Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-10-17
Evidence at the Autopsy on
John Whalen's Body.
SECRET OF THE MURDER.
Believed to Have Been Told to
officials by Kelly.


In the Washington murder case was held
before Judge Tucker of the district court.
Every witness was examined separately,
and there was nobody in the room where
thu testimony was given. except Judge
Tucker and Detective Peass. Deputy
Sheriff Wood had the witnesses locked up
in his Office, nnl 1t was impossible for any
one to get at them. Those who testified
were Mrs. Coy. wife of the alleged muir
derer; Mrs. Geer. a neighbor of hers in
Washington; A. b. Pomeroy, selectman of
Washington; Mrs. Frost, neighbor OF
the Coys; w. b. Cross of Washington;
Ransom Chase of Beckett aud George NJ.
Kelly, who was arrested as a principal in
the murder OF Whalen. Coy was not
taken from the jail
Kelly was the first witness, and il took
nearly half day to examine him. The
officers guarded him closely, and what he
testified TO is not known; but it is gsner-
ally believed, from his appearance, that
lie Made q Confession
of oil he know about the murder. This
opinion is ibstantiated by Selectman
Pomeroy. When Kelly went in he ap-
pearel calm and collected. but when he
came out he was nervous and acted
strangely He was taken back to the jail
s. closely guarded by the officers that no
body could speak to him.
Kp,ly's father was at the lonely grave in
the wJcJs when Whalen's body was ex-
humed. IL has developed within a day or
two. from tho story Of Kelly's father, that
George had more money than usual
Mrs. Geer testified that Coy came down
the mountain road at 9 o'clock Sunday
morning. The Coys camo to board with
her not long after the disappearance of
Whalen, and after remaining there day
or two Coy went to Westf field. Mrs. Coy
took her over to see the blood-stained
room and talked about the subject con-
siderably.
Mr.. Geer said that while Coy was at her
house he drank good deal, and was with
George Kelly almost every day. When
under the influence OF liquor he talked
about
The Disappearance OF whalen.
A man named Abbott, who is night
switchman at the depot at Washington,
says Coy on the Saturday night of the
murder came to the depot after midnight,
and asked him il he had seen Whalep
When he told him he had not Coy went
away.
The testimony of Mrs Melinda Frost.
an old woman and near neighbor OF the
Coys, is important In the case. She hap
pened to be looking out of her window
last Saturday night, and saw team cross
the bridge near Coy's house. In
she wagon was lantern which she
thought was partly covered with a
blanket. by the aid of the light she
watched the team to the top OF the hill,
until it went over n croS&.road and turned
into wood road. This wood raad leads
to the woods where Whaien's body was
found. The next morning Mrs. Frost saw
Coy,
spoke to Him About the Wagon,
and he told her he was out with it and was
out looking after Kelly. He afterward
changed this story and said he was looking
after Whalen.
Ransom Chase of Beckett, who is brick
mason, says he was working on house Il
week after the disappearance of Wbalen,
when Kelly came along. He hal been
been drinking and had whisky bottle.
Kelly said lie had received 500 few days
before and had spent nearlya~ of it.
Selectmsn Pomeroy told long story
how he could not sleep nights for thinking
that Whalen was murdered. He then re-
lated the finding of the body by his dog
Mrs Coy's testimony was not fully oo-
tanned She rahearsed the story of her trip
TO Albany, and the condition Of the house
OH her return, her going to Mrs. Geer's to
board, and afterward going to Westfeld
There are some
Puzziing Things About the Woman
which are slowly developing. The first Of
of her being known in the town of Wash
ington was when she came here with her
husband, q Mr.. Bates, who carried OIL n
farm about half mile from where the
murder was committed. Bates was taken
sick, aud it is alleged the woman went
away with man named Roberts. After
Bates got well he disappeared from town.
1t appears that Mrs. Coy went with
Roberts to Coy's house in Lee. The next
Washington people knew about the woman
she returned with Coy She and Coy lived
together and took Whalen to board and at
the time Of the murder there is strong evil
dence that she was preparing TO go to
Michigan with Whalen aud leave Coy.
William Frost, a friend OF Whalen, says
Whalen, in his opinion, did not propose TO
run away with Mrs. Coy. He said Wha-
len was n good appearing man, fairly we'll
educated, and the fact that he had s250 at
the time OF his murder shows that he was
industrious. The more the case develops
the more puzzlng 1t becomes.