New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-19
TIE Ma AYBEE MYSTERY SOLVED.
ACCUSING HIS BROTHER OF MURDER.


EDMUND s. TAPPAN swEARs THAT HE SAW JOHN
TAPPAN COMMIT THE CRIMES.
There was great excitement in Oyster
Bay when it became known that Edward
s. Tappan, of BroOkville had made confession, i'm
plicating bis brother John B. Tappan, who
is now under arrest on suspicion OF COM
miting the assault upon Mr. and Mrs. James Z.
Townsend, in abe Maybee murders Late on
Thursday he went to the house of Halstead II.
Frost at East Norwich and made confession to him.
Mr.. Frost, who is q notary public, reduced his
statement to writing, and then Tappan signed and
swOre to it. The following is the part relating to
the crime:
know who took the lives of Lydia and Annie Mayheo
on the evening OF November IT, 1t was John -. Tap
pan my brother He was in the barn when Mrs May pee
came in. was not in the barn. saw John go INTO the
side of nv house when he went in feeding the pigs.
when John choked the old lady to death was out i II,
on the barn floor He caught her by the wrist with ono
hand and took her by the throat with the otner saw
enough for me to see in the stable when John had her
by the throat she on the ground When she came IN
leaves were 1t took from ten to fifteen minutes choke
her death After she dead John picked mp and
leaves her. standing the barn floor very
the opening in the door that goes down Ia the stable
saw the whole thing myself After she was dead John
said: e am going to wait for Annie. am gong 10
choke her too. II choke her too no one VIII know ABOUT
IT, Then 90 to the house and get the money An
opened the barn door about two feet wide When she
stepped i'm the door John grabbed her by the right arm
and threw her down. the floor about three feet
from where he grabbed her. He threw her down ON the
floor held her by the right wrist put his knee upon her
LEFT arm and with his right hand took her by the throat
She tried to get away from him. when he grabbed her by
the arm, she grabbed at his face She reached ms face
let CO." That IS all sine said Then he held Ler by
the throat until she dead she died IN ABOUT Ten OF
fifteen minutes He carried her into the stable near her
m9her and covered her all up WV % o e9 a% and S
in the kitchen door. Old Mr. Maybee said: VINO Is
there Z" John said: It's me- Then he went up staIs
iu Mrs Maybee room. when Mr.. May ybee knocked on the
floor stood by the door saw him do IL. Then John
down stairs and went Ia 'front.' OF MI MayDee very
close the hail. hs hand up and down Mr MayDeeF
breast and said 81 that gold watch YOU had two
blind and can't see TO get it," know that, said John:
John then said ~ must kill YOU then" He snached
the OF Mr. Maybees hand and struck MN Win t
twice the head John went up stairs and came pack
said g have all want" and we came OUT ana ne
went the cedars by the spring and went home sup
pose he gave pe ten dollars III bills.
Edmund TapDan was taken TO a private room in
the Nassau Hotel yesterday, and confronted with
his brother District Attorney Fleming. Colonel
Robert Townsend, Justice ChIpp and the detectives
were present. lie repeated the story of the Maybee
murder weeping bitterly he told 1t.
John Tappan denied it, saying that he
could not see how any person could
tell such faschOod. John Tappan was then
taken TO the Maybce place at BrOokvllle and whlie
he was away officers searched his house and iodn!!
the chisel which lie said he had left at WASH
AbberfOrds in December. In the afternoon John
Tappan was arraigned before Justice Chipp on the
charge of felonious assault upon Mr. ana MTs'
Townsend. and he was committed 10 await tAe
action of the Grand Jury.
Edmund Tappan, who is about forty-hye years, of
age. was taken to the Jamaica jail last night.
Captain HauHhurst, OF oyster bay, Whlie passing
flour bag filed with siYerware, nearly IN the rear
of John Tappan's house.