The evening world., 1893-12-18
IS cONL|N IN The SEWER?
Whelan Still Insists that His
Story Is True.
People Who Know Him Give Him
Good Reputation.

william Whelan. OF 222S Fifth
venue, is in Yorkville Prison,
where he IL held to await n hearing to-
morrow, on a charge of negligently
causing the death of John Conlin, on his
own statement, that Conlin lowered him
self through a manhol into the sewer
opposite l62 East Forty-second street, on
| Saturday afternoon, inc has not since
been seen.
Whelan was arrested by policeman
Jones, Of the East Thirty-ffth street sta
ton. who saw him approach the man
hole several times. lift up the cover and
peer into the sewer. He told the police
man he was waiting for Conlin. who was
in the sewer. He acted aleerly, and
Jones tok him to the station-house.
Justice Grady yesterday held Whelan
until tomorrow to permit an investiga-
ton of his story.
The officials OF the Sewer Department
of the Public Works say no such persons
as Conlin or Whelan are employed in
the Deparr'neRR5; and they, too P MSs,, no
however, sticks to it that Conlin went
into the sewer and never came out.
The one feature of the entire affair
which would tend to hear Whelan out
Is that when he was arrested he had an
extra coat. a sort of pea jacket, an old
cap. a pair of long leather boots and a
Thick HI rope generally used by ssWsr;ms men
Whelan was seen by an Evening
World" reporter TO-DAY IN 1orkviiie
II came to this country. from ireland
seventeen months ago. and live on titth
avenue, near One Hundred and Thirty
sixth street, with a family named over,
1t is two flights up, II Overhoe ,ts In
the house-moving business, besides Keep,
Ing IN a paper stand at and one RIft hu nwnnnej ano
81 met John Conlin, who lives some
where on Second avenue. about l O'Clock
Saturday afternoon. and he engaged me
to help him do some work In a sewer
on Forty-second street.
'Conlin and l used to work. together
for a man named Santine CHATS. the
nearest Whelan could spell it, who built
turer. l was to get 80 cents an houl
Conlin pulled off his leather boots and
put IN a long. pair of rubber boots and
went down into the sewer. ] asked him
how long he'd be and he said 1t would al
depend. He told me to. close the man,
/ would hear him. He told me to listen
every few minutes for him. ~
II put the cover on and was listeninf
for him when the officer came along.
IAN officer told me- he saw a man in a
long pair OF rubber boots on mira ave
nue., and the description answered tc
Conlin. II he's alive he'd ought to come
over here mi get me out of prison,
An Evening World" reporter founc
tina Whelan boarded with Harry Ober
hufer, at 222s Fifth avenue. Mrs. Ober
hufer said to-day:
"Wheian has been with us for abou'
two years, and always conducted him
self as a sober, Industrious man. HI
never came home drunk, and nver saw
anything in his actions that indicated
insanity. I know he has been employed
doing some sort of work in sewers
whether 1t was in the Department o
Public Works or not. ! believe he Y
telling the ruth, but think Conlin go
out all right, and ] should think. h
ought to come forward and set his frien'
out Of trouble. My husband has gon
to the Yorkvllle Prison to see Whelan.
"Sentenne & Green. Of 226 Bleecke
street, Is the firm referred to as Gar
tine by Whelan. He formerly worke,
for them. but was permitted to 90 witt
a numbe of workmen some weeks ago
S%entenne & Green are contractors 70
the building Of sewers. .
Supt. Webb, OF the Sewer Department
said a man could not live more than two
or three hour, In the W owing to th'
poisonous gases.
The good character give Whelan by
the people who know him adds an eic
ment Of reliability to his story. and this
with the extra boots. cap and pea JACKIE
found with Whelan are puZZling factor!
which call for n searching investigation.
Ward Detectives Mallorkey and Don
oboe, of the East Thirty-fifth street sta
ton, are detailed on the case.