New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-16
A QUEER TALE FROM JAMAICA
POLICE INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS
OF A SEvEN.YEAR-OLD GIRL
SHE sAys SHE SAW THE NExr-DoOR NTIGHBoR
BURY NEGRo's BODY IN HIS YARD-HER
MOTHER PARTLY CARBOHYDRATES HER
STORY. AND TIE POLICE
MAKE AN ARREST.


Tn. .,rangest tale In the experience OF the city
police In Queens their advent IN that borough
was told In the station at Jamaica last nibn- 10
Sergeant White. 1t involves mystery when mas
lasted since July.
Mrs Eliza Jackson. OF No. lp2 Smith-sI' IA
maica appeared at the police station Ias' '"eN''
ACCOMPANIED by her little daughter Helet The
child Is seven wears old bright. and good talker.
Mother and chi'd told this story: on the SUNDAY
morning following last July the child was on the
back stoop OF her mothers house" ana was IooNl"o
over the fence into the yard Of INC house o''upe"
by Robert Brewer. contractor "H'h Sn' '""
Mr. Brewer and a youup mn' 30 that Tim" In his
employ and whom the chid called Patrick Nhite'
carry the body OF a young coiored man from the
barn into the yard and place Il IN box TAey
proceeded 10 lower this box into hole which had
beer dug in the yard
The chila told these things 10 her mother, Mrs.
Jackson said last night and on hearing them sh"
went 10 a window. and. looking out saw Mt.
Brewer and white filing up big hole in the yard
She said nothing about the occurrence TO any one.
Al n later date however Mrs. Jackson said. a
Young son Il Robert Brewer, whose name Is also
Robert Brewer was In her house ana SAID so
Mrs Jackson asserts that their coored man. John.
had been kicked I'm the head by horse and that
his body had been buried in the yard.
Tho Jackson child was closely questioned by tn"
notice last night but she stuck 70 her story. and
even gave details as TO what the colored man
looked like how the carrying him were
dressed and the kind Of a box they carried. MIS-.
Jackson did not explain why II was that the occur
renee had been kept secret 50 long.
Coroner Rouff summoned. however, ana the
tale was ret0d TO him. He AT once Issued Wdr-
raat for the arrest Of Brewer, and policeman
laced the contractor under arrest lie was taken
10 the station house and locked NJ.
At first Grower denied ever having had colorei
man in his employ. hut when the polio" proved 10
him that Just prior the day mentioned by Mrs
jackson and her daughter colorcd man did work
for him Brewer admitted II TO be fact. He then
said that the man went away. and he did not know
where he had gone. lie strenuously denied that
ne nnn had been killed on his place and that he
had buried the body.
Sergeant White with two policemen then visited
the Grower place. They inspected the yard care
fully but probably owing 10 the long lapse OF time
since the alleged occurrence found oihinG 10 IN
dicate the truth fasehoOd Of the chid's story.
pafrolman was detailed TO take charca 81 the place
and he will guard the yard until this morning.
Coroner Rouff also visited the yard and looked
II over He said that unless the story true
II was well told for a fabrication. and he would
certainly have excavations made. II Tho body vas
not found az once he would have every inch OF the
place dug up.
In one detail the strange story Of the child has
already been confirmed. Mr.. Brewer said late last
night that the colorec mans name was John. and
the police discovered number of persons who saw
tho man about the place in the first week in July
and have not seen him since