New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-13
THE DEATH or WATCHMAN PRUDHoMME.

BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SHOT BY RIVER THIEVES
NO oLEw TO THE MURDEIERs.
An autopsy of the body OF Nelson Prudhomme
who was killed Tuesday night by pistol shot
while on his duty as Waterman OF the steamer
Belle at the foot Of West Fourteenl-st., was made
Tbursdav morning by Coroner Ellinger, assisted by
Deputy-C Coroner DR.. l. Goldschmidt IL was found
that the ball entered the forehead at the bridge Of
the nose and passing upward through the left por-
ton of the BRAIN lodged in the back of the head
The point of entrance was ono and half inches be-
low where the ball was found This made evident
the fact that the ball entered from below. AS the
size of the ball. which fattenei at only SIDE
was twice the size of those which tit Captain Oil
vers revolver the theory Of accidental shooting IS
entirely abandoned. The murder is believed to be
without doubt the work of a gang of river thieves
who haunt the vicinity of West Fourteenth-st.,
and who have committed depredations theIe ior
over year Detectives of both the Ninth AMI six
teenth Precincts were working up me case Lhurs-
day. the chief object being TO find the col OF rope
which was stolen at the time of the murder.
was lvina at the foot of West Fiftecnth-st at tho
time Of the occurrence, said that between II and
8 o'clock Thursday morning he was awakened by
some noise, he cannot state what, and looking OUT
of his cabin window, saw two small BOATS, each
containing two men, rowing near the enn OF his
boat in direction which Indicated that thcy had
Just lett the shore. He heard no pistol shots IN the
night. An employee at the West Fourteenth-st.
dock said that IL had since been ascertained that an
anchor had been stolen from a canal boat az West
Fiteenth-st on the night of the murder which had
probably been an act of the same gang OF thieves;
Captain oliver OF the Belle. said that he had heard
no pistol shots in the night. except those which he
himself fired after coming on deck His theory is
that when Prudhomme saw the boat containing two
men coming to the steamer, and went 10 cal the
deck hand Che thieves reached the lower deck ana
shot hin az he returned and peered over the deck
above.
Samuel Northumberland the deck-hand whom
Prndhomme went to arouse, said that he replied.
eff Won see them again let NE knows aud III yet
up" lie Is positive that between and o'clock he
heard two pistol shots tired In quick succession, and
AT o'clock another snOt. lie added:
"There Is point not yet looked into.
They saw that PrudhOmme- pistol though CON
tanning an empty chamber, had not been fired, be-
cause the barrel was found half filled with tobacco.
Now believe that this tobacco came from tie DO
licemans pocket for when he took the pistol out OF
Prudhomine's hand lac put 1t night into his Own
pocket"
The engineer of the Belle said that he heard no
pistol shots NOothers IN the nelghbOrhOOd were
found who had heard any firing. The real name OF
the murdered man WAS Nelson Lad0user; he as
sumcd the name of PrudhOWme when adopted 10y
an uncle of that name. He was twenty-five years
of age had been employed on the boat five years
and was a general fayorltc. His uncle was IN the
city yesterday aud took charge Of the body