New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-22
THE POLICE AT FAULT.
THEIR sLOTHFUL AND CARELESS WORK
IN THE MARTIN MURDER CASE.

| NO THOROUGH ATTEMPT TO SEARCH THE PLACE
WHERE THE cHILD's TRUNK WAS FOUND
| WHAT WAS DISCLOSED BY KEEN IN
vEsTIGATIoN YESTERDAY.
The brutal murderer Of the little child, Susan
| Martin, is still undiscovered and so far as the
| police of this city concerned seems at pres
| ent likely to remain hidden for ever. The result
| OF the work accomplished YESTERDAY by Detective
| Sergeants Crowley. Armstrong and Dowi.ng and
| the ward detectives Curry and Hay sh owed Z
distinct loss OF ground On Tuesday and Tuesday
night they were ransacking slaughter houses in
the "Helrs Kitchen district, having become
certain that the girl had been outraged and nir
del cd by butchers. But whe1 DR.. Cyrus ElSo1
found that two wounds had been inflicted with
long thin bladed knife and that part Of an Orien
tai dagger had been found IN the boly OF the
child, they abandoned that scent and began a
still hunt for Cinnamon. Every Chinese laundry
In the neghborhood was ransacked and every
wouf-colored disciple of Confucius rgdiy ex-
amned, with no result whatever.
NO THOROUGH SEARCH MADE
The plain truth seems to be that the police
have neglected their elementary duty in this
case. close examination Of the cellar in which
the trunk Of the child was found made ycster-
day by a Tribune reporter and two other news
paper men rhowcd that no attempt had been
made 10 examine any except the particular wood
bin in which the trunk of the body was thrown.
Not one Of the six other bins had been touched.
Nearly all are chOkcd up with old lumber There
a possibility that the head or the lower
limbs had been thrown into the rear Of the shed,
behind the lumber. where they would be hidden
from observation. Yet the detectives. taking II
for granted that the head had been thrown into
the river disdaned to touch the wOOdbins, and
went on a touring expedition among street chill
drcn Cinnamon and butchers.
There is deal too much treating of the case
with gloved hands. superintendent Byrnes
and Inspector Mclaughlin could teach these
fastidous men lesson in manual detective
labor Certain discoveries Were made yestcr-
day by n Tribune reporter and his associates
In the second bin on the east side of the col
lar. was found what looks something like the
upper half Of a human skull. charrcd and black
ened 10 cinder.
DISCOVERIES ~ ONE OF THE BINS
Nearly all the other bins were filled with lum-
Der. but In bin number four. in the east side Of
the cellar there was observable IA black mass
soft to the touch which seemed 10 have been
recently burned. Under the strong light Of a
lamp II looked as If the were the lower
half and two limbs Of a trunk but whether Of
wood or flesh could not be learned. the reporters
being unable to reach IL. The fOetd OdOr OF
burnt flesh filed the cellar
The Martin family could not be found yester
day. Those who called at the home, No. 656
Eeventh-avc yesterday were told that the fam
lily away on a visit 10 some friends At
night they had not returned.
SO far nothing has been brought forward 10
dIsprove the view suggested yesterday by The
Tribune that the murder was the work u
woman. Dr. Edison 80 far has not given his de-
cided opinion on the case. He is only now max
ing an examination Of the marks on the chlls
clothing and his decision Will not be known for
at least two days.