Evening journal., 1896-01-03
MURDERED IN HIS BED.
Hacked to Death With an AK
While Sleeping.
TRAGEDY AT LONG ISLAND CITY.

AAA1LU4 III BONG lD1hNU Oll l.
william Lalor Knisd In an old Farm
house In Long ga:nnd city-HIs wife,
From Whom lie Had Been Estranged.
Arrested and Locked Up.
LoSa ISLAND CRY, n. Y, Jan. g.
Within stona's throw Of Coroner Bonja-
min G. Strong's Office, in tho Dutch Killa
section Of this city, harharous murder
WAS committed in broad daylight, and tho
culprit escaped undetected. Tho victim
was William Erasmus Lalor, and the
seano Of tho crime was the old Manley
homestead that has stood for 100 years or
more a venerable and respected landmark.
IN an old fashioned bed IN one OF the
low rooms facing on jackson avenue one
Of the main thoroughfares of this city,
lay tho murdered man, hacked beyond
recognition The low ceiling wns spatter-
cd with blood. Thcre was blood on tho
walls and on the floor. Then thero was
a telltale smear of blood on tho heavy
bedroom door, blood on the doorjamh
and on the outside OF the door, which had
evidently been rubbed from the clothing
Of tho culprit as he or she fed, conscience
stricken, from the horrible sight.
Two feet from the bed. on the floor, lay
a heavy woodman's AK smeared TO the
heel with blood. A dent in the floor and
a carmine splash indicated the spot ii
struck when dropped from the red hands
Of the murderer.
There were no evidences OF a struggle
Nothing IN the untidy room had been dis
turbed. On the foot OF the bed lay the
murdered mans clothing, whilo the posi-
tion OF the body showed that death came
Go him us he slept. The body reclined in
an easy position, tho hands were loosely
clasped and thero was every evidence
that death followed tho first blow. Frenzy,
passion or drink probably lent strength to
the arm that welded the ak.
With the Brand OF Cain.
At every blow--and there were sevon
in all-the ak was each time sunk into
the victims face and skull even up to tho
handle. IL was the work of a minute
Then tho old doors swung open, and into
the bright sunshine. oasting fearful
glances right and left, glidod an unknown
person bearing the brand of Cain.
The Manley homestead years ago ranked
among the finest farmhouses on Long Is
land. It stands little back from Jack
son avenue between that avenue and the
north shore branch of the Long Island
railroad, on mound OF sand. Now every
thing about the old place bespeaks decay
and neglect. The property has been In
litigation, and no one In particular out
side of some lawyer seemed to exercise a
right Of ownership over the place.
Finally it was ascortained that the sand
mound on which the house stood was
worth something. Then the Lalors took
up their residence in the plaoo and looked
after the sac of the sand But when her
husband died in November last Mrs. La
lor went TO live with her daughter, Mrs.
Anthony Fostell, 1879 Wilbur avenue,
Dutch Kills. 1t was said tho old home
stead was haunted.
Mrs. Lalor's eldest son William remain
cd to look after the sale of the sand He
was 81 years old and had been married
seven years to Annie Donovan, but thoy
had never lived together. He said his wife
drank, while She in turn, said he was
lazy and shiftless.
His Wife Arrested.
Mrs LaIor discovered the murder. But
It was some time before the police were
notified. A careful examination OF the
room ia which tho murder was commit
ted was made. On the table were six
glasses containing dTegs Of beer, while
near bl elool an empty can that apparent
ly did service as a growler. Clothing was
scattered about, and a woman's coat was
found on tho foot of tho bed.
While this Investigation was under
way, Mrs Lnlor accompanied by her
daughter, Mrs. Fostoll, arrived at the
house. She was loud in her lamentations
and did not hesitate 20 lny the crime at
the door Of her murdered sons wife
My son met her on tho street few
weeks ago " said Mrs Lalor, "whon she
told him that her brother would murder
him some day To this my son replied,
Well, he'll have TO do IL when I'm
asleep.
Suspicion at once pointed to the mur.
derod mans wife or brother-in,law
Frank Donovan who was accused by
Mrs. Lalur. The wife was found to live
with Mrs Dooiey, q sister. in tho second
floor OF q house at 140 Third street. owned
10y Joe Sullivan, an actor. A warrant was
issued for her arrest, and she was arrested
in the house Of a neigh Dor, Mrs. Barnos.
She denied positively any knowledge Of
her husbands deafh. hleischauor and
Fostell, who were with L-alor tho night
before the murder were arrested as wit
nesses, and all were araignod before
Justice Ingraham. The woman was held
without bail, while both men were locked
up in the Queens county jail as wit