The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-29
CORONER SKINNER SHOT.
EONG ISLAND OFFICIAL ATTACKED
IN HIS HOME At ArIDNIGHE.


Mysterious Crime Committed at MIineoIa.
DIR. Erasmus d. Skinner. Coroner OF North
Hampstead township, on Long Island, and one
Of Mo best known physicians in Queens county.
was aroused from his bed on Wednesday night
shortly before midnight and shot by a stranger.
who 7. yetended no wanted tho doctor to call on
. sick woman. Coroner Skinner Is now being
cared for at his home In Mlneola by two phyBi-
clans, no believe they will be able 10 save
his life. n Notwithstanding the fact that he IL 90
years old. =
Coroner Skinner lives In a plain. old-fash-
Toned frame house within 200 feet OF the Long
Island Railroads depot at Mineola, The house
Is surrounded by n well-kept lawn and grounds
extending to tho Asitroad track. at the point
where the trains turn of on the Oyster Bay
Branch Of the Iong Island Railroad. The
tracks Of the branch road are just outside the
fence surrounding tn Coroner's property. The
house faces the bra nch railroad. but stands
6fty feet back In the Rrounds. A picket fence
~incioses the property. The house Is approached
by a pathway leading 'urom q gate opposite one
side.
DR.. Skinner has erected q wooden lamppost
and q lamp that burr 10 all night. With the
light shed by this lami, and the light from the
electric lamps in and shout the railroad COM
pany's station the grounds about the front Of
the house are almost as bright at night as
they are during the day. TIL grounds In
the rear of the house, where the Coroner has
his barn. are kept liRhted at night by an odd
fashioned lamp on aposst set up just outsidel the
barn door. On the easterly side Of the house.
however, all is darknesB. Il was here the as
nassin was hiding with his shotgun when no
fred at Dr.. Skinner. holding the muzzle OF the
gun within a foot Of the basement window and
aiming at the Coroner's back while he was In
his - nJoa IN tho haaanaunfuo ~ fha houaa roabinv
preparations to come ont.
At the time Of the shooting there were but
two persons in the house besides the doctor.
Mrs. Skinner had retired early to her room on
the second floor. William Williams. the doc
tors coachman. was asleep In his room In the
attic. DR.. Skinner had remained up reading.
and had sat in the front room Of the basement,
which he uses as On office. At 10 O'Clock he re-
tired to his room on the second floor.
The door bell rang at 11:30 O'Clock. Mrs.
Skinner aroused her husband and told him
ringing tho bell.
DIR. Simmer got out Of bed and went TO o
front window. Putting his head out. he
Rhouted:
"Hellol Who's there"
IT want you come for sick romans" shouted
1yoice from beneath the porch.
Get off the stoop so that I can hear you
better" said the doctor. Go down on the
lawn"
The figure Of o big. broad-shouldered man
elided from the stoop to the lawn.
who are you 2" called the doctor.
IT come from East Wiliston." answered tho
man on the lawn.
who's Iii ?" shouted the doctor.
"A womans in Wizards Tappan house." an
swered the stranger. she Mr.. Tappan house.
keeper"
DR.. Skinner was well acquainted with Willard
Tappan. He knew Mr.. Tappan to be a well-to-
do farmer in East Williston. o mile away. II
doctor was Farmer Tappan's family physician.
He had also attended the old housekeeper
when she was Ill. so he did not think It strange
to be aroused out of bed.
Hello. therei" he shouted. addressing tho
dark figure on the lawn. did you come over
Yes. I got wagon with me-" answered the
"%ni you drive me homo againr" shouted
m SURE Sure. d said the man on the lawn. Hurry
AM4Weli." remarked the doctor, I'D better
s e:s :sS Y I q! }; 3: \ a IS s: IS re III Fl 1'B5 !: 'f ssa sS gS s4s
bis wife &h he had to zee az out I to attend a1.E q slcF cSlla
once lEpF The parPose p pSeffns Els case .
O%qFFEEical ipstE1pYs aad and mSdiCtPPs chest 49,
to the the f Basemshht ifi Is qinoSfos SsGm SO tn Cat G q pe rSS5
SGitPRs s S fSSE y = t tbs p sss3F%aT q Rq etc. SPe A. = S SOGP
ENhis door at tie foot q The StslrT y oaSs;
Be SS0E the Ssfil 1%s On 6 TtbEHSdOT Sa.ts lSPikiP & dS Ky
S Ssas : b, p Sitn SSs'S s!sp SRTR Pas F%JS Ss1 {. Re B:
SSiae!aaSSO t sRe y LAMP fnS esn sRs fsbl EH1 be FG plefed 4Ise q
S SSs9lf h 0G 9Rs aos g. G paFeias the S99 bO Eas iit ht e sIs
sssloif S5Sfs 4 IL 4 Il. is4 ss ST. s5 sssi SSsx sSs z + FL "a .
dow; H9 SsS pat KY EnsET. SShaf had hap,
1Eas the bottle Of ammonia which had exploded.
door st re toGSt Of .tks stairway. Reaching up
iQI hslP; END then attempted 70 Climb Up {6e
i tSsFs u Gss ne esl and an 81 5|ss s 8 step and lay
Mrs; s6ipnsF heard her hHsba4S call for
s ssseiSssaISS him s sSe t Eae atS e sFoass him. and. l sae
stssiSss sad sssaSsdr SSfiiiIiisas%ss: th Sss sq sshlssS W. ,.
she sGoated. sSd d1s diaef ths oqs &c ias a0ssS Rain
n LHEt as you can to H0nry's house and bring
!c9achmsn Williams hurried away to the house
Of the d9ctor,s eldest son. Henry. who lives
aa SSSSs. aG SoSs sESs IN W. Siil 6sa5 S 'd tfi not SSsS %sIt e Ess 90
gut on the road. but took . short cut across Dr..
The ooaehman had TO climb a fence IN the
rear o. the propeSty to reach the EoAd
climbing the fence he saw the figure Of a man
W the open doorway OF the DOCTORS barn. He
was at the barn door, but continued until he
had Eesohsd Henry skinner, house and had
In the meantime, q man named John Allen,
who y in the employ Of the Long Island Rail-
road Company. and was In the pumping sta
ton adjoining the railroad tracks opposite the
Doctors residence. jumped over the front fence
and ran to the Doctors door to see what had
'bRppened. He had heard the report OF the gun,
Mra; skinner admitted Allen and told him that
foot OF the stairs. She asked him TO get medi-
ca assistance a. soon as possible. Allen tele-
aroused several Of the neiGhbors. DIR, Joseph
Bogart OF Roslyn was also summoned. The
injured man was carried upstairs TO his room
and placed upon a bed. Drs, Finn and Bogart
worked over him t9r several hours and sue
NaAld lie belieYed that q hottln ~ ammonia hnl