New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-11
PART II.
PAGES II TO II.
TOO MANY CONFESSIONS.
SLINEY CANNOT BE BELIEVED NOW.


so THINKS SUPERINTENDENT BYRNHS WHO
TEsUNEs IN THE LYONS MURDER CASE.
Superintendent Byrnes was the first and the only
important witness called yesterday In the trial Of
Michael T. Siney for the killing OF Robert Lyons
in Cherryst. butcher shop on November Is last.
The Superintendent told OF the now well-lnown con-
LESSONS OF Siney while he was In the Tomss The
courtroom, usuoa crowded almost 10 sufrOca'
ton. When superintendent Bsrness name was called
every one paid strict attention to the proceedings.
The witness sold that he Lad seen sidney sevesaa
times, when he had summoned him to try and get
him to tell something about the muTder o. Lyons
At FIRST the Superintendent said, ainey adhered TO
the testimony which he had given before the Ooronr.
About the middle Of March, however slney said that
he being lied about and he wanted 10 make .
statement. Mr. By1nes said that no threats or
promises Of any kind were used to get THIS state-
ment from the prisoner. When the witness learne0
caat Stney wished TO make some sort OF staoe-
mcnt. stenogapher Was summoned and some VII
nesses brought In. TO whom Snney tolo tos
following story;
"On the afternoon Of ths murder he had been In
the Lyons butcher shop, at No. 13@ Cherry-s. ne
left 1t and started to 60 to . place In MarRetst he
then remembered that he wanted to go TO wedding
that night and that his dress suit was not IN conOon'
He went back to borrow bob's, and found him Hane
on the floor covered with blood. Jim Lyons vas
there. Shortly after he left the place. and when ne
naQ gone QOWn the 6rect ho WOO ~
tcrceptsd by Jim Lyons, who begged him not to say
anything about what had happened. From this he had
gathered that Jim the guilty one. and this sus-
picion confirmed by Jim's subsequent BEHAVIOR
"A short time after this statement was made'to me-
continued Superintendent Byrnes, IL mad siincy
brought to me- not being satisfied with his previous
story He seemed anxious to further the ends Of
Justice and after short talk in which no threats or
violence were used, he said that he wanted to make
confession that what he had previously said was I'M
true. He then told me that he had done the killing
himself. / thought this an extraordinary state.
ment. Slney, In response to further inquiry, sad
that he had gone into Bob Lyons's butcher snop on
the morning Of the murder and asked for some money
that was due him. Bob, instead Of paying 10, threw
him to the floor and kicked him. Snney then ran to
his house across the street. He returned at o'clock
In the afternoon. Bob invited him out to have
drink.
"wnen they came back to the shop, Sliney said, he
again demanded the money. Bob grew furious at this
second request according Shney's statement and,
picking up knife, began to chase him about the shop
slIney ran over the meat-block and began to run
around It, with Bob after him. Then, fearing his life
was in danger Sliney told me- said the Super1n-
tendent that he grabbed up the cleaver which was
resting on the block and hurled 1t at Bob 1t struck
him in the back Of the neck and killed him."
The Superintendent said that while Sliney was
making these confessions he cool and collected.
In view Of the several statements which Siney had
made the witness said that he would not think OF be-
cving snney In fact he did not take any stock,
he said, in these confessions
John J. Flood, the stenographer who took down
sliney's confessions, read them to the jury. They
were In substance what Superintendent byrnes had
told.
The widow Of the murdered man was called, andsshs
deeiared that her husband much larger man
than sney, and that he could not possibly wear her
husbands dress suit.
Daniel T. Ames, an expert In handwriting was,
called, and he testified that there was no doubt tnaS
the note purpOrtng to have been written BY FAthee
Kean had In fAct, been written b. 6unsy. He eaH,
piaineA how be had compared the Writing wtfhstnae &
Snney wrote tbs note for the purpose OF getting tne
bog Hronsch ont Of the way so that the coast wou4
be clesr to allow the crime 30 be cOmmittcd
In the afternoon the for Sliney was openeA -
n number of witnesses were called, who testified -
the good character Of the prisoner Tho case WIZ -
continued on Monday morning.