New-York tribune., 1880-04-07
w. f. SAWYER STILL IN PRISON.


JUSTICE DUFFY REFUSES BAIL FOR THE PRESENT
THE PRISONERS VERSION OF THE 1RoUBLE-
WHAT DIR. STERILE SAYS.
William f.. Sawyer, tho electrician. was arraiRnef
| in the Jefferson Market Police Court yesterda,
| morning by Officer Neylan, of the Twenty -nntf
| Precinct, who arrested him on Monday evening io
| shooting Dr. Steele formerly colonel in the South
ern army. Mr.. Sawyer was generally cool ana sell
possessed in court but occasionally cast an anxious
glance in the direction of his wife ana m0theT WnC
occupied seats in front of the bench After Ofhcel
Neylan had given his account of the arrest Mr.
| Sawyer allowed to make statementln IN his owl
The shooting of DR.. Steele" he said. twas Ell.
t,rely in self-defense. | did not follow him, did
not speak to, or look at him in the Rossmore. !
warned to look ont for him as he was under the
Influence of liquor. ugly and dangerous. He fol-
lowed out of the hotel and instead of going over
TO the north side of Forty ysecond-st whore he lives
he came after me almost to my very door, on the the
south side of the street He clutched me by the
shoulder and muttered :"
"'----, Sawyer, / am going TO kill you.'
D." fe generally carries two pistols with nlin ana
he had his right hand in his sdepOcket holding one
of them, / believed. while with his left he pushed
ME aside. He did not strike me at hrst, his purpose
apparently being to induce me to strike hun, whe
he would strike me down. saw this and remained
passive, saying to him:
90 For - sake, Doctor 60 home. don't want
to have any trouble with you
"Thls seemed to anger him, for he struck me
with his left hand, and drew pistOl out of hs
pocket with his, right was directly under my
] knew if did not fire at him he would certainly
kill me. There was no help for it. drew
my revolver ana nFea t. seems III nS a taxa adoe' oim
He drorped his pistol and staggered slightly,
aud stopped to pick it up. Not Wishing to shoot
hurried around the block with the intention of taxi
ing Sxth-ave. car to 30th-st III order TO give my
self up at the Twenty-nlnth Precinct Pohce STA
ton"
The counsel for the prisoner made an unsuccess-
ful attempt to have him released on bail; Justice
Duffy refused TO Grant the request until he nad
Of hR
wounded man. At 9 p. m. the Court received GER
tificate from DIR. j. L. Little saving that Dr steele
was yet in dangerous condition. Mr. hunlinet !
then made an effort 10 have another physician sent
to examine the wounded man to obtain another
certificate but the Court having no power to autho-
rize this, Mr., Sawyer was remanded to the Jefferson
There he was visited by TRIBUNE reporter, to
whom he made the same statement as 10 JUS ICE
Duffy. He occupies Il TOolny cell on the uppcInOsI
tier and seemed Mt ease. He said that at the time
of the shooting Dr. Steele was much under the
influence of liquor. and was, at such times "
prrfcct firc-eaterr He said he now feared that
Steele would shoot him at first sight. ana that ne
intended to have him put under bonds to Keep me
pcace Mr. Sawyer claimed that Charles Per0n.
waiter at the Rossnore Hotel, called him aside Mon
day evening and warned him to look out for Dr.
Steele who was laying fer HIM" AT the hotel the
reporter failed to confirm this. and the waiter
Charles could not be found.
The employees Of the ROSsmOre were unanimous IN
their EXPRESSION that Mr.. Sawyer was very cccen-
tric man and that his manner on Monday evening
was annoying IN the extreme TO DIR. Steele, who
they said was quiet unobtrusve man.
Dr. Steele was found at his house at No. 2G1 West
Forty. second-st surrounded by his family and his
physician His nose is completely 1attened. Dr.
steele said that when he started to leave the hotel
Mr.. Sawyer got no and passed ont just before him,
and at the rear of the building on the opposite side
of the street. turned, and in n very pleasant way
said to him: " | do not wish TO have any trouble
xirh you and | wish that you would treat me as
gentleman hereafter" DIR. steele said his contempt
was so great for Sawyer that lie told him 10 90 home
and leave him and was himself in the act of turning,
when the powder aehed in his face close that he
was burned by If. Then followed the return To the
and the arrest.
The story of Mr. Sawycr's unkind treatment of
his wife when inebriatcd was reiterated by mem
beIs of Dr. Steeles family, and Mrs. Mandclc&, the
landady. who said its intolerance became so I'M
bearable that Mr.. Sawyer was dispossesscd Of ms
rooms April /, by order of the court on her appca-
ton Dr. Steele said that he had pistol and
unarmed at the time of the shooting.