The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-13
THE MURDER OF MRS. HULL.
TINE Police rET UTTERLY NrSTIFIED,
MAKING NO ARRESTS rs YET.


lions In wall Street.-The Newest Theories.
The house at 140 West Forty-second street
WAS all Of yesterday the point on which were
focused hundreds Of pairs Of inquiring eyes.
Early in the morning when few others were
astir the milkmcn drove blocks out OF the way
10 stop their horses in front OF the house where
A few hours before Mrs DR.. Hull had becn
eruelly murdered. Servants stopping out later
,osveep the steps and sidewalks in the neigh
borhood congrcgatcd in groups. brooms in
hand and stared at the house: workmen going
to their days work stopped before the place
and talked OF the probable perpetrator OF tho
murder; business men on their way down town
walked by the house. stopping for a minute to
gaze at its closed doors and windows. School
children loitered. books in hand. before the
brown stone steps. and some OF the bolder
spirits mounted the steps and tried to peer into
the windows. At no hour Of the day was the
sidewalk In front OF that house deserted. On
the opposite side Ot the street the curhstones
we're lined with boys who sat Tor hours await
Ing for something to turn up. An officer in
uniform guarded the door until o'clock.
Then he was removed.
Among the throng at 3 o'clock In the after
noon was man who has just been released
from Sing Sing prison. after a sentence for
murder He evidently had read the accounts
OF the murder of Mrs. Hull very carefully. and
gathering around him circle Of listeners he
explained how he thought the murder was com
mitted. In his opinion there were four persons
engaged in the crime. Those who listened did
not know that he was a murderer.
1t is said that the police are utterly mys-
titled as to the murder. the motive that led
% It. the hour at which II was committed and.
indeed as to all that pertains to 1t. except the
fact that Il woman was killed. II is said that a
dozen men worked ali OF Wednesday night. and
ms far rs can be learned. every clue they fol-
lowed UP came TO naught Superintendent
wallng has charge of the case. and has
been absent from his Office since he took
the control It is said that Pinkerton's de-
tectivcs have been employed by the family. and
there s rumor that n well-known ex-police
Officer is working on tho case. The theory Of
the police Is that the murder was unntentional.
They argue that for some reason or other
chloroiorm and suffocation by a pillow wero
used by the robbers. and under this treatment
the woman died. Cologne from her own bottle
and water from the ice pitcher in the adjoining
room wete dashed in her face in an Intellectual
effort to revive her. and aiterward matches
were burned so close to her face. in the hope
that she would wink OF close her eyelids. thus
showing that life remained, that her eyebrows
wers singed. 1t was not until after she was
tied to her bed. and this was done to mislead
the police.
There is q theory. that has been considered.
which argues that the robbery was also an
aftcrthought and that the rings were torn from
her fingers. the other jewelry stolen and the
front door left open purposely 10 lead the po-
lice to suppose that burglars had been at work.
The police seem to have been partial to tho
supposition that the crime was committed by
Frf
semi-hoteless attempt 10 prove that negroes
had done the work. hut their search. whicn
WIS prosecuted very thoroughly. resulted in
nothing In pursuance OF the original theory
the inmates of the house We're subjected to n
rigorous crOss-eXnmi nation yesterday morn
ing. with what result If not known. Superin-
tundent Waing. Can't. Kealey OF the detective
force; Assistant District Attorney Rollins.
United State. Commissioner John !. Dayen-
port. Capt Williams. and several detectives
visited the house n a body IN the morning
They examined all the persons in tho house.
\ police of1icin who has given very constant
and close attention to the case WAS ked. yes
terday whether the candle grease found on the
chemise was Of the same composition as that Of
the ,andle found in the room.
" II was not said he.
Was it like tho candle found in an up stairs
" will not say" he replied.
% DID Mrs. Hull use candle TO light herself
TO h-d ?"
" In your examination OF the inmates Of the
house did YOU find that DR.. and Mrs. Hull ever
Quarrrlcd ?"
They never did"
" Was DR.. Hull ever arrested on any charger"
Not That the police know Of"
pa Mrs. Hull cyer. complain against him
AMI nav" him arr 'strd ,"
Not that any one can find out"
Was any crime added to TINT Of murder and
rooth"ry, with respect 10 Mrs. HUI"
II is believed not"
l. il true thai the blood that flowed from
Mrs. Hull,s mouth and nose had been wiped
IRON her face when the police found her body 2"
lured. but did not bleed. The only blood She
iost was from one finger from which a ring had
Ware tho matches that were found with the
canlle al chewei, and may they not have been
used by person who dipped snunG'
Only ono match was chewrd."
q. Hoy were the knots, that. held her body to
No; some OF the knots were what are called
woman knots. They were made so thnt the
ehlr ol the khott'd cloth lay across instead of
parallel with the ropr itsrlf. Tn, others were
ued so that the ends and the rope were parallel
II i evident from he position %! the hei that
work went into th" hallway showed hack the
orlroom door, and ttus Ttnched the other side
Of the Dedstead. Mrs. Hun never could have
Drrh ued. while alive, by one man. she was an
active, powerful woman. Il would have taken
a. lenst lhrer men who would have been ob iged
70 struggle with her on the bedstead. The bed
stead would not have held them and there
would hayn been signs ot the struggle, There
"as no strugg.e she had been chi9roiormed.' -
servant had been discharged in anger;
WaS II man or woman p
L WAS o0rei woman"
10
We DO not
."Whut about the poisoning Of Mrs. Hulrs
cog and the poisoning Of the terrier that be-
longed to neighbOr which was followed by a
ruhhrry 2"
Tho official said he thought these incidents
ma no connection with the murder.
j. is UNDERSTOOD that mason and plumber
Will be employed TO Ourn the drains ana closets
IN ihe house upOn the chance OF "a disc foNery Of
some missing lrwelry or Oi something rlse that
Will AFFORD u clue 10 tho manner aud the pcrpe-
trutors Of the murder.
Dr. Fuller. who lives two doors cast Of DR..
Hull. and who WAS one Of tha first persons
called in by the lolgers. says that p'rsun who
answers 10 the description OF Mr. Hyde called
him In, and he went into tine bedroom and saw
the body. There WIS no smell OF chlOrOlorm.
and there were no signs of n struggle. DR..
Fuller felt the limbs. and they were cold. The
woman had been dead for some time.
q neighbor OF Dr.. Hulls said Yesterday that
I, vas understood that Dr. HUI WAS a physician
In good standing, but by his eccentricity mad
aroused the hostility Of the Other physicians Of
the neighborhOod. who never consulted with
him. Mrs Hull on the other hand. was known
10 have access to the houses OF the most eXclu-
slvr society people. and the neighbors sought
her Hrquai intHnce.
Mrs, Snyles Ql Connecticut. who II said 10 have
p'rl Mrs. Dr. llulls most iHtimate friend. mr.
riN'd ln the city yesterday and az once went TO
wee house 10 Fprty-s 'cOnd street She took