New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-31
A "NiURDERED" MAN RETURNS
A MYSTERY sHRoUDEO IN MANY LIES.
STRANGE ACCUSATIONS PROVED TO BE FALsE-A
Nc IN nrII

STRANGE ACCUSATIONS PROVED TO BE FALsE-A
MANGLrD BODY IN WE'LL.
STAMFORD Conn.,, Jan. 30-The staid Old town
OF stamford, Conn, is stirred up. man, thought
TO be murdered and thrown In well, taken out
ana buried in the town plot Of Daren, three
miles east Of Stamford two years ago. has just
turned up alive in the place as il arisen from the
dead
In the summer Of lss5 the neighborhood was
horrified when the body OF murdered man, iden-
tined as that Of Thomas Leahy, shoemaker, was
found at the bottom Of well on the Cornell
property in Daren Michael Eagan, who has
leased the place for the last five years is an
eccentric character. He lives with his famiiy I'm
low slanting rooted. old-fashioned house on the
Stony Creek road and told the authorities on that
memorable Sunday morning in June that he had
found the body In an abandoned well near HE
house. which had been empty for several years
Eagah was arrested on suspicion and kept in
the Bridgeport Jail for week, but released for
want of evidence against him Coroner Holt, Of
Bridgeport. brought out the fact that life had
been extinct in the body for several months
Three pistol shot wounds were in the head Some
Of the people Of Noroton, where Leahy was well
known, sworc that it was the body OF " Tom
Lamb, OF that place: Others thought IL vas some
ono else but shoemaker named Rhiliban, OF
Noroton, in whose shop Leahy had worked Just
previous to the murder, positive that IL was
Leahy.
Lcahv could not he found, and the excitement
died ont. Eaaan claimed that he knew nothing
about the matter whatever. The murderer was
never found, and IL remains a mystery to-day
INTRRrsr N THr CASE REVIVED.
The facts that have come to light in the last
fortnight, however, have revived the whole story
Of the tragedy. and case has been begnn in
court which bids fair to reveal something ~
startling as the temperance Of tho supposed
dead man. All sorts Of rumors and theories are
al0at now that Leahy is found. Loahy's sister
who lives in New-Jersey, stated that her brother
had visited her one week before the body was
found. The murdered man had been dead lona
time, and this threw doubt upon the assertion
that Lcahy was the victim. This was not made
| public at the time.
On December % 1897. Eagan made an alleged
ccnfessicn 70 Charles Waterbury. at Br,dg,porss.,
about the murder. and his conscience forced him
to speak after his long silence. Ilc declared that
John Commit. a shoemaker. shot Leahy in the
house of Andrew Moran in Stamford, and that in
the night they had taken the body IN wagon
and thrown it in the well. He had repeated the
story to others.
Commit is an old whitc-baircd man who has
worked for several years in Tmcey's shocsh0p
and boarded with Moran, who is man fftv years
old, respected by his nechbors, has flmily of
min" and is employed at the Cold Mills Of the STAN
ford Manufacturing Comuany. The men, assisted
by the officers Of Fairfield County. ascertancd
that Lcahy. who is Of rowing disposition, was in
Pennsylvania, and they prevailed upon him 10
come here.
CONFRONTED WITH rHR "MUGDrRfD" MAN.
He put in appearance ten days ago, and
was presented TO Eagan at his house. Eagan
then declared that Leahy himself had told him
that Conniff had shot the found in the well.
Ieahy denied this and all knowledge Of the affair.
lie has gone away again. but the officers know
where he is when they want him.
Commit has sued Eagan in the Superior Conrt
of Fairfield County, which sits at bridgeport,
for 81. 600 damages for defamation Of chaTcter
the suit being based upon the confession Of Eagan
and four days ago Deputy Sheriff Richard Bols
ter Of Fairfield County. attached all Of Eagan's z
| personal property TO the claim. The trial
| is set down for the first Tuesday in February
and the people expect some interesting testmony
! The ONLY canse for Eagans anmosity to Morar
that is spoken of openly vet is the fact that
! man named Mckenzie. who worked one month
| for Eagan left him. saying he did not receive his
paw. and went to work for Moran aftcrward.