New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-24
THE SENSATION AT DARIEN
LITTLE EVIDENCE AGAINST EGAN
SITTING QUARREL AT HIS HOUSE AFTER DRINK
ING HARD CIDER-THE DEAD MAN UNKNOWN

| SITTING A QUARREL AT HIS HOUSE AFTER DRINK
ING HARD CIDER-THE DEAD MAN UNKNOWN
Coroner Holt yesterday continued the in
quest regarding the murder at Darlen, Conn., Several
representatives OF the majesty OF the law sat in
little room In the small frame building which Is
digiihed by the title Of the Town Hail. and
preserved judicial front while the
Coroner catechzed the members OF the Egan family and
the rest OF the shoa OF witnesses who and went
the nod OF Constable Waterbury. Egan meanwhile en-
JOYS the quiet and retirement of the Bridgeport JAIL hav
Ing been arrested suspicion that he the murderer
This suspicion founded tho report OF a quarrel
which took place in his house month two ago and
In which several involved who
have not since been seen. Egan also took
part In this somewhat heated discussion and hence the
neghbors, with the charity characteristic OF small
munities, evolved tho suspicion that OF these
had been killed, and by Egan. That suspicion being
communicated to Coroner Holt. the was natural
consequence. The inquest yesterday was devoted
to the thorough overhauling of the domestic
history touching the period of the FREQ fight The sub
stance OF the testimony follows:
About month ago Egan had man named Thomas
Lamb working for him. One night the inmates OF the
house OF Egan and several friends who gathered
beneath that hospitabe roofree mbbed deeply Of hard
cider UNTIL according to the frank av0wa OF several Of
the guests who were examined by the Coroner. they
were lldrunk Now Is an axiom among rural sports
As was to be expected. a row resulted Lamb, Egan.
Dennis Monnahan and Daniel Malone involved in
Farbanks lad who viewed the fracas through the
dow first: Monnahan damned Lamb next. Egan took
was not loaded Monnahan took il away
from him and gave It to Mary Egan,
who hid 1t IN the cellar Then Lamb damned Monna-
han up against tie wall and Malone separated them.
The revolver was produced in evidence Nothing came
OF the row, however and in the morning Lamb
the house. was paid of In full and went away. saying
York
Several witnesses declared that the clothing and ap
pearance Of Lamb did not at all resemble those
OF the murdered Coroner Holt received
a telegram from Mrs. Ellen Smith, OF Baskng,
Ridge. ~ j., stating that sho had heard from Thomas
Lahey on June 10. This La hey also worked tor
Egan several months and having since been
ihthe neighborhood II was thought that he nigh oe the
murdered man.
Later in the day Richard Egan. the tenyearold OF
the accused man, squrmed about In his chair beneath
the steady eye OF Seectman Ira SchOed and the pierre
Ing glances which Dr. Hawes local dignitary. threw
upon him from under his bushy eyebrows.
lie told the coroner that "a great many
tramps seeped In the barn In the winter" This barn
stood only few feet from the well where the body was
found Another witness identified the piece Of carpet
about the head OF the murdered that used to
he lying about the barn.
DIR. Burke, the deputy coroner, thinks that the
body had been in the water at least three months The
heavy winter clothing I'm which IL enveloped favors
this opinion. Mrs. Egan sndi her daughter Mary told
straight stories under searching crossexaminaon As
result of all this Coroner Holt now leans to the
theory that the man tramp and was shot by his
fellow-tramps In a row in the barn winter Some Of
the neighbors however In the kindness OF their hearts
refuse 10 believe that Egan Is innocent until another
person IL found on whom they may fasten their sus-
pcOns. Egan will probably be discharged from custody
In day or two unless further evidence TO crimnate him
II discovered The inquest stands adjourned, pending
the collection of further Information by the Coroner
The body buried Monday evening
Inquiries at the Office OF the Joseph's Union. at
Great Joncsst. and Iafayetteplscc last evening. re-
vealcd the fact that Thomas Lamb did ive days work
their farm In September ls-3 and has not since been
Father DrumgO)le whose name was mentioned By
Lamb, is one Of the directors OF this society.