The New York herald., 1879-07-13
THE DEED on DARKNESS.
Unsatisfactory Result Of the Inquest
Into Mr.. Seymour's Death.
UNEXPLAINED INCIDENTS.
The Mysterious Persons Seen in the
Seminary Grounds.

was begun yesterday morning about ten O'CLOCK and
verdict Of accidental death at the hands OF q per-
persons unknown rendered at a quarter
past two. The inquest entirely without Incl
dent. and seemed to attract but little attention
side of the students of the seminary and those d-
rectly interested. room in the west college build
ing prepared for the OCCASION and it filled
during the entire proceedings. The witnesses
examined were not SO numerous it was
expected they would be- the Coroner striving in
every way to abbreviate the inquiry The animus
of the examinations outside, of course of a general
desire to fix the responsibility somewhere.
mainly directed toward the Paul Stucke theory but
without avail. The story of student ex-student
of the seminary charging the act upon some of tho
inmates not referred to in any way and looked
upon being entirely false The person making
the charges is believed 10 be of unsound mind There
several witnesses that were not examined
whose evidence it was thought might have been i'm
portant but for some reason. best known to him
self. the Coroner thought otherwise. j. w. Elliott.
for instance. saw man skulking about the grounds
at about eleven O'Clock that night and afterward
heard a shot. Douglas II. Stewart, of No. 1853 West
Twenty first street. while looking Of the window
heard Mrs. Seymour say. "They have taken his
watch but not his rings" His mother Mrs Stewart.
the flash of pistol and heard a report about
eleven o'clock the spot where the body was
afterward found. None of these persons sworn.
THE MAN IN THE WINDOW.
The jury called by Coroner Flanagan at
twenty minutes past ten o'clock. Mrs. Putnam. of
No. 447 West Twenty first street. the first wit
ness. She said:--I sitting the stoop with
some friends; my sister said, "Oh that's smart
firing from that window; he might have shot one of
us :" but noticed that he firing across the
street; he did not point his directly across but
in the direction of Tenth avenue; he stood in the
|
positive he fired shot, there were two or three
made remarks about the shooting; Mrs. Mckenzie
asked the Doctor. her husband what time it was,
and think he said ten o'clock; heard no alterca-
tions ordinations in the grounds that was the
only pistol heard discharged that evening; there
| may have been others, but did not hear them it
very warm and very bright moonlight; think
left the stoop about twenty minutes past ton; we
took the chairs and went up to room; it was a
few minutes past eleven when we were ready to re-
| tire; the street unusually quiet that evening
Mrs Leo Harris. of No. 449 West Twenty.first
street, testified follows Il the front stoop
the I'D of July in and out of the house; went
out about seven and renamed out until after ten;
retired about eleven; saw ali arm extended from
gentlemen, in his shirt sleeves: heard one shot
then; heard other shots that night. but did know
where they came from; saw some boys in the street
firing into the grounds about quarter OF two 1
heard terrible cry MY husband is murdered! Oh!
John, On! John!" it terrible cry; an ash cart
Mrs. Mary Jane Mckenzie sworn:-About ten
o'clock heard the loud report of pistol; looked
and person III large window of the seminary
facing Twenty-frst street, the shot fired by
some one, think, who in his shirt sleeves or
wore light clothes; only saw one person at the
window; did not notice any firing toward Tenth
avenue
TWO MYSTERIOUS MEN
Mrs. John p. Nourse, of No. 452 West Twentieth
street. fed:-About ten minutes to twelve o'clock
the night of the Sd was walking with my hus-
band through Twentieth street; two gentlemen
site my house; they went directly the
grounds; the large separated from the small
one and went toward Twenty-frst street, the small
man went toward Tenth avenue aud then turned in
the same direction as the large one; saw flash and
then heard the report of pistol; it in the
direction OF Twenty. first street: judged it to in
the seminary grounds: saw no other figures moving
about the grounds AZ that time; nothing Of tho
two men after the shooting took place
Mr.. Nourse corroborated his wire's testimony.
Mrs. Harriet NJ Green. of No. % West Washington
square, who visiting Mrs. Putnam on the even
ing of the 3D. gave substantially the same testimony
Mrs. w. J. McCleand, No. 45l West Twentieth
street saw between nine and ten O'Clock some
moving about tho grounds i'll a souch hat and dark
clothes; he was walking up and down near Twen-
teth street. between the seminary building and
Tenth avenue; company came in and occupied my
attention and l saw HIM no more heard several
shots that night, but do not know where they
fired; in the grounds at half-past eleven.
''TnE WOMAN IN WHITE
Mrs. Mary L. Whitney. No. 426 West Nineteenth
street. 'thc woman in whie,' swore that she came
to the seminary grounds with her shortly after
the 3D. on the Twenty frst street path
some one walking; left the grounds about ten
fifteen minutes before ten; heard firing OF pis-
tolls; the person who passed down the path was
u student or a deacon; after We LETT the ground we
saw gentlema going toward Tenth avenue; my
son thought it was the Rev. Mr. seymour
Police officer sands, of the sixteenth precinct.
testified to the finding of the body. which has
Rev. William D. Frisby told the story of Paul
Stucke's shooting. Mr.. Frisby's evidence in
HERALD He swore positively that Paul fired no ball
cartridges that night for he had every cartridge
put in. He examined at great length by
the Coroner but gave his testimony in coar aud
most positive manner.
The deposition of Mrs. Sey mour. already published,
was then read.
NJ. l.. woolsey student of tho seminary. heard
screams of u woman about two o'clock; jumped out
of bed and threw open the window; heard somo
running and heard voice say. "Shut your mouth"
it seemed to be that of a man; saw a woman run
ming; heard somebody say, Catch herr saw sew
eral persons running woman y voice cried 'Siu-
dents come out" ran out; there several
whom recognized was Bishop seymour; he said,
my brother is murdered! my own brother-in-law;
here he lies and this is his wife,"
Paul Stuckc was now put the stand amid al
most the only nuttcr OF excitement of the day. and
told his story in plain straightforward manner.
sticking closely to that which has already been pub
lshed III the HERALD.
rHE BISHOPS. TESTIMONY
George II. Seymour, Bishop OF Springfield. swore -
reached the building about eleven oclock: locked
the door and my sister asked TO unlock 1t again,
John was out; went into my library aud remained
there about five minutes; then went up stairs luav-
ing the hail lamp burning; my sisters door
ajar; she asked me in. aud went in and sa; down;
We had q little chat ana l obtained drink
OF water; i said l fatigued and went
up to my ROOM lighted the gas: read a
little; the clock struck twelve before 1 re-
tired: must have fallen asleep very quickly after
lying down; slept until heard knocking at the
door; got up and inquired who was knocking; ut
is |. George; John has not come back afraid
he is murdered what time is itg' rs soon as put
on the necessary clothing went to join her: she
had gone out; met strong odor OF gas. and when
reached the lower noor found the gas escaping
from the hall lamp; 1 called to her and asked her
hu "a la Al tn ltsflt
It, but could not. and forgot to turn IL OF; then
proceeded down 20 the twentieth street path, then
west to the path that leads In front of DIR. divers
house, when turned ~ the north; in passing his
fence my sister pointed out tho spot and said,
There Is whore John aud saw the lady In whitc;"
ut the northeast corner turned to the west Keep
ing the fence; went to the path leading
in front OF the library building and turned again to
the SOUTH we reached Twentieth street path; my
sister left me at the corner OF Tenth avenue and