The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-28
TEST OF FINGER PRINTS.
"PUDD,N'HEAD WILSoN" FEATURE
or MURDER CASE.

Porter stuyvesandt Held Tor the Wilson Murder
in PhiiadeIphia-The Murderer Left Finger
Prints on . Knob Imprints or the Nc
Ero's Fingers Are Taken Tor Comparison.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. ga hammer, a stencil
plate, and a knob from a dresser drawer bearing
the bloody imprints OF two fingers and a thumb,
were introduced In the Wilson murder mystery
to-day before the Coroner. The police detectives
have been astir night ana day since the
night of Aug. 16, when the body Of Major
William c. Wilson was found mangled on
the floor OF his circulating library at lll7
Walnut street, catching at every straw that
could lead to a trace of tho murderer. After q
consultation with the Coroner and District At
torney Graham it was determined TO lock up
Marion Stuyvesandt, the porter, who had been
in the employ OF the victim OF the tragedy, and
who was supposed TO be the last man that saw
him alive, but 1t was not known what evidence
this move was based on.
The Coroner's inquest to-day made public
all the circumstances which might connect the
commission Of the crime with the porter, still
imprisoned as a suspect. The hammer found
under the body, the implement with which tho
skull and ribs OF the victim were crushed was
one that had been in use by the porter. 1t had
been kept in a drawer in the kitchen.
In this drawer was u stencil plato hav.
ing what are believed 10 DO marks left
by the blood on the hammer. The
theory of both the Coroner and the police Is that
the hammer was first taken from the drawer
where II was kept and placed back after tho
commission Of the crime. leaving the figure 7
IN the stencil plate marked on the bottom OF
the drawer with the victims blood. The drawer.
the hammer. and the stencil will DO examined
chemically.
Yesterday Detective George Taylor Smith,
who has read the, book and secn the dramatized
version OF "Pudd'Dhead Wilson, discovered
what appeared TO bs tho bloody prints OF
two fingers and q thumb on the knob
on the dresser drawc-. The knob was
taken OF. Recalling tho unfolding OF tho plot
in Mark Twain's story, smith suggested that
the imprints of Stuyvesandt's fingers should be
taken in ink. and this W as done yesterday after.
noon with red printers ink. A number of i'm
pressiOns of the portcr's fingers and q micro
scopic comparison will be made for the enlight.
eminent OF the Grand Jury, as well as q chemical
analysis OF the supposed blood stains.
The revelations in support of this theory were
a surprise at the inquest before tho Coroner to-
day. Stuyvesandt was confronted BY them, but
did not quail. The Coroner put him through
the ordeal OF demonstrating the way he would
take hold Of the knob OF a door. He illustrated
II By. parting the ind eI and second fingers OF his
hand to catch hold OF the knob. The detectives
testified that in his cell he took hold OF a knob
with his thumb and index finger.
Stuyvesandt Is a native OF Dutch Guiana and
had letters from relatives relating 20 a proposed
visit to South American gold fields, but advis-
After hearing all the evidence Of detectives the
jury decided that Wilson was killed BY persons
unknown, but the Coroner committed Stuyve-
sandt for the action of the Grand Jury. II he
should be tried and convicted the police cannot
claim the reward offered by the city.