Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-26
SunrnxI suN GGur;sr.
Wednesday. September 20, 1888.
The stratford Mystery.


 The stratford Mystery. No Result as Yet-MaIIOry's Testimony
 of but Little Acceunt-yviIltam Lewis
 on the stand for the Third Ttme-NOth-
 ing New Developed-An Adjournment
 UntAI Thursday.
 The hearing before the coroner's jury in the Rose Clark AmbIer case was resumed in Stratford yesterday morning at 10 o'clock The taking of Charles Mallory into custody on Monday by the detectives and lodging him in the Bridgeport lookup for saee keep ing, or until he could sleep of the debau chery superinduced by the continuous Creating" of the officers of the law, led many to suppose that startling developments would be made before the jury yesterday. Mallo ry is dissipated man who lives with in few hundred feet of the late residence of the murdered woman, and since the tra- gedy he has, when under the influence of liquor, made wild statements regarding his knowledge of the murder. Taking Mallory in to custody very naturally created consider able excitement in Stratford and vicinity.
 At the opening of the hearing the witnesse were Samuel w. Benjamin and his daughter Eva Mir Benjamin and his daughter both denied, unqualifedly, on the witness stand, that they had ever admitted that L. s. Cur tis, their boarder, was out of their house on the night of the murder. On the contrary, they proved perfect alibi for him. MT. Benjamin talked with him that night, read in his company and smoked with him till after 10 o'clock. Miss Eva said she came home from church that night with an escort and upon entering their house, shortly after 10 o'clock, was electrified to find one Of the kitchen windows wide open and the room full of smoke. It was very dark outside. She felt little alarmed. but upon looking further, saw Mr. Curtis reading and smoking. She vas treasured and bade him good night, he promising to lock the door when he went to bed.
 George Bach, who waits upon Miss Eva, testified to acco mpanying her home on the night of the murder. He sat on the stoop of her house with her till 10 o'clock. MT. Curtis was there then.
 Asa Seymour Curtis testified to the emi- nent responsibility of his cousin, the S l.. Curtis in question. He knew that his cousin was at his boarding house, ,Benjamin's, all that evening.
 Walter Davis, who works in a Bridgeport factory, denied that he ever told Frank Cur tis that he met Will Lewis on his road to Bridgeport the morning after the murder. He was positive that he never saw him.
 Edward Roberts said he lived with Nor man and Rose Ambler for year. This was four years ago. Norman was an ever con siderate, kind and indulgent husband. She was fractious at times. Will Lewis used to come there very frequently, almost daily, and take Rose out to ride. The witness never saw anything improper between these two. He spoke to Norman about Lewis in timacy with Rose, once, but he said he would say nothing about it for if he did she'd get mad. Finally he said if she did not want to live with him why all right. Later on he got divorce from her. Lewis has been inti- mate with Rose ever since.
 Mallory was brought over from Bridgeport by the detectives and being put upon the witness stand testified in substance that on Sunday night, the night of the. murder, he was coming along what is known as the Old Farm road, which is a mile this side of where Rose Ambler's body was found. It was be- tween II and 12 o'clock when he heard 8 carriage coming down the road When it reached him it was only five feet away. Nal lory stood up against the stone wall and as it passed recognized it as Will Lewis team. He called out: Say, Will, give me rider"
 
 his horse and drove rapidly away.
 'I thought it was queer, for Lewis knows me and know him, added the witness.
 'Are you sure that it was Will Lewis in the carriage?' inquired the coroner.
 "No, I ain't sure, but it looked like him. I supposed it must be him, for it was his team"
 Are you sure of that?'
 "Yes, am. know the team well. It belongs to Wills mother, and I have often seen it in the barn and have seen Lewis rid ing in it'
 ''What makes you so positive?'
 tOnly because know the team. It was light enough for me to see the varnish shine on it.7
 '.Why didn't you tell the authorities of this before?" sternly inquired Coroner Holt.
 The witness, in 8 whining voice, said he had tried to send word to George Arnold Zone of the detectives). The last time he sent word was Saturday, and Chief Marsh of Bridgeport came to see him and to him he told what he saw on that Sunday night.
 Mallory was on the Old Farm road 8 short distance above the lane that leads to Lewis home, and between this lane is what is known as Davis lane. 8 short road running from the Old Farm road to point on the Oronoque road, just below the Hodges field in which Rose Ambler's body was found The detectives theory now is
  vas found drove rapidly down the Oronoque road to the Davis lane, where he turned to the right and driving through it turned into the Old Farm road and was on his way home by what is really the most direct route from where the body was found, where Mallory saw him and asked for the ride.
 The coroner tried hard to have the witness say that it was Lewis he saw. This Mallory would not do. All that he would say was that he knew that the team was Lewis, that the man looked like Lewis, and that he wore a hat similar to the one worn by Lewis both in color and shape. When the team drove by it was after the storm and the clouds had cleared away enough to make it quite light.
 While the jury were listening to the testl- mony of Mallorywho is already known as the Rip Van Wrinkle witness, young Will Lewis wes seated in Dr. Nooney's hall, awaiting his turn to undergo Coroner Holt's rigid exam ination. As heretofore he took his situation coolly, and rather seemed to enjoy his posi- ton. He was willing to talk to the report CTS, but Constable McEwen objected.
 The only witness in the afternoon was Will Lewis The purpose of his examination was to hear what he had to say on points testified to by Birmingham witnesses and others the day after the murder. He denied in toto that he had made any such statements s to Lewis house and obtained his account books, which they brought into court for the examination of the jury. He was very indig- nant at this and vowed that he would ''make somebody sweat when this is over" To COURIER reporter Lewis said that he thought they would take his house next and move that down to the jury room for examination. He appears nervous and moves about from place to place without apparent motive. When approached he smiles and talks pleasantly, but will say but little about the case: One thing appears quite evident, and that is that the case is still wrapped in the deepest mystery, and the cor oner, the jury, and the detectives are all at sea in regard to their conclusions as to who committed the murder.
 The inquest was adjourned at 5 o'clock until Thursday morning at 10 o'clock, when it is expected that Professor White will be in readiness to continue his testimony as to the stains or spots found on the various articles that have been taken from Lewis house and barn.
 Mrs. E. s. Wheeler and son have returned from Europe.