we're
| carrying "A tlnker's soldering BOT. II was be-
| lieved that they We're the same two who were
| burned in the barn. us tinkcring pot and tools
| We're found in the ruins of the barn.
| Mayor Male summoned DR.. Brown OF Linden,
the County Physician Of Union county to view
| the bodies. He gave a certificate that they lad
| been burned t. death. and they were buried hy
| tnderinkrr Mihgan IN one OF the township lot
| in the Presbyterian Cemetery.