New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-30
WAS MRS. kUNNETT SLAIN :
ALBERT A. NELLIS ARRESTED ON THE
CORONER'S ORDER.
HER BODY WAS FOUND IN THE ARrAwAY OF
NELLIs's HoUsE-IT Is SAID THAT SHE

Yves. Forty-ninth-st.. who was found dead In the
arcaway IN front Of Nellis's house Saturday night
After taking the statement Of several witnesses
yesterday afternoon, the Coroner fixed bail for
NeilIs at $500.
Coroner Hoeber was informed OF the by the
police OF the West Sixty-eighth-st station at
o'clock yesterday morning. He got out OF bed and
worked on 1; Until after daylight. BY that time he
was convinced that he would be justified in causing
Nelis's arrest He learned that Nelis had boarded
with Mrs Runnett and had known her for twenty
wears although he denied that he knew the woman
when the body found. Mrs. Runnett, he also
learned. had been annoying Nell:s of late and had
made threats against him. The Coroner also found
tina: Mrs Runnett had died from fracture Of the
skull from a blow on the back of the head. There
was scalp wound above the fracture II the
woman had been struck with some sharp instru-
men;. such as the spike OF an iron fence. though
there was no such spike where Mrs Runnett could
have fallen against it,
II might have beer possible the Coroner thought.
FOR the wound 10 have been caused by fail against
the edge Of stone STEP but the surroundings did
not seen, TO indicate that such had been the case
The autopsy which was made by Coroner's Ply
elcian Huber. showed that there had been cons.d-
cradle hemorrhage. but there was little blood where
the body was found and wound was discovered
until careful examination had been made.
A RAZOR AND POISON WITH HER.
razor was found in the bosom Of the woman's
dress and some whitish powders in her pocket. The
autopsy showed however that she had not taken
poison and II would have been easy. the Coroner
said for those things to have been placed there
after death to disarm suspicion. The autopsy
showed however, that Mrs. Runnett had been ad-
S,cted TO the use of liquor to a moderate extent.
This fac; the defence is using in arguing that
Mrs Runnett fell down the stoop accidentally
Mrs Runnett was the wife of John Albert Run
nett who at one time treasurer OF Nipios
Garden He has been a cripple for a long time and
L. y wifi Kant q bOarding-hOuSe o.
West Forty nnth-st Nellis became one of their
boarde-s What caused the first trouble between
Mrs Runnett and her boarder is not known den
nitelv When asked about this part Mss Lilly g.
Horney a niece of Mrs. Runnett who lived at the
house said that that was matter for Runnett 10
explain, and Runnett remains silent.
year and a half ago Neis married MIS-. .
Blakeley. a wealthy widow ana reai-estate "eaier
al Broadway and Forty-seventh-st He went 20
live with her at his present address. Trey Neu
IN style, keeping servants ana occupying d Ho"S'
OF some pretentons.
Mrs Runnett's clearinghouse aid not prosper
as well as she would have liked. and she began 10
cali on Nellis to aid her. He made many eN-
cuses but Mrs Runnett became more persistent
and when she Has found dead in front OF Neiliss
mus. in the manner described. the police and
Coronor az once became suspicious
When Nel,is sad that there was no use IN ms
further denial c; having known Mrs hunhe't ne
said that he had first made the denial to Keep a
scandal from leaking out
Xe,us who was taken before the Coroner by De-
.ec,ives Hahn and Armstrong. of the West sixty
eighth-st. station. yesterday MADE the ioi'o"'"e
statement:
Il am hfiy-two years old. nave known MIS-
Runnett about thirteen years. During this Tune
I have beer on friendly terms with her and her
husband Last night l arrived at my house at 900
O'Clock. / entered the front door. went upstairs
to the second floor and prepared for dinner we
nv wife and l. then vent down stairs together into
NTH iCC
ton, the governess and my little stepdaughter. and
Mrs Lamar who boards with us We sat down
10 dinner about O'Clock and remained there three
nS y If to the drug
cigars They returned in five minutes IN me
mean the evening ems papers After being By
Miss Ather;on the cook caiIea tne arel sav
Went down and called to what thought was 5o, ,ne
there / received no answer and then saw that
oe S9.ss Se light e Ta on the the SSe: nS
ai ss that it was Mrs Runneti sent for
Pound poke book il to the g policeman
without examining ~ ,bs d 5ous e' in thin Coat and
feeling chilly I went back for thicker one When
again returned to the door the BODY mao oeeh
taken away"
HIS LAWYERS STATEMENT.
] Aspnwall Hodge who with John Fannell and
Clarsnce Stewart appeared before the Coroner for
Nellis said for Nes: go
Mrs Runnett had been on friendly terms Win
Mrs Nells and they had even exchanged Christmas
rrDsenrs this week Mrs. Runnett had evidently
either gone to Nellis's house on friendly WIS.,,
Or 10 see him about some business matter Sne hau
spoken to him about getting him TO reh' out hei
Tie statement taken from Miss Lilly G ho OF tSs
niece e M ssa Ne d sad Ms
rested month ago FOR annoying him al MS EeCorSs
Mss Honey said that her aun: left home nH Only aey
abou, an hour before she Was found ceaa Ind see
nsDe"s a. ~S Mas gong. as he seemed to be greatly
excited about something MISS cabecar which
Mrs Kunnet: boarded. Miss Horney then returned
home. ,, ,.r the car at once and
then went up TO the Nellis house: .,c,,b
AGus Ca ,Pptinn saws that when the woman was
cuhd she sitting the bottom Sr Of df Sne nss
steps. her back against the wall ana hei o"e' '"
extended straight, out from her oooS'
CAPTAIN FRfEDENBERG's THEORY.
Since last night" said the Captain. i nave
learned that for nearly twenty years Neiiis anu 'o
dead woman had maintained ih,i"a'e ,",.,
About year ago Nellis narlleo ~ OF tbe
who is ] believe the only woman Heinoe, % 49,
Real r,stata Exchange. Mr. and Mrs Nelis no"
have roa! estate office at Forty-seVeh'h-sl . an"
Broadwav IL would appear that after his fndr'lase
10 bjs rnoysnce and in fact he caused her arrest
isst senisn,ber for raising trouble at his once
y5 ,be Rppees Gallery at Police headquarters
he having been accused suspected OF peins ,bse
Sen9 aksn oHs of the gallery
WsiiSrSo 7 .n,d Neis after his arrest tnat "dS
scaua5te ed with his record for many year, arr in1
IL aid not deny what had been revealed regSr t,n1s
his past hut said he had been trying lor d io"s '
~ 80 ' IE,,pdenberg is OF the opinion that MIS-
Runnet had gone Nellis house to See herse as
VII NY TIE -aznr found upon her ~ was u ne
razor and had never been honed boueht II with
yesterday. "and believe she n""
such deliberate purpose 49,. omcsrs Yesterday
Captain Fredenberg sent two oiT scty was af-
forded them By Mrs. Nels TO MAKE max. a 20 enIghten
vesfieation but they found nothing I" e"""
them In the case,