New-York tribune., 1892-01-02
HE HIMSELFT THE MURDERER.
AN ACCUsER's FORCED CONFESSION.
TWO MEN WHO HAD WITNESSED THE CRIME
ARRESTED ON HIS CHARGE.

ARRESTED on HIS CHARGE.
The rufians who swarm along the Harlem and
East Rivers and lie in wait for stray drunken
men. were again TO the fore yesterday. In the
early hours which heralded the dawn Of new
year Henry c. Turner, one of the water rats
who make life weary to the police OF the twenty
ninth Precinct, brutally beat and robbed ana
threw into the river a man whom he had found
asleep at the foot of the stairs Leading 10 the
'Second-ave swinSAridge. The crime is more re-
markable from turner's effort to fix the
crime two innocent men, But Tor
his confession made last night under
pressure, the mes whom he accused might have
suffered death in the electric chair.
{ 1t was iust. after o'clock yesterday morning
when Turner ran ,rp to Policeman Patt. who
was on duty in ThiId-ave, and told him that ne
had Just seen a man robbed and tossed into the
Harlem River by two men, who had then run OF.
He said that he was walking along Second ave.
and within few yards of the Harlem Bridge when
at One-hundred- nd-twenty- -ninth-st. he saw a
man staggering bndly across tie sidewalk. The
man headed straight for the pier under the
bridge, said Turner, and was followed by three
other men. The first of the three men turned
of across the avenue, and was out of sight.
Tie other two men followed the helples; drunkard
who had gone under the pier. Turner said that he
knew them both as old acquaintance. Ihry
were Edward, alias Red Dooly and
John, alias Pop" Reilly, river thieves
when they reached the drunken man, who was
wandering along the side of the bridge stairs
said Turner, "Dooly struck him with all his
force in the face The man dropped like log
to the ground. Reilly kicked the PROSTATE body
on the head and legs" Turner admitted that he
did not shout for the police, as he might have
done and as the struggled to his feet and
staggered toward the river the two men followed
him and again knocked him down. Then they
went through" him, and finding little or nothing
in the pockets, propped him up against the bulk
head Of the pier. Then" said Turner, tie
man dropped forward and toppled IN a leap into
the river"
Turner's story was circumstantial and ap-
parently so straig aightforward and honest that in
spite of some tale stains his coat the police
believed him. Detectives Schirmer and Price
started on hunt for Reilly and Dooy, and
within two hours had the two under lock and key
With them also thore were arrested Thomas
McMahon and William McAll!stcr, two of their
associates The method of procedure described
by Turner was so strictly in accord with the
usual practice in such cases that no one
for moment doubted the story, and mat
ers looked black for Reilly and Dooy
Their record as convicted thieves toll
heavily against them, and the discovery of the
body or the mOrlefeu man ldlc III tIc ui'NiH'"i'
mrther confirmed Turner's story, and at the
Harlem Police Court yesterday Reilly and Dooly
Eere remanded without bail for examination.
The police were dazed last night when under
,ressure of close questioning by shrewd and
Jcver reporter Turner confessed that he and
,one other was the murderer
The bulkhead from which the murdered man
fell is painted red. Red paint s.ains were folnd
by the reporter Turner's coat-sleeve AT the
reauest of the reporter he was brought OUT oil 'fc
cell where he had been locked up as witness ana
asked 10 explain the meaning OF the stains lie
stammered. became nervous, and finally said /:
81 did it myself
He had first seen the man living asleep at the
foot Of The stairs leading 10 the bridge. ana on
general principles had at once proceeded to ROB
him While he was engaged in the operation,
Doolv. Reilly. Mcmahon, McAllister and a woman
passed him on their way up the bridge stairs lie
jumped up. and. leaving his prey, ran III
hiding under the pier stairs. II seems tha'
the party Of five must have passed on
IN the bridge stairs, for Turner, coming back
.fter moment, found the coast clear Then ne
renewed his operations. But at this JunctuIe the
drnnkard suddenly opened his eyes and crappled
with tie thief Turnc, struck and kicked at hin,
but the man held Locked in death grip
the two fought along the pier until they reached
the waters edge and at that moment Turner by
q desperate effort, freed himself from the drunk
ards hold and pushed him into the river. Then
he away.
It occurred to him that Dooly and Reilly
had seen him rifng the pockets of his vlctim'
they would be likely, if accused Of the crime, TO
give him up TO justice He resolved to anticipate
them and promptly made for Third-ave., where he
met Platt.
ave, where he met Plat.
Turner's story exactly confirms that told last
night by Dooly and Reilly They saw Turner
rife the pockets Of the drunken man as they passed
I'D the bridge stairs and saw HIM run away ;
As they reached the top of the stairs they look'd
back and saw Turner struggling and hghtln2 WIN
his victim They started 10 run down the stdlls
again but were stopped by the woman ms
morning the police will present this entirely rev
version Of the story to the Justice at the Harlem
Police Court.
The murdered man was apparently la3orer' ana
about thirty-fve years old. lie had black har
and mustache and had been a little above the
medium height. His clothes, consisting of black
coat striped trousers and waietcoat with wOOlien
shirt were coarse and common. HIS hat was
gone and his pockets were empty. p to Md
night his body remained without Identification
TO RAISE RATES OF INSURANCE.