New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-18
HOW DID YOUNG DAWSON DEF
HIS BODY FOUND UNDER THE WINDOW OF
WOMAN WHO WAS CONNECTED WITH
4 NOTORIOUS CASE.

A NOTORIOUS CASE.
When Frank Cullum, who lives with us family on
the fourth floor of the Storm King Flats, at NO. -
East One-hundred and twenty sixth-st, came down.
stairs at 80 O'Clock yesterday morning. ne iound the
body of a man lying in the basement area. The mans
head was lying in pool of blood, and brief eXamna-
ton showed that he dead. Cullum informed the
police at the Oue-hundred Twenty station
They at once identified the dead man as William A.
Dawson the son of John F. Dawson contractor, nv-
ing at No. 176 Alexander-ave. The body was taken
TO the station and Detectives Price and Mott began an
Investigation of the They found that the last
person 10 see Dawson alive Sadie TraphaSen, who
as the friend of Annie Goodwin the cigarette girl whose
death was caused by DR.. McGOnegal, came into such
nromineDce last summer The Traphagen woman told
the following story:
ON Thursday night she says she attended the Harlem
Theatre with Dawson, TO whom she was engaged 70
Inc married They reached her home at late hour and
after talking for time on the doorstep Dawson
bade her good night, and she went into the house.
She had been inside a few moments when she remem-
bered that Dawson had her pocketbooh, which she
had given him to keep for her during
The evening She started out of the house
in the hope of catching him before he had too far
She saw nothing Of him, and ran TO the corner OF te
street. There she met friend Of Dawson's whose
name the police decline TO give. She asked him If lie
had seeu Dawson. The friend said no. and she then
asked the friend to tell Dawson that she wanted him.
Miss Traphagen then returned TO the house, ana ala
not see Dawson again until his body was found Her
theory and that of the police Is that Dawson hmse
either remembered that he had the pockctbook, and
so,cht IN hiring Miss Traphagen out by tapping on
h window az the first floor fiat above the basement,
horo the TraphaCens live, or In some other way lost
his balance and fell the low railing 10 the asphalt
pavement below distance OF about ten ieet' III Is
believed that Dawson might have been intoxicated,
| though Miss Traphagen says that If he was she did
| NOT know IT, The window winch the Praphagens say
| Dawson tried to reach is fully six feet away from
.no doorsten and could not have been touched with
t tho aid ~ n stick or something Of the kind. Miss
father said last night that this was prob
ahlv the way the accident occurred but the police say
~ - On caro ,ras found with Dawson when his body
| was discovered ,, o,,.,oo,
on Dawsons person, and the tesumohy oI inc ai.ne
| tho COW ON the corner confirm those parts Vi .is
iii s+orv II was learned yesterday morning tha'
| nau,son had won suit against the CITY the Gay
hefore for 81 400, and the theory was s'ar'eu I'll"
he might have met foul play for inc sane VI uie uo"S
n was aftervard learned, however, thaV ne couu mo
have received the money before june; anu '"0 POA''
| have abandoned any theory OF foul play.
Do+oc4lve price said last night that there was no
| donh+ nat tbe death was due to fracture OF the
sIull caused by an accidental ilIl oN9I ' ~ i
railing Dawson's body was aeI ronharsn rrcfscd
homs Yesterday afternoon. sade fcIu 81,
10 be seen last night but her father sonaTed te
story Of the girl already %G hVt his daughters marriage
9th nnG him was to take place in June n cot, -
Dawson was xPr Wild but regarded as
badly dlsspated in any way VICIOUS vi
e wa ~ With he Annie Goodwin case but not
In any way associated WIN p n Par: some Sca
St,'i YonnS Dawson until about year ago was EN-,
Moved bv the Department OF PUBIC WORKS. ne was
roYeu am et for tie salary that would have come
10 him.