New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-18
CAUGHT CUTTING A THROAT.
PARTIAL CONFESSION OF THE MURDER OF
CARSON
CAPTURE OF THE NOTORIOUS "sLAsHER,n RED.
HANDED-AN INSANE LOVE FOR NOTOMETY
AND BLOODsHED CONTROLS HIN.

AND BLoODsHED CONTROLS HIM
Inspector Bymes has succeeded at last in laying
hands on the man who has been cutting the throats
OF drunken people in the streets recently On his
own partial confession. the man will be charged
also with the murder Of John Carson, the broken
down lawyer found lying in a hallway the other
morning with frightfuI cash in his throat The
prisoners name il Henry G. Dowd. lie was born
IN Liverpool forty-onc years ago, and has spent
'he last fifteen years of his life begging in this city
Inc first OF the mysterious assaults which
made him, though unknown, a terror in the
Fourth Ward, occurred on the nipht OF December
~. In that case there was nothing to dstin-
guifh 1t from ordinary street aiTray, but when
second and third attack both made under
the same circumstances and in the same way
were reported from Captain O'Conn0r's precinct
inspector Byrnes camc 20 the conclusion that the
three assaults had been committed by the same
hand, and that hand was that of mailman.
| taxing twenty men from his own Office he scat
tered them all over the Fourth. Sixth and
| Eleventh precincts. Only one of the wounded
mon was able TO give any description of the man
who used the on him. With this descrip-
| ton in their possession, every special detective
and every policeman in the three precincts kept
| n keen lookout and watch upon anyone who
| might answer 10 it, In addition, Captain O'Con-
nor had assigned special corps OF men in plain
| clothes to this particular ease. In the mean
tine Captain Mclaughlin was transferred to the
Eleventh Precinct.
Before Mclaughlin had been twenty-four hours
in command of the precinct, Carson's body
| found.
1t was just after 3 o'clock yesterday morning
when Patrolman Mastcrson in citizens clothes.
a. 81 hipo at bo ,hnnst of
Bowery and Roo>cvet-st. became aware of
"a slim. slight, shabby-lool,ing man, apparently
Of about middle age. approaching him hom the
opposite side of tie street M3stcrsOn stood still
as the man, who wore white handkerchief
around his neck, came up to him, Iccred into his
face, turned away and walked up the pavement.
Such singular proceeding this enough to
arouse Mastcrson's suspicion aAd he followed the
man at distance, along New Bowcry, half way
70 Madson-St. There the man who wore tho
white handkerchief turned and came back 10
Rooseyelt-st. thence he walked into Oalist As
Mastcrson. unseen, stood watching,
heavily built man came along, unStcadily.
from the direction Of Pcarlst passed Mastcrson.
and stumbled until he stood almost at the elbow
Of the with the handkerchief Masterson
saw the first man speak to the drunken stranger.
and then the two turned and walked through
The two companions were halfway between
James and Chambers sts. when the drunken man
apparently made an effort 10 break away from his
new acquaintance, who then fell back and followed
about ten feet behind him. As they reached the
northeast corner of James and Oak SIS the man
with The handkerchief crept up to the drunken
quarry and whispered something in his ear. Again
he was rcpul>ed, and the two went on. tie man
with the handkerchief following about ten or ff-
teen feet behind, his head and shoulders bent as
though he were croucbing for spring. Mas
teTson quicened his pace. At No. So James-st.
the staggering man stopped irrcsolutcy for a
moment. and in the same instant the man behind,
with his hands poised claw-likc in the air, sprang
upon him like cat, grabbed him by the collar.
and drew back his head. There was a stilcd cry.
a sroan. and the victim dropped TO the ground.
The man TINS revealed as the slaslcr7 wheeled
| around quickly. as if TO run back, when his eye
fell on M4stcrson. and he dartrd across the street
and like deer in the direction Of Chambers II.
"Stjp!7 cried Mascrson as he started after him.
Stop, or I'll shoot But the light, flying figure
never slackencd speed Mastcrson whipped out his
revolver and three shots rang on the air. But the
fugitive was not scared.
stop him, Stop him" screamed MlStcrson to
Policemen Carter, McCrary and Herman, who were
standing in James-st. The three men joined in the
hunt. The strength Of the fugitive was already
giving out and they reached New Cham bcrS-St..
Carter who was leading, hurled himself upon the
wretch and brought him to the ground. The man
struggled 10 his feet and tried 10 break away.
Then Carter struck him with his club and that
quietcd him. Then the prisoner was rushed into
the Oak-st police station. Captain O'COnnor.
who had gone to bed. aroused from his sleep
and the man was taken into his private room. In
spcctor Byrnes had sat talking with Captain OCon-
nor until - 80 and had then gone to E!dridgc
81. 10 sec Captain Mclaughlin. \ hurry call was
cent there and the Inspector with the Captain came
in has;e to Oak ST. There, in Captain O'ConnOr's
room. sat slight. bowed figure. Tho gray head
bent forward until il rested on the hands. The
opening Of the door reused him and lie looked up.
The Inspector saw haggard. worn face. shaven
clean. pair Of thin. tightly compressed lips. and
small bcady gray eyes, rather too close together to
be pleasant. The man wore no collar. His
clothes were old and worn; his hat battered and
in holes.
My name? Ny name is Henry G. Dowd,' he
said hurricdly, in answer to the Inspectors first
question. "I live at No. 81 New Chambcrs-st.,
and my andla1y is Mrs. Brady
why did you do this?" he asked.
Couldn't heip it. Did it in sclf-dcfcncc,
was the reply.
Then his clothes were taken from him. On the
white shirt and on part Of the coat were heavy
clots OF blood that had dried Out Of his waist |
coat pocket Captain Mclaughlin ishcd tortoise |
shell handled razor, stained with blood.
The man who had been cut by Dowd had been
taken to Chambers Street Hospital. His name
William Muller, and he lives at NO. 32G |
Chcrry-st. His throat was badly bat not fatally |
cut To Chambers Street Hospital therefore, the
Inspector drove accompanied by the prisoner and |
Captain Mclaughlin Dowd was taken before
Muller, who was however, unable to identify |
him. While there. the Inspector heard that Clark |
the wounded man who could give a description of