The evening world., 1891-04-21
SIGNALS SET FOR MURDER.
Mystery Surrounds the Tragedy
in the Switch Tower.
Police Looking for Ryan's Slayer
In This City.

morning regarding the mysterious murder OF
switchmau William Ryan In his tower at the
Keusington junction station OF the Prospect
Park and Coney Island Railroad.
The discovery OF Ryan's dead body was a
horrible surprise to the crew OF the train tina,
came up from Coney Island last night
The switch-tower Is two-story frame struc-
ture. similar to those on the 81" roads, and
Is situated AT the junction OF the two branches
leading to the Ninth avenue and Twentieth
street and Fifth avenue and Thirty sixth street
depots, In Brooklyn.
lis lonely, out-of-tne-way place, half a
mile from Greenwood Cemetery, aud equally
distant from any human hsbitation. At night
It Is especially dismal
As tho engineer Of the O'Clock train ap-
preached the junction last night he found tho
ell mails set "desd against" him, and OF cour.e
stopped his train. The conductor al,ghted and
waited for the signal to 60 ahead.
But It didn't come.
wondering what was the matter, the head
brakeman walked ahead, opened the door into
the lower part or the switch-tower, and
shoufed:
"Hello, Bln' What's the matter7"
A hollow echo Of nis own words wss the
only sound. The brakeman then rushed up
the stairs whore the switches and signals are
operated, and almost at the head OF the stairs
stumbled over 4 mans body.
BY the dim light OF his lantern he saw the
face OF the switchman pallid with coming
death, while from ragged wound In the back
Of the head Al the base of the skull drops OF
blood were stiii slowly trickling.
The brakeman summoned neip, SUPP. scher-
merhorn was at once notified and special
train hurried the unconscious but still living
man to the Ninth avenue and Twentieth street
depot.
All efforts to arouse the unfortunate man
proved unavaillng, however, and before an
ambulance could be summoned he had ex-
pired.
Little could be done last night, but this
morning early the police were at work.
They found that Ryan, VITO was do
ing "split trlck," had worked at the
city line switch tower from to II O'Clock yes
terday morning, and then gone to supL
Schermerhorn's ONCE 20 draw ais pay.
He drew half his months wager, $50, and
went to his home at Parkvllle and gave his
wife $22, saying that be would keep the rest, as
he owed a little bill OF 81. This he put in his
vest pocket under his silver watch.
shortly before O'Clock Ryan went to Ken
elnRtOn junction BWltcn-tOWer 10 relieve
switcnman c. Z Davenport As he had q IT.
| tie spare iine he planted some flower seeds
| about the tower IN beds which the two men
had laid out together.
Shortly afterwards Davenport went home,
| and Ryan was last seen alive and at his post
about O'Clock BY some trackmen.
The police could nnd NO marks OF struggle.
and think that Ryan's assailant must have
quietly orept up the stairs and struck or shot
| h,m while ne was attending to his duties.
SWtiohman Davenport, however. doesn't
l kalNn h Ia . t.k shaN ntt.s,
was in the lower with his KNowieJge and tnai
| he knew hiui and was after his money that he
| had drawn shortly before.
He doesn't know whether Ryan was accus-
| toned to lock the door or not, but scolts tut
| idea that any one could climb up twenty stair
without the occupant hearing him.
saee ~ se sts na
theory does not seem entirely unreasonable.
Whom Ryan was discovered his watch aud ..
s %sssy wsrs but tho % in hi
Ihts morning also Davenport discovered thai
| his cardigan jacket, cap and pants were miss
ing, but on old pair OF shoes ana vest that hi
| wore at work were left behind.
"Lle was one of the Dest-natured men thai
ever lived, and I'm sure don't know why any
one should Kill MIN unless It was for hi,
money" " said Davenport this morning.
81 have known Elm for years and went e
| school with him and never knew HIM o'hav'
but one enemy In the world, but that doesn,
prove anything and 80 l won't say who tina
Ryans body was laken to Hinman Brothers
undertaking rooms, ut seventeenth street ant
clan Shepard VIII to-day holi an autopsy, pre-
parsiory to the inquest BY Coroner Rooney.
| The murdered man was ,hirty-three year
old, married and had three children, the eIdes
Tue little switch-tower was surrounded al
day to-day ny curious crowd OF farmers,
| most OF whom knew Ryan aud wanted 10 SO,
| where he was murdered.
The murder of RYAN recalls the mysterioui
murder OF Patrick Kelly, who was found lyiul
near the Track OF the Sea Beach Railroad. q
Parkviile. shortly after midnight of Deo e
1885, with hts skull crushed. Il was mos
Ccuuty Physician Shepard, VINO made tn,
autopsy. found eight wounds oa tue head, elthe
In his opinion tnu wounds had been inflicted
with . hatchet or small axe.
Kelly had collected SEC. Dec. ], and came Il
| Brooklyn TO do some shopping. He returned
to New Utrecht on the 0 O'Clock train on th'
On the train he met Matthew Ryan. frierd
drinE and then separated, each going IN al
snor,iy after midnight Charles II. Lott, VIII
lived In Parxville near the Sea Beach Railrosd
down to the track he found Kelly lying deaf
in u pool of blood.
amount Of money, but Il was found that he hs'
81, 400 in the Brooklyn Savings Bauk.
The police OF Brooklyn arrested Ssmue
Clark, colored; VIM. johnson, Joseph Lick
tile, John Maloney and sven JepsoD.
| Tnree OF them were subsequently releases
by the Coroner aud Clark and johnson wer
sent before the Grand Jury, who failed 10 IN,
an Indictment against them, and they wer,
discharged.
The police continued on the case, but n,
trace OF the murderers was ever found.
Coroner Rooney thls morning, In speaking
OF the Kelly murder, said:
~ would be willing TO give $50 for the Or
rest and conviction OF the murderers IN tLi
case"
Capt Kaiser came to New York this af er
noon TO see Inspector Byrnes IL 10 Auspecte,
that RyanB murderer is lu hiding In this city
Capt. Kaiser 10 now looking for man Wh,
formerly worked In the switch tower and VIII
was discharged, Ryan taking his place.
II has developed that Ryan was friend o
the murdered Kelly, and that recently, In con
versation with q friend, Ryan said ne consid
cred the switch tower dangerous place, AM
intended TO Duy revolver.
| Itik known that he did buy revolver an,
had IL IN the switch tower last Saturday Mig
and the night previous TO his murder.
County Physician shepard made an autopsy
on Ryan's body this afternoon. A pistol 6ho
| wound was found 10 the back OF Rysu's head
| on the right side. A 80 cali0Te bullet was fOun
irnhedded In the brslu.
Ths pistol had been held so close that
burned RVan's nair.
Ihs bruises on his face were caused By nj
falling forward after he was shot.
The body lies NJ Hinman's morgue. on Fift
Avrnue. Brooklyns Coroner Rooney Will hol