New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-02
THE DEATH OF HUMPHREYS
VERDICT OF THE CoRoNERs JURY.

,,-eTrcr WHITE, AFTER READING THE EVIDENCE,
DISCHARGES BYRNEs.
The gold watch and heavy gold chain which have
been one of the elements in the mystery OF Jay
HRnmobrevss ride mp the road" on Tuesday night
~ qMN,aHwatf's Cliff House, lay, ON Coroner Levy's
AL Yesterday morning when he began his inquiry
into fbe cause of Humphreys death. The size OF
tbe watch and the weight of its guard seem to pre-
i"de ali possibility of its having slipped through
tbe button hole of the dead mans waistcoat while
he and James A. Byrnes were in the cab. Inc
room was crowded. The jury was composed OF
Eighth-ave. stOre-keepers: Byrnes. who looked
cafewOrn and not notceably neat from his imprls-
Onment, sat on one of the benches and cross-eAah-
The first witness was Frederick Stang, the driver
of the cab in which Humphreys died. The first Paft
of his testimony substantially the same ds h"S
already been published. He said finally
When had driven up to the Cliff House Byrnes eSked
me if knew GeOrg" told him that aI hoIf bed
him with Humphreys body and between us we eaIe9
il TO the piazza of the house and laid the ne On b
foHnd 4 on the floor Of the cab" took the watch
and gave Byrne9 my nuni nS and zee ftbere was
ANYTHING else on the We did So but fonnd no.9hg
After we had called TOR s5 I'm Take care Of them
He then sent me call some wOrknen' ne hu so,e w
Re secd 10 nav s. for hire and 81 for the soed lining
Invent to get the men and when returned b{[mes h
dissnneared saw no come 10 the WINDOW Oh lhe
house When call d for help woman asKea tDOusn
the door, Is that yon jim = I1efe were Iafee WOMEN
wanted to take Humphreys into the house aud give INN
some brandy, but the sick woman sad lhdt II WISH
Byrnes"who asked you to take Humphreys to the Al
Sishg"Both of you told me to go the flats and then
to unlredandtwenty- thrdst You directed me 10
ByrnesDdn't hand the watch to you before we took
TIE body from the oG6 , .,o,
stang No not until we laid 1t on the piazza ana 'nen
you took il right away nom me-
The next person called to the stand by the Coroner
was John c. Coleman, a lawyer, OF No 81 Wall-st'
He said
too the $40 o'clock train of the NewYork and New
Haven Railway Wednesday evening nj the Grand Cen
ir"I Depot had been in the train some time when |
noticed two men talking in seat in trout of me- one OF
them lad OF about nineteen, said TO the 0tner -
Inow recognize in By1nes Jimmy old man now WI, Is ~
thayon get broke up so every time you go 70 STAFFORD y
At straiiord the two men got ON Ine a
Iy1ncs-Areyou sure that am inc man
RyTneS"wh ere is stratford .,.--.,
C0mlu-I think that it is the station above BlidsePortd
hYihCs s T.; Stn5nfori fnr ar 1--WE wears ago
br, never in Stratfotl.
rank Tobin. of No. 3i2 East One-hundrcd-and-
Gftenutl-St.. the night bartender OF the CASINO
cate. gave testimony similar to that which Is al
ready familiar to those who have read the accounts
Of Che case. In reply to several of the Cor9ners
ftang to drive to the Albany Flats. Humphreys
did not ask any person to get into the cab with
him.
Byrnes-Didn't l ask you If YOU knew him.
HyPnesNDilnt You hear him ask me 10 get into the cab
with him
Iobin-NO.
Herbert A. Shipman, a lawyer, OF No. Beekman-
ST. was then called lie testified as follows:
| have known Humphreys for two years, having met
him often dinner at MOqIins restaurant in tltonst
/ saw him on Tuesday at noon when he was sitting az
table with several men In MOquins He was perfectly
sober when lac 1870 o'clock. AT O'Clock saw
him again in company with Mr. Bell, the manager OF the
Humphreys Patent Medicine Company, again I'D MOluns
We drank cordial and went out. Humphreys was sober.
have never during acquaintance with hl seen MN
intoxicated. never him drink anything stronger
than wine.
John Mowatt, the proprietor Of the Cliff flouse,
and Jessie Wade and Rosa Raymond who board
with him. were called TO the stand in succession,
but gave no testimony which was new. Byrne5s
statement which he swOTc to on Friday, was read
to hun and the Coroner charged the jury. The
members of the jury remained in consult alton for
over an hour. When they returned they read a
verdict which was transcribed by the CorOners
clerk and then read by Mr.. Levy. 1t was as fol-
lows:
We find that the deceased mans death due to con-
geston of the lungs the effect Of his cTamped position in
the cab going from ThTtyninthst. and BrOadway u
One-hundTed- and Etghtnave. ON
November 27-2S, and according TO testimony the jury
Bynes should leave said Jay Humphreys when he found
him dead.
Thee coroner looked at the jury with an expression
of wonder on his face and then dismissed it with an
air of relief He sent Byrnes. the witnesses and the
testimony TO the rOmbs Police Court for final ac-
ton by Justice White. After reading the teStl-
mony the Justice ordered that the prisoner he dis
charged.