The sun., 1893-05-18
WAS PALLTSTER MURDERED7
SIX THEORIES OF REMARKABLE
DOCBLE CRIME

| tt was pnIIister's Body-IIis Mother Iden.
tines teller Te-timony-No Additional
Light on the Prison Escnpe Mystery.
There was no light shed yesterday on the
black mystery surrounding the deaths OF
Roehl and Pnllister. There were theories in
abundance. but no material Information. The
Coroner and his Jurors loundered about for
an hour. and then confessed in their verdict
their inability to solve the problem. The ver-
dict presented by the Jury Is as follows:
We find that Thomas Pallister came to his
| death between April 20 and May 10. 1893. and
was found in the Hudson River: that his death
was caused by pistol shot wound In the head
inflicted by some person to this Jury unknown.
JOSHUA MANY. Foreman"
Thus the jury expresses no opinion as to
whether or not Roehl shot Pallister. Tho
shadow OF an insinuation seems to point to-
ward their un belief In the theory that Pallister
killed himsel for they say by some person
to the jury unknown" Individually many
members Of the jury expressed their belief
that Pallister may have killed Roehl, but that
he did not shoot himself This necessitates
the presence OF n third man on the scene. for
after Roehl was shot he could not have killed
Fallister. and after Pal!is,er was shot he could
not have killed Roeh.
The jury convened at o'clock sharp. Capt.
Charles Hilbert was the first witness called.
He testified that he had been yatdmnster OF
the prison for twen:y-three years. lie knew
Pallister we'll. and was sure the body found on
Tuesday was his.
Whats your theory as to his death 2" asked
the Coroner.
Il think Pallister and Roehl stole the skin
and started across the river. Pallister was an
old boatman, and probably did the rowing. 1t
was impossible for two men to cross the river
In rowboat on the night OF the escape. Roehl
probably tried to shoot Palister. who struck
him with oar and hen shot him. Then. Pal
lister realizing that he could not cross tho
river and get ashore. shot himself. preferring
quick death by bullet to q slower death by
drowning"
John renbacher. one OF the jurors. took
the stand after Capt. Hilbert. He swore that
he had been guard In the death house for
three years. and that he looked after Pallister
in the day time and fed him. There was ten
minutes delay while Mr.. Derrenbacher went
out to look at the body. When he came buck
he swore that it was the body Of Pallster. 80
fur as he could Judge.
While Derrenbacher was testifying. Mrs. Pal
lister. the dead mans mother. and Edward
Coster his brotherin-law. reached tho prison.
They had teleCraphed Warden Durston early
in the morning that they would be up to claim
the body. Coroner Sutton promptly sub
p,fnacu tneTl. MT. lOSter teStlHeu nrSt. lie
Is big man. with Lushy. black whiskers. He
said:
Il mn an engineer and live at Al Perry
street. am brother in-lnw OF the dead man.
am positive the body is that OF Thomas Pal
lister. The dead man left u mother. n sister.
and two brothers"
Mrs. Pnllister thcn took the witness chair.
Shs ht Il very cry snail sT 1--we woman and bent Her hsir
a. n nd
trembling.
e am his mother" she, said. slowly. Yes.
He was 81 years old and was horn at 100 Mad
worked in the gas Ious.. When nh he W vent I away way
ION mGyea S t% a wsrhinE,on n rlace where
nHw my s"n nF God es" i%fs '"' BODY Is 'hA' OF
Mrs; pallistrr'' 10 imcny closed the inquest.
ana a,tr IL tITes tnr ts| cIi"ratinn The Jury
lister AMI Coster had gone into the death
chamber to look again att tbe body. As the lit
down her cheeks. She rniscd her hanls over
the nine cotiIn md murmnred; God kl-.s
= brother Of Probationary Policeman Adam
Kane. who was murdered hy Pallister. entered
t =" tn" sa EG'y is the
dorer"
Ther" * NJ doubt Of the identity Of the body.
ing hi; mother brother law. and physician.
ARE to ! e believed. II j: the body of Pallistcr.
the question as to how he die There arc six
theories hat are worth m-ntionin ing PnlIister
neh "e snxe msy ay aSS1re nnd
shot himself and fell dead into the river: or
Tho struggle may have taken .plnce In the boat:
boat. or they may hnva cen shot nv u man or
men men on themyst.rions srhoon"r: or each mny
prison may have Killed them both
A ns ss s."rS -r: s Ssr
hat thy must ssrarat" lie may have ..'d,. De.
ave supposed Roehl had. lloehi may have
lcnie'l that he, ha any. ,pallstrr, then may
racture Of the skull. and nfterwnr,i shot him
lhen. with the prison walls frowning upon
@ M t"I Inr- sr TSnF nsn nfd
h" water. But the one unanswered point then
vomil be- VIII" Sto" til" hoatI
mil exhausted and hopeless. each turned to
iie both rerusnd Roehi drew his revolver
o shoot. Pallistcr anticipated him. and
he she" him. Having hTown w't the
Pallister may then have shot him
The third theory places n third man in the
oat There was Undoubtedly a strange mna
round t,e prison Mt the time Of the escape.
by, STATE Shoe and Leather Company I'D, @
.nins The prison. said on the day alter the
Schpe. lnnt SnOrty atter Midnight on the
light Of the escape he encountered stranger
kulking about; When M-hlinR approached
he man ran away. This occurred close to tho
asin from which the boat was stolen. With
third man in the boat. it can readily be
nnGlnsd how Pallister shot Roehl TO save
imself and his companion. Then. when the
ont still labored. allister mny have tried to
III his companion who shot him before he
ould draw his revolver,
Tho fourth theory deals with the mysterious
chooner. III there was q schooner anchored
Il the prison to take the men away. why
hould Its crew shoot the men they we're there
len. Why shoul It's crew shoot two men who.
or all they knew. were storm tossed fisher
len? For Roehl and Pallister did not wear
onyict clothes. Itmay BE- said that the two
nth drawn revolvers. That Is unlikely. and
ven u IL were true how could the men aboard
no schooner see SO clearly on black night
nat |, at they M could shoot both men. the one in tho
nd why should both men fall out OF tho boat
hen shot The boat did not upset. for the
aTs .T were IN i when 1t was found.
The fourth theory IL much like the second. |
aye that pAlli ster. instead OF shooting h. M
hlf was shot hy ROehl Mt tho time that