The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-22

hlutIuiuh VI
fered Last Evening.
Three men. John Kumar John Ols-
zewsM and Mike Burdock. suspected
of numbering John Frank, jr., the man
found in the Lackawanna river sun
day morning, were arrested yesterday
by the police.
The action was taken on the inform
alton mentioned in yesterdays Tribune
that these men, with others had been
seen with Frank Saturday night on the
South Washington avenue flats Frank
was intoxicated. Two patrolmen, Sar-
tor and Schmidt. separated the men,
sending Frank in one direction, his
companions in another.
The next morning Frank was found
in the river suffering from a frac-
/ tured skull which, in the opinion Of
| Coroner LOngstr. et was the result of
! repeated blows from a blunt instru-
ment. That is what impelled the police
| to arrest the three men yesterday, Last
| evening the prisoners were given
| hearing before Alderman w. 5. Millar
| Of the Eighth ward. The evidence Of
! fered against them was purely Circum-
| stantial Pierce Eastman gave the
! startling information that he heard a
| man cry out: Don't kill me. don't
| don't kill me!' Eastman also told Of
! fiCer stephen Dyer that he positively
! identified Kumar as one of three
! men whom he saw running away from
! the man in the river. Eastman. on
the stand last night, denied saying
| this to Detective Dyer.
! pI-DnnrL- T,ISrIIADrtTn
Burdock was discharged and the 9TH
er men were held for a further hearing
under 81 900 bail. this evening at
o'clock. Chief of Police Robling, when
! interviewed last night by a Tribune
representative, was willing to say that
despite a few Inconsistencies in the
statements of the prisoners, nothing
had been secured from the evidence
to couple a crime to the men.
"Of course" said Chief Robling, this
holding them over for a further hear
ing may result in important develop
ments. The fact that the dead man
was seen in the company of the ac-
cused by so many people may bring to
light testimony, but as it. now stands
the evidence is not sufficient"
Chief Robing stated that the inves-
. llSdllOn WAS IOulttN bl NblbiItl
Longstreet's opinion that the fractured
skull was not the result of a fall. Cor
oner Longstreet, when seen, stated that
the injury could possibly have been
inflicted by Franks falling backward
o"er the retaining wall.
| The arrests were made yesterday
morning by City Detective John Mor
Lieutenant of Police John Davis and
Mounted officer Dyer. Kumar, Ols-
zewski and Burdock were found in bed
in their boarding house on Reming-
ton avenue. The men are employed at
the Mount Pleasant mine but neither
of them We're at work yesterday, al
though the cOlliery was in operation.
They gave no reason for their idle
ness.
The hearing began at 74O o'clock.
Kumar is middle-aged man. surly in
face and manner, while OlsZewski is
better dressed and better appearing.
Burdock has dark features. He hung
his head during all the hearing, only
answering not guilty with his partners
when the question was put by Alder
man Millar through Special officer
Stanilaus Galvish, who was interpreter.
GEORGE DAVIS STORY.
Chief of Police Robing opened the
testimony, stating how the arrests
were made at the suggestion of Coro-
ner Longstreet. The next witness was
George Davis, Of South Scranton. He
toh how he and Frank had visited
three South Scranton Polish saloons
Saturday night. Frank was intoxi-
Gated. At one place he played two
games of pool with Olszewski. The
only quarrel during the night was be-
tween Frank and the bartender and
Frank pulled off his coat to fight. This
was because Frank thought the beer
glasses too small.
Davis and few companions went to
another saloon, leaving Olszewsk and
Runner to put Frank on a car This
was the time Patrolmen Schmidt and
Sartor separated the men. "Olszewski
met me afterward at the saloon" said
Davis, "and said he had seen Frank on
the car This was at 1890 o'clock.
j. p. McGinnis, known as "Sena-
tor" testified to hearing groans on
the other side of the river in
early morning. The man seemed
to be in agony. He thought it was a
case Of drunk. He also heard the man
call out "Wilie!" very distinctly.
: Then Pierce Eastman gave his start
ling testimony. Between and {
o'clock he was in bed in his house on
Maple street, just opposite from where
he heard groans, The electric light
showed him the indistinct form of a
man in the river on the farther side
II didn't go over" said Eastman; 81
3 was alone you know" He went back
2 to bed. Later on he woke up and saw
p three men running away from the form
in the river One was going up the
, track; the two others were making for
. the Elm street bridge, Eastman wa.
, about one hundred yards away Wher
asked by Alderman Millar to desCrib,
! the men, Eastman said one was stout
two had stiff hats. one had sl6uct
: hat, John Kumar was told to stant
up. He readily did so, placing hi,
slouch hat nicely on his head, and
, faced Eastman.
Does that man answer the descrip.
} tlon?" asked the alderman.
) Eastman mumblcd that he couldn't
\ say for sure, Eastman and Officer
( Dyer had a little controversy at this
point O1Cer Dyer demanded Of East.
man If he had not pointed out kumal
Z as the man whom he saw running up the
tracks, He told me positively this
} morning said officer Dyer. Eastman
) deried making the statement His story
\ atterWard thGt he heard the man in
( tho river call out Don't kill met" was
( ! weakened by IEastman's own con.
tession that he went back 10 bed
without any alarm for the sufferer
Eastman also told officer Dyer that ht
} saw the three men throw the body int
! the river He denied this al0.