New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-09
MURDERED FOR HIS MONEY.
THE WORK OF TRAMPs AT CLOsTER, NJ.

THE PERPETRATORS or THE CRIME NOT AR
RESTED.
| Daniel Westerfelt Cole a man fifty-six years of
age, was dubbed while sitting the platform OF
the railroad depot at ClOster, n j.. some time dur
! ing Thursday night. lie was found in an uncon-
sclous condition at an early hour yesterday morn
ing and was carried to his home,
about milo from tho village. lie
remained in a state of coma during the day. and
died little after o'clock last night. This murder,
the first In the history of the village of COster,
and perhaps the fifth in the township of IIarring
ton, the only thing talked of by the villagers
yesterday The most generally accepted opinion
was that two tramps were the murderers
The accounts of the movements of Cole on Thurs
day do not differ materially He worked during
the day Mt his trade-that of a carpenter-n
the village windows hade factory, leaving off
work about the middle of the afternoon. Before
he left the shop he was paid IS by his onl-
ployer, Joseph Schuessler but instead of buying
groceries for which he said that he wanted the
money, he began to drink. This he continued to do
during the evening, beng seen by several of the
village peOpe,tO whom he well known. IN differ
ent stages of iutoxlcatI0n. About O'Clock hedlank
some liquor IN Ebbers liquor shop and after talking
Tor while he went to the railroad depot which Il
Just across the track, about fifty yards away.
nc WaikcI 10 ne rear platform ana was seen 10 su
down by Joseph Barlow, who keeps livery stable
across the street from the depot. Mr.. Barlow says
that IL WAS about 10 o'clock. when he recognized
Cole, and seeing that he was drunk he did not pay
any further attention TO him. one hour after mid
night Abraham Wright vent to the station 10 meet
the | O'Clock express tram lie had
dark lantern and while walking on the platform |
recognized Cole who was lying az iul length lie |
did not look closely ut him, however. supposlng |
mat Cole was sleeping off the effects OF liquor AT |
daylight yesterday Cole was III the same position, |
ana got his tOWnSpeOplc did nothing for him. SIM
snppOslng that he was intoxicated. although there |
wasa large ,ol of blood the PLATFORM The blood |
l~tD q
d O'Clock train had started for NeW-1ork, james |
Thompson, James Farmer and George W. johnson
carried the unconscious man 10 tho freight shed.
about twenty-five yards from the depot. hey say
the blood, but Surprising that 1t came from Coles
nose they stll tn0ugnt ne was under the influence
oi liquor 50 they iad him III Il half reclining pO-
Stlon on baggage truck. An hOdr and half al
tcrVard sOmeDO thought II would be- II good |
thing 20 20 for Dr. II. \. CTary This as DONE ana
the doctor, when spOoen to about the case last
night gave the following account:
49, l was called IRON the breakfast able at hat-
see Dan Cole. When | arrived found HIM on
baggage truck. As sOon as | touched MIN asked
where he was hurt. On a cursory examination |
found "a confused wound on the side of the head
ju,t above the lett ear. lis body cold and
caminy and made az my mind mat he was sur
feung from a Irac,urc of the skull, that Il clot,
possibly caused by cOncUsSI0n was forming on the
BRAIN. inns theory WAS Strengthened after looking
al Coles hat, winch h&d Il mole on one side tnat
had been recently maze. A. soon rs expressed the
opinion thai murder had been committed and mad
the unfortunate man taken home. we began To |
look Tor evidence. On The platform where lie was !
found was lot OF blood while on Tie ground was |
a larger pool. Near tnis pool, paruy under the |
platform, found piece OF hardwood cd.ila-e |
door, about eighteen inches long ana an men ana
The opinion WAS instantly formed that |
we had found the weapon with when |
the blows had been struck. There was no !
blood on It, But that - accom- ed tor by the hat !
protecting the scap, which was not even cut |
through the blood al coming from the nose. Ny !
opinion Is that the skull is fractured or that the
f,,tt. ut he has ran elp In
which mas produced death"
After Lo.e hal been carried home anl the people
had talked the murder over at length. |
john b. Weserict, tue Chief of the Pa,aoe
and Harrington township Detective Association,
was sent Tor RE arrived about II O'Clock lie
tall,d a utte, appeared very mysterious. cot the
to Rldgchcld telegaPncd to he ChIet Oh Police OF
Jersey CIy. these two men, has
uccn stated, are supposed 10 be the
murlcrers There is, however, httle or 10 evidence
against them. Many persons saw them III Clo,ter
Oh "Wednesday night. One OF the men Is sIld to he
about five feet SIX inches tall, heavily but, WITH
rather reddish halr, and wore brown Oycrals.
Ine other man was about SIX feet tall, ragged. with
growth. These paid cents
Two small glasses of whIskey in Closicr about
10 O'Clock on Wednesday, nlgHt. This VAS appar-
Icnty all the money they mad. Iaey sep IN Il
treIght-car, which stood on a slIelrack about 100
yards from where COie 1ound. aud al O'Clock
YESTERDAY morning caIled at the same dlalsnOp and
got TWO large glasses OI wnlSkcy. his time they
threw down - cents. They then went through tne
village ana the cd turnpike road. Alter sop
ping several houses the, called at the house Ot Cole
lhcr VICTIM II tnry are the nurdc rcTs, Wnerc thcy
were gwen thcir breakfast by Mis-. cole. Ih-n
they continued Their journey. Every ono who saw
tucm SAID tncy were HnuOuDtculy truupS, Dut some
cXpr ssed louOt whether, If they had mu. dercd
COlc they WOul1 have remained around lie village
So long. The smaller OF the Two VS. heard 10 urge
MS cOmp2bion TO hurry, but the other ~as not N
clIucd 10 do
Coroner Taylor, Of Englcwood, took charge Of the
case last night. Today pOst-mOrten examination
=
OF his Wt", daughter aud two SONS, All OF whom are
married Uue OF the sons, " after F., Is a pas
,cugcr train conductor Oh The Northern Railroad Of
New Jersey, which runs Though the village
Two men. mo answer 10 sUilc ext NJ 10 the de
scrlptIOn OF the alIcLeI nuruereTs, were tound III
" dyuc-s.., jersey Guy about ll:3O last ulgnC by |
ON, er NelGcVcttcr. Incy were proving ABOUT the
officers post, ana when lac slOAe TO them tuey said
that they were looking for lodgings. They were
takcn 10 the tlTst Precinct station. wnere they gave
their names Henry Bouts ana solomon uady.