New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-03
STRANGE STORY OF MURDER
MAN ACCUSED OF COMING MASKED INTO
HIS OWN HOUSE.
HOWARD BURT HELD FOR KILLING HIS
r.r,rp-,x-IAw AND wouNDING HIS
WIFE IN HANNAwA FALIs-MANf
RELIEVE HIM INNOCENT


BELIEVE HIM INNOCENT
Potsdam ~ " Dec. 1.-The preliminary examina-
don of Howard W Burt who is charged with kill
ing Asa Briggs his father-in-aw ana attemptiis
TO kill his own wife. at Hannawa Falls. 1ve miles
from here O., the night OF November TO- VIII oeglh
here Tomorrow The murder and attendant cir
cumstances are mysterious. and the case promises
to be one Of the most interesting that ever &C.
CURED In Northern New-fork
On the night OF November 10 Asa Briggs eishty-
three years old. sat In his sitting-room IN an IN
val,d's chair suffering from stroke OF paralysis
Around him were his daughter. Mrs. Burt: her four
teen-year-od son. Harry and hired girl Mt Burt.
who ran the farm had been away on business Tor
two days At O'Clock rap was heard on the
door which was locked. The boy opened II. and
was confronted by a man whose face from the eyes
down was covered with handkerchief. He held a
revolver in position to shoot. The boy cried Rob
bers" and fed to the stting-room where he and
the girl escaped through back door
The man with the mask followed the boy into the
room and met Mrs. Burt He fired. the ball pass
ing through her arm. Again he raised the weapon
and held 1t to her face but for some reason hest
tated. The startled woman waited. expecting the
bullet. and when II did not come she knocked MS
arm up. He then struck her TO the floor behind
him. BY this time the old man had risen to his
feet and started for the intruder. but fell! ana as
he fell he grasped the man by the legs. Twice the
man In the mask struck him over the head. ap-
parently TO make him let go. When he failed 10
do so the stopped and fred twice. hitting
Briggs In the shoulder and the throat when he
ioosened his hold and rolled over. The masked man
then started for the front door Mrs Burt had
risen from the floor and was fleeing down the road
TO a neighbors Standing on the steps. the man
fred at her once and ned.
The mans tracks were visible In the light snow
and he was followed for some distance. Morris
SAVAGE who had been thrown out OF the house
Hoy hef nd threatened
revenge himself. was arrested after long hunt.
He proved perfect abb and was released
Burt had arrived home on the evening or the
shooting. From certain remarks he made sus-
p,con began to centre around him. and the ofhcers
after two weeks investigation arrested him. Burt
has been the most respected man in his community,
and he has many influential friends who refuse 20
and this is his most distinctive feature. The man
In the mask wore soft. wide-orimmed feii nat
on the examination of Savage. Burt testified that
on the day! OF the shooting ne was IN Parishyile,
saon after g. Here ne SAID he pu; up his horses
and at s:l5 went FOR walk around town, return
ing to the main street. where he was told OF the
shooting at o'clock. Then he drove home at once
Why l he sSoppea Pa PS Saa n4 ar Of M
sSsss sss ts sT sss mile: M: q. e.
has since been learned positively that he hired an.
other team at Parishvile for his drives into the
He confessed that in Potsdam he had bought a
hat like the worn by tae masked man. II was
for his brother. but ne had lost 1t that night and
1 could not produce Il. He was asked II he owned a
revolver at the time OF the shooting carried one
that night. and said No" He dia buy revolver
two weeks before. discovered later. and tina l.
like the hat. Is missing
The last trace the authorities have Of him Is
$50 o'clock. when he went In the direction of his
home on foot and carried small package under
his arm. supposed to have been the hat. The road
he followed would have taken him 10 Hannawa
Falls BY rad less travelled than the main road
Wh~a he at the bridge and heading
did not cross the bridge that night. II Is posi-
lively asserted that he by two persons
who know him well at about $50 o'clock that night
coming toward the town and on the other side OF
the river. AMI the first one who saw him says he
running He not told OF the shooting a.
could not have arrived home at $50. as he swore
for at $50 o'clock ne called for his the
hotel and started for home. red bandanna hand
kerch.ef was picked up In the road near Potsdan
little before Burt reached the town. but the
person who found II will not swear that Bur
dropped IL.
man who showed beard was goine
toward Burt's home just before the shooting, and
coming away just after. Rurts hired man saw
him. and. although he knew Burt was away
thought IT Burt first sight but said at the
examination that when he looked again he saw
the masked man do correspond exactly with
the shoes worn by Bur-. and when he came into
town saw that he was tired. II he die
the murder he must have walked
II Is said Mrs. Burt will testify that she remem
bers nothing but the two blazing eyes and the
man had no beard. for he could the bottom OF
the chin. Mr.. Briggs Is said to have stated before
he died that the mans beard was tucked up In
the neck.