The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-03
THE MURDERED POLICEMAN.
No Trace Of His Assassin Yet
Discovered.
THEORIES OF THE CRIME.
History Of Smith and
His Wife.


The excitement created In Jersey City and vicinity
over the brutal and mysterious murder OF Police OIL
Ger Richard Harrison Smith not diminished yes
terday when the day advanced, was learned that
the police had met with in their search for
the murderer Crowds of people, out OF morbid cur
osity, throngcd about tho house, No. 133 Pa
cllc avenue, where the murder was committed,
about the Morguc and Fourth precinct police
station, and all sorts OF theories were offered aud
discussed The body Of the murdered officer re-
| manned in the rear room Of Elhoirs undertaking
establishment, opposite the police station, and largo
numbers OF people, females prcdominating sought TO
obtain admission 10 look The corpse. All OF these
refused, anc only tho intimate friends OF the
deceased and officials admitted. brother Of
the dead officer visited the Morguc In the morning
and picscd out silver mounted casket
| In which the remains will be incased to-day.
| Tho house where the murder committed
found early in tho morning entirely deserted
even by the family of Mr. James McGresor, who oc
cupied apartments over tho room where the murder
committed. In the afternoon Coroners Crane and
Rouan, with District Attorney McGill, visited the
| house aud removed the beading and the clothing OF
| the officer ana mis- widow. Tho property
was taken care Of by Prosecutor McGiI.
! In tho afternoon photographer, under the
| direction OF the District Attorney, visited
Eios Morsue ana phi Geographical the face, skull and
chest oil tac deceased so that al the Wounus on the
body could be shown IN court Chief Nathan gave
orders 10 allow of the cards reach the hands
OF the reporters, and they VIII all DO placed In The
hands OF Mr. Mccall.
Considerable excitement created carly In tho day
over the appearance oil tashionaoIy dressed young
McHorney. The young woman walked TO the rear
room where The body was. and McHorney lifted the
SO that she could LOOK at tho dead
mans face Placing one arm across The box the wo-
glass ana remained that position Tor a minute
peering uteny though the glass cover at tho face IN
standing several minutes wnhout removing her gaze,
when as " 20 hide any sgss OF emotion she lowered
the oaicer. He Took her across to th. police station
! and walked her into Captain Lemons Office. Chcf
! came out. 10 the reporters SAID shat he lid
know who the woman wasand was trying TO find out.
Captain Lennon aiterwerd entered his office, and the
interview held by hMn and the cuef with the yelled
visitor lasted nearly an hour ut the expiration ofwhich
the police station aOd en.ered a horse car. re-
porter followed, ana when tho mysterious temaie got
visit made 10 tho house, tut the lady refused to
be seen, 20 give her name or tell anything
interview the police station. All efforts get the
name OF the young woman from the police
learned the name OF the young woman 70 DO Della
Canued, residing IN Fifth street, between Brunswick
Guy When questioned by the HERALD re-
porter last evening Miss CanGeld said that
death excopt what had bsen published.
"When l went to the poco station sue said,
al excited 10 know what they SAID TO mo
what answers made them. | only there FIVE
minutes and could tell nothing"
You Knew smith, dia you notf" asked tho re-
sway yes have known Harry for over seven
never wen. 10 Coney island with him, as the papers
state" The young woman ponuvely refused then to
SMITHS HISTORY
The reticence oil the police and mysterious manner
added tho excitement Of Inc ' resae sa' c Tn
Nathan has placed with Detectives McHorney and
O'Nei, Detectives Singleton and Brdsa, and PATROL
man Michael Bauer to assist in unraveiiing the mys-
All the officials are instructed TO give
alrqaotiona Various theories were offered TO the
poiice but ON their actions IS supposed that at
present they are directing all their at'ention TO the
one leading 10 the suspicion that the assassin
Covert Bennett tho former Ian dlord
the smiths, and this suspicion includes the widow
OF tho murdered officer as OF the suspected par
tIes other theories advanced also include her
being IN possession OF the name OF her husbands
murderer No reporter has yet been allowed n
verso with her, aud yesterday morning at an early
hour she was removed from her house to the resi-
dence OF the murdered oilcer's brother. Alderman
John L. Smith, at No. so Pacific avenue. An officer
gurads house toaprevent her leaving. Tho resi-.
dents OF that portion OF the city In which the
murder was committed know but little
OF her, she having lived there but u
short time The old police officials. however. are
we'll acquainted win her history. years ago her
mother, then MRS wooIey, and afterwsrd Mrs Pow
ers kept rooms IN varouss places Of tho city which
were nightly hied by tho last young OF the city
Failure TO pay her rent as 1t became due drove Mrs
woolcy and her daughter from one house another
The police last knew OF her whom she lived Pavoula
avenue, her house at that time bearing Inc name
OF the "Onlon Bed" While living there Jen-
ME ana hcr mother we're arrested Tor disordsry
conduct and arer their release they lived In quiecr
fashion. Jennie began living with the deceased
officer in July 1871, month his wife mad OBJ
tanned divorce IRON him on tine ground OF adultery.
They lived together since then without having any
trouble until WITHIN the year. tho ucq uaiu
ancs Of Covert Bennett was made
THE FORMER LANDLORD
| Hcnnett Vol upc cat q % 4
inches high, and OF very taciiurn disposition. HIS
ITO Pacific avenue. ana previous to her death his
dssolutc habits drove her to threats OF esinheriting
hun he did not reform Fearing to lose what little
money anu properly his mother would leave the
young man promised 10 reform, and rs preliminary
step Joined Grace Church, Jersey city, and ircqJenty
approa cned the altar ut the communion service
Alter tue dcath OF h,s mother he fell back into
habits anu has since continued them. The house lett
To him By his mother he rented year ago 10 Smilh
and hts vile and boarded with them, the cous idera-
ton being Offset to the rent The friendship shown
by Smuh's wife aud Bennctt for EACH other created
coldncss between smith and his boarder, which fire.
qncDtly lcd to quarres Tue last quarrel which oc-
CURED was lew weeks before smith leit the no use.
Bennett came down stairs to his breakfast
ing late, ana found Smith enjoying acIicncies evil
IDENTIFY prepared by Mrs smith Tor the boaracr. Ben
nett said that no wanted breakfast to wait him
the future, ana Smith, rising IRON the liable, told
tho future, II he did not conduc, himself
as SUCH, no would throw him out Bennett
replied that he would not dare put nun out OF
house, and smith said at Is my house while pay
tho rent, and ! will lave you understand IL y As
| smith upproacned him Bennett backed TOWARD the
door, going out exclaimed, II viii square this
with you sonc other day" The 10 the only time that
Smith was known TO have been threatened, upd the
fact that Snnn was not known 10 have any other
envy may probably account Tor the diligence with
which the police are conducting the search isr Ben
| nett.
The police do not attach much importance 10 tho
story OF the watcbman ~ johnson avenue that he
CAB driven rapidly through tho avenue at hal-past
three o'clock on the morning OF the murder because
order was recently Isl ucd by Chef Nathan dfoct
ing officers to stop all carriages driven through
tho streets between the hoars OF eleven NJ and ave
A. VI. and learn the name aud business Of the oceu
pant whom not satisfactory TO the officer 10 take
carriage occupant TO the police station. The po
lice think that u a carriage had been driven through
job nson avenue at that time as stated sonio
officer would have stopped H. Tue order has been 20