New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-14
Mr.. SEYMOUE'S DEATH
VERDICT OF TIE CORoNERs July.

VERDICT OF THE CORONERS JURY.
THE SHOOTING DECLARED. OFFICIALLY. TO HAVE
BEEN ACCIDENTAL ASD BY SOME USKSowy
PERSON.
The inquest on the death of John +. Sey.
mouf, who was shot ON the night OF JAY 3 o. the
grounds Of the Protestant Episcopal Theological semu-
ary, was hed Saturday b. Coroner Fanagan
in recitation room in the basement Of
the Library Building. Oliy few persons were
present besides the witnesses, police officers. Bishop
Seymour and e number OF tho students. verdict II
accidental DEAN rendered by the jury. The whole
proceedings occupied less than four hours Tie Jurors
we're L. L. Livingston, George Hartman, q. l. White b.
WolI +. Carsteus J. r. Armitago and i. T. Chapman.
Police Captain Ryan, who sat 40 the rght Of the CogO-
ner, suggested the questions for the witnesses.
Mrs. Elizabeth 4. Putnam, OF No 447 West Twenty
rst-st the FIRST witness, testified that the evening
Mr. seymour was shot she sitting on the stooD Of
her residence IN company with several friends. sho.
fired from the nary window attracted her attel-
ton and her sister remarked. On t1aps smart hung
from that window; no might have shot u.s. a
person IN light clothes standing at the window.
His arm was stretched toward Tenth-aye, toward tho
place where the body was aiterward found. This
few minutes after 10 O'clock, and few minutes after
ward the persons quilted the stoOp Mrs. Putnam
heard no other shots during that night.
Mrs. Cecilia Harris OF No. 4l9 West Tweuty-arst-
ST.. was sitting on tine ssoop until about
10 o'clock. She saw shot fired about
o'clock from OF the upper windows OF the Semi.
nary building. shortly before sOmo boys on the side
walk had been firing into the seminary grounds
Leo Harris, VINO had been sitting on the stoop with
his wife, thought II about 10 O'clock when Srs.
Harris called attention shot fred from the Semi
nary window He was under the impress ion that
more than one shot was fred from the win
dow lie was afterward awakened by Mrs. seymour's
screams, and going into the grounds saw the body Of
Mr. Seymour lying partly on IT'S face He could not be
mistaken about the position Of the body.
Mrs Mary p Mackenzie, who with her husband, Or.
Mackenzie. sitting the stoOp with Mrs Putnam,
liked the time 10 O'clock when the shot was fred from
the Seminary window. The person who fired IL ap-
peared 70 be b shirt eeyes. She did not remember
more than one shot. DR.. Mackenzie was unable to aid
anything to his wiie's testimony.
Mrs John p. Nourse, Of No. lJ2 West Twentieth-.t
testified that shortly before midnight ON the nIghtot
the shooting she saw two men IN the college
grounds One was taller than the other and
resep,bled Mr. Seymour. The short went
toward Tenth-Iye. ana the other toward twenty
frst-,t. The former soon turned ana followed
the tall man ovard Twenty -ilrstt In few minutes
she heard the report OF pistol hred m ihe Seminary
grounds on the Twcnty-irst-st side. shc did not SEQ
either Of the men afteYward. Both ark clothes
and the smaller had long cloak ana -ouch hat
She heard no alteration between the men, Nj NouIse
eorroborated his wifes testimony.
Mrs Harriet NJ Green, sister Of Mrs. Putnam, tost
fled IN regard 10 the shot fired from the Seminary VIM
dow. The time was fixed by her as a few minutes be.
fore 10 o'clock.
D. H. Putnam sat on the st00p from 1880 p. m until
nearly midnight. He saw nothing unusual in The coli
lege grounds. There 40 firing until about midnEht'
Mrs Maria ]. NcCelland, OF No. 45i West Twentieth
ST. saw between and 10 O'Clock Jall man walking IN
the grounds near Tenta-aye. Sac did not recognize him.
H. wore dark clothes and felt hat. When she closed
the house az 1880 the grounds appeared deserted.
Mrs. Mary L. Whitney, OF No. 426 West Nineteenth-st,
accompanied by son. went INTO the grounds about
n. H. and sat down under the trees on the Twenty
.f-st side. She left the grounds little before
10 ,ocl, she did not hear any fred during tho
80 shs Dassed ont TO TWcntietn-st. pissed
her on the pam, walking down toWstl IL, ie1,i-.tle
IA Mr. seymour. TIE son, wlo u one of the students
sad thar ne mad known Ar seymour ny sislt Weii'
a bi,dir heard no trIn near the building that night.
lie had ont until about 10 o'clock. . n,
Tho Rev. y. II. Er-Dc the tutor oi young Fanl
suckc testified regard to the shots Ned by ms pupil
He saw the pistol loaded ANA was positive II was loaded
with blank cartridge. Inc, MInS WI, UT
by hal past o'clock. Ihe boy had nIet
one shot from Their bedroom ;5 n, Wn gin}ov a6 oS
the floor below. A. W. Pierce, who a.sQ was IN the
room, swore positively tAat every carthage use' WIS
the dispositions of Melancthon l. Woolsey and Mrs
seymour wore read by Deputy Coroner MIl.er ram
StlcAe WAS called 10 tne stand hr Iuy coItO9-
Grated the inOuy Of his tutor IN regard 70 the SINUS
fired by MIN. lie thought II vas NOT later than Quarter
UI,I O'Clock He bic sAir- sleeves at the uHe
lie LAD loaded the pistol W;1h Dahh eartIIusJs'
Neither snot was pointed tO""Iu tue sPOt "H'i0 '''
seymour was found. No.,
iShop George L. Seymour related miuutoly all that
passed between him and has sister on tnat nglt'
lie mad returned home about IL o'clock; he remeIn-
berrd hearing the clock strike tat hour Just before no
opeued tue door. mi, cid not lock IN compliance
with his sisters request Inc D'suop ueaCt,eu Dl.I
me the subsequent search and the hudB OF ie bOoy
Mrs seymour had discovered the Ooly nist, on
their return from IenlhdNc. ana I"sht.Ih-,ti;
The body was lying on It's back, INC Aead
toward NIutn-aye., nearly parallel WIN INC
plth. lie found on examination tnat the man was was
Gegd In conclusion the bishop sad tat be mad o.
served no firing after his return, III the vicinity OF tuo
s. " Elliott one Of the students was examined With
ON Delng sworn. He said ne saw man skuikng alon;
TueuLy-nT,l-s about III o'clock and atter heard
tIrpe slols m the rear or the library bui ding.
TEe INJURY was concluded b. the reading OF the au-
toosv iue Jury, after an aOsouce OF a lew minutes
rcJTned 10 fhr room with verdict accidental shoot
ing by some persons unknown
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