New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-20
THE TRAGEDY RETOLD.

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witnesses were examined. without any start
ling disclosures being made DIR. Hull, tho
husband of the murdered woman, Sam
uel n. Chittenden, her intimate friend
and financial manager and Nancy Francis, her
coored cook. gave plain, straightforward
narratives. II was reported in the morning
that an effort would be made to show that
the person against whom police suspicion las
been directed is suffering from some form Of
insanity, in order to supply a link which
could not be found in any "probable
"mOtive" for the murder. Some Of the
questions asked yesterday seemed to support
this report, though nothing was elected which
promised success i'll the attempt
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE INQUIRY
The inquest was held in the COURTROOM of The POI
lice Central Office, which is the third floor in
the centre of the building, and has windows OPEN
ing from both sides into courtyards 1t Is free from
noise, well ventilated and of ample size.
At one end is a platform upon which is a
long desk behind which the Police Commi ssioncrs
Git when trying delinquent members Of tho force
in front are stationary desks arranged in a SEMI
ellipucal form beyond are seats for spectators.
In the COMMISSIONER chairs yesterday sat Coroner
Woltman and Assistant-District Attorney Rollins.
Behind them sat or stood Commissioner Davenport,
Captain Williams and Deputy-Corouer McWhmnie,
the two former Of whom were in frequent whispered
consultation with the Coroner and with NJ. Ro-
lins, as each in turn conducted the examination Of
the witness the stand. Within the " horse
shoe sat the jury and the official stonographer.
The witnesses cl air was az first placed directly in
front Of the Coroner: but as DR.. Hull had some
difficulty in making all the members of the jury
bpar ha ia ut Ia
Coroners right, and the witnesses who fol-
lowed occupied the same position. To the
right Of the witness sat John ID. Townsend counsel
for the Hull and De Forest Notwithstanding by
the rear wall and along the sides Of the room were
Captain kealy, detectives Dorsey Golden and Lyon
and others who have been active in the investiga-
ton of the mystery, their worn and haggard
countenancos and bloodshot eyes giving evidence
of sleepess nights and tiTeless search. Their
gaze was fixed upon the witnesses dur
ing all the time they were testlfying, as II they
were trying to read their most secret thoughts.
Some of the witnesses remained in room at tho
rear OF the COURTROOM, and some were in the Coro-
ners Office across the street, awaiting their turn 70
be called The seats devoted to spectators wero
not at any time more than half filled, and those
who were III them were unable to hear much that
was said.
Dr. Alonzo G. Hull took the stand at 1890 a. M.
and was sworn. He looked weak and careworn and
a bronchial affection made it difficult for him to
raise his voice to be heard by all the jurymcn.
Mr.. Townsend constantly reminded him that he
must speak louder, which he did for a few moments
his voice very sinking back little more than
a whisper. As his examination was begun everyone
in the room leaned forward and listened
intently Captain Williams stood behind the Coro-
ners chair, and often bent over to whisper a hint.
The Coroner consulted with Commissioner Daven-
port before beginning the questions in regard 20
Mr. Chittenden's call on the fatal Tuesday night,
and as the interrogatories were slowly put there
was an evident expectation on the part of every
body that something OF Importance was TO be dis
closed. The excitement became intense the
questions led to the withdrawal of Mr. Chit
tenden from the house, and to the manner in
which the witness had spent the evening. Tho
evident confusion of his memory as to visit which
he thought he had made created m0mentary inl-
preston adverse to him, which was in a great meas
ure dspelled by his evident effort to be accurate.
The eyes of Captain Williams and Captain Kealy
were fixed upon him from under their bent brows,
as if they woald pierce HIM through aud through;
but the witness did not falter. lie explained the
facts that the gas in MS was lighted between
1 and Q o'clock on the morning of Wednesday and
that the outcry Of the cook at z the same morn
ing found him dressed In his undertaking, in a
perfectly natural manner. lie showed how his
candles might accumulate in his room, and how
they might lind their way into other parts Of the
house. When he spoke about being waleful
and irritable on the night III question.
MIR. Rollins asked him if he meant that
he would be easily annoyed at any per-
sons and liable to treat them with less
courtesy than usual. He replied that he meant
nothing of the SORT but simply restless; and that
,,,r FL. ta a tar,lap ha hal
clothing and caught cold. This had been the
on the night of June II. and he had spent much Of
the time from 1 to coughing.
When asked about his first entrance into his wifc3
room after hearing OF her DEATH he shud-
dered from head TO foot and his voice
trembcd as he exclaimed {: " Oh! II was
a horrible murder | saw that at once' Ile
was questioned at length about the shares which no
and his wife had taken in household management,
and admitted freely that she managed almost
everything and had consulted him very nttle. She
did not need his advice, and he absorbed IN his
inventions /" Has your devotion to invention been
profitable in a financial sense ~ asked Mr. Rollins
with half smile. at has been profit
able in some respects" was the reply. Il
sold $150O00 worth of my inventions in
one YEAR, Have you furnished your wife with
money p was a question which followed after.
Not lately" sadly replied the witness :" 1t has
been rather otherwise. She has furnished me with
money" lie mad often treated his wife with cleo
trIcity. but had not done since last Winter.
In repy TO questions by his counsel Mr.. Town.
send DIR. Hull said that there was no disagreement
of any sort between himself and bis wife which had
caused them 10 occupy separate rooms. On the
night of the murder Mrs. Hull had been
usually good spirits, and nothing of an unpleasant
nature had occurred between himself and her. OF
Ii