The New York herald., 1879-07-10
THE LYONS MYSTERY.
IMPORTANT FACTS ELECTED AT THE INQUEST
AT STONY BRooK--THE FINGER OF sUs-
pICION.

IMPORTANT FACTS ELECTED AT THE INQUEST
AT STONY BRooK-THE FINGER OF sUs.
PIcIoN.
STONY BROOK. L. l., July .. 1879.
The inquiry into the cause of the death of Thomas
II. Lyons. laborer employed by Mr. Sherry. was
continued in the village school room until nearly
seven O'Clock last evening. The object Of District
Attorney Petty in sitting so late an hours his
belief that the testimony could all be put in. ver-
dict returned by the jury and the proceedings
brought to close. To his great surprise the wit
examined in the last hour of the day testified
to facts important. and several of them, col.
ored witnesses. so palpa5ly contradicted one
another. that it was deemed necessary to
take adjournment until Tuesday next.
in order that this apparent confusion may be
away if possible. Up to the present time the evil
dencc points with about equal certainty to Lyons
having come to his death in one of three ways. He
may have fallen from the NOW to the ground and
ceved the fatal injury he may have been struck in
tit of passion by his employer, Sherry. and died
from the effects of that blows he may have got
into quarrel with some negroes with whom he had
had some financial dealings. and one or more OF
these in tho dispute may have killed MIN. 1t is to
the last two theories that the later testimony on
Tuesday was directed.
TESTIMONY.
Mrs. Sherry continued her testimony aftor the re-
cess yesterday by stating that the conversation
ferred to by Mrs. Hunter substantially correct.
that had reference to scoldng that Mr. Sherry
gave Tommy week previously. She said:-My
husband heard what said at the time and told me
that should not have been talking about it; I
Mrs. Hunters statement first in the HERALD; cam
not remember whether my husband said anything
about it before l Mrs. Hunters statement or
after; did not know my husband overheard sthe
versation until he called attention to it, that
was after the report published in the NEW York
HERALD; was in the barn the Saturday night
with my husband; he went in first @ with , lantern
there Jacob Hawkins came; left the barn before
Hawkins did; it was about ten o'clock had gone to
bed when my husband returned from the barn. it
was few moments after left that he returned; he
did not go out again; when he came TO bed he did
not say anything about his not having seen Lyons
around that evening.
Miss Henrietta Sherry said:-I am the daughter Of
Daniel W. Sherry: knew Thomas H. Lyons re-
member the conversation as narrated by Mrs. Hun
ter; presume it is about correct; had had pre-
vious conversation with my mother. which led me
to make these remarks; that had reference to my
father having scolded Tommy about week pre-
viously; that conversation that told my
mother that thought it too bad OF father to scold
Tommy.
Ira Coffee o colored young man. with very merry
face sald-I have lived about three months in
S,onybrook and 1T Smithtown about nineteen years;
1 know Lyons; did not sec him on the Saturday
night previous to his death; had been in the habit
of seeing him nearly every Saturday evening: went
to bed very early that night and did not come to
the village; reside about twenty yards over the
creek
orally go to bed? A. Well. generally go to bed
about nine o'clock and sometimes don't 60 to bed
at all
Q. When you don't 60 to bed what do you 40? A..
Wait the ladies generally sir; wait the ladies
Qaughterl; know my mother said on Sunday it was
she said when went to bed on Saturday night she
thought there would be q thunder shower the next
day for went to bed 80 early. and believe there
Q. Why should your mother bc glad you did not
go out that night. il Lyons killed by falling of
the NOW! A. People think; they apt to think 1t
don cost them nothing to think. laugh was not
OH Christian avenue on Saturday evening; there had
been dancing party our side OF the river the
Thursday evening previous; Lyons attended the
stand for three OF us who got up the party; Lyons
offered his services free Tuttle and were to have
all the profits; Lyons took in the money as it was
received; he gave it up to Ben Tuttle; there
dissatisfaction to the amount of money paid over
by Lyons to Tuttle; the amount paid over 81 05
saw Lyons the last time on Saturday at noon; I
don't know where he was on that Saturday night,
nor have ever heard where he was.
FOOLING CESAR.
Ben Tuttle, another colored man. said he went
home the Saturday night in question about
house, was in bed that he woke him up and told
him that it was four O'Clock in the morning. and
he sss up
of practical joke Cesar
Paul Cesar said that Tuttle came home before he
went to bed and that Tuttle and he went to bed ut
the same time he had asked Tuttle to call him early
in the morning to go out and pick up CLANS.
Ann Smith, y colored woman. living at tho same
house as Tuttle and Cesar, and who engaged to
take of Tutte's baby, said that Paul Cesar was
in bed before Tuttle came home; that she made up
the bed for Cesar and that she him in bed before
she went to bed herself; she heard Tuttle home
it was when the roosters growing. and she saw
through the windows that day WAS breaking.
THE PORT JEYPKRsoN STORY.
George Elderken was the next witness. He said:-
at TSo saw r sne
nine o'clock Saturday evening; he WAS with a
coored boy; at the time thought it was John
Jones; am not swearing. however rs to that; they
were in q wagon belonging to mr. Daniel Sherry; 1t
was drawn by brown horse; 1t WAS good sized.
oldish brown horse it of two wagons now
no under Mr. Sherry's shed TODAY. "
same horse that Mr. Jacob Hawkins was driving
that evening. when he had two seated wagon. in
which he and his family wore seated;
Mr.. Hawkins driving that horse that
Saturday evening; it was little before
it is about five miles from Port jefferson to Stony
Brook when saw Hawkins he was about two miles
and quarter from stony Brook am positive that
1t was Thomas Lyons who was in the wagon saw
when saw them they were going south.
Mr.. Tanning tho baker in Port Jefferson met these
two boys he also saw them opposite the post office
in Port Jefferson; they going north when they
close to the post office; think the colored boy
was driving; on Monday morning afserward went
hansing up in the barn; asked whose hat It was;
two or three persons said it was Tommy's, aud was
the same hat that Tommy wore that night in Port
Jefferson.
Jones was here produced and the witness said :
TO the best Of my knowledge and belief that
is the man saw on the wagon with Thomas
Lyons in the village of Port Jefferson;
was informed that Harry Jones' wife saw this
boy in Shaw's ice cream saloon on Saturday night
was informed through my sister that Rachel Hart
went down Port Jefferson hill aud John Jones
there ana spoke with him; Rachel now denies hav.
ing seen him; soon NJ heard Ly ons was hurt
informed several that had seen him ut Port
Jefferson; told Mr. Sherry 80 on Monday morning
CoFFEE coNTRADICTED.
Samuel Hawkins, residing at Stonybrook. said -
/ saw Ira Coffee on Christian avenue Saturday
evening, opposite Captain Mills houses he was ther
gong toward setauket; that about half-past
seven; met him face to face; there il no doubt
about my having seen him; have known him for
year.
Ira Coffee was identified by the witness the mar
he saw.
The inquest was then adjourned until Tuesday
next.
BOYTON'S PROJECTS.
After q trip of nearly six weeks in the West Cap