New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-12
A sTArEMENrIB THOMAS EDWARDS. FOREMAN
OF THE MARCH GRAND JURY-PoLicE
THINK THAT HENRY D. oHLSEN'
WHO WAS FOUND DEAD. MAY
HAVE BEEN KILLED
HAVE BEEN KILLED

terpfed 70 brbe him with part Of 10000 raised
by certain prominent Republican politicians ior
the purpose Of preventing the Indictment OF iheo
dore p. wills and Police Commissioner William r.
Philips
Detective Murphy has been doing the principal
work IN tracing clews in an effort 70 ascertain
whether or not Ohlsen was murdered some OF
Ohlscr's follow Grand Jurors believe that Ohlsen
accepted bride, and was afterward so hound'o
by those who had paid him tho bride TINT there
NAV be reason for believing that some threat on
his part 10 confess had made II desirable That ne
10 M, ont OF the way A. VI. Ifd. son-in-law or
Ohlscn who lives at No. l6i peKalbave sticks 70
his theory that Ohlsen met foul play. To IT'D
une reporter he said last night;
Il know certain things which have not yet been
made public which convince me that my father-in-
law I'D not commit suicide. | have been pledged
to secrecy by the police. I VIII say. however. mat
while the door Of the room in which my father-in-
laws body was found was locked on inc inside
the windows the Gre-escape wero open. ms
7 consider n suspicious circumstance My father
in-law after buying the revolver said 20 my "i'e
that he Nigh, need H. We know that he was mar
asseG hv those who were Interested in the Work
of the March Grand Jury and am inclined TO be-
lieve that he meant no might need the revolver
for scf-protection.'
u NAV he remembered that tho revolver was
found living beside Ohlsen's body. bat that II was
not IN his hand. on the table were three glasses
In the bottom Of each Of which was email amount
OF whiskey
Isles. who IS said 10 have handled the alleged
bride money. Il n Twenty-afth Ward RepuoHcah
and lives at No. $40 Hancock-st with h's wife ana
little children. He stenographer to City clerk
Joseph BENJAMIN for four years. but was dis
missed soon after consolidation and hns since been
out Ct employment.
STIRRED Up BY THE STATEMENT.
As soon as Isles heard about Edwards's state
men. Yesterday afternoon he went downtown, and
after being closeted with Disrict-Attorney Marean
he visited Foreman Edwards. at the real estate
Office OF the latter IN Cour;-st.
Charles Schott another Of the Grand Jurors
who corroborates tho statement u Mr.. Edwards
In its most important particulars. came IN while
Edwards and Isles talking From 70
O'Clock D. m. these three were together. and
Messrs Edwards and Schott talked earnestly and
~ times theoretically with Isles. Afterward MI
Edwards said:
Il am convinced that a big politician is back ~
this and that this fellow was Il tool. who
was Induced 10 DO wha, he did by bigger man.
We have been trying TO get him to say who was
bacl, OF him"
Isles seemed 10 be excited when Tho Tribune TO
porter him
1T IS all "a ile There is truth I'm IT," lie said.
What motive could prompt such an attack on
YOU" was asked.
Il don't know. But do you suppose that would
have no more consideration for my wife and chill
dron than to do Il thing llko his? rs absurd"
Mr. EDWARDS STATEMENT
The statement made by Mr. Edwards. which VA.
declared hy him Yesterday 20 be authentic. was tA!s
This man Gscs) came to my ofice AZ 80 o'clock
on the morning Of March u He told no re wanted
10 see mo lie WENT down stairs ;or - Jew
mcn's and when he came up Informed mo IN
casual way that ne had been drinking the previous
night with a number OF woli-known politicians. lilo
said that certain parties had come 20 him and 'oll
him tha 50 C0 had been raised and that tho Grand
Jury could have Il ~ Messrs. wills nnd Philips were
exonerated or were not indicted. was astonlshei
a. this remark. not M first grasplng Just exactly
what he meant But then 4 flashed upon me that
his intention was apparently 10 represent the
politicians whom he had seen. Ny hrst inclination
was to Ere him bodily out OF the o;lice. On second
thought. however. ! realized that had some re-
sponslnny as tho foreman o, the Grand July. and
that ny duties IN this undoubtedly lay In tho
direction of a little detective work. asked him
what disposition was 10 made OF THIS money
IIo said that 5000 he wanted himself. that could
have e. o0 tho foreman. and thar the rest of tho
money could be divided among number Of the
iurymcn who were 70 eject tho result desired
Noting my hesitation. 10 Informed that Barney
York had been and fixed the District-Attorney.
| was Inclined to punch him. but / said: Where Is
the money
Hero is some or It. he said. and took out SOW
oral hundred dollar bills VIII leave this for you
in the water closet downstairs. and you get I,
there II you want e.
.Aiy son and another clerk IN tho Office heard
this conversation.
after ] reached tho Grand Jury room that morn
ing this man cane to me ard whispered. T hxod
Ohieon nh right. and I've got some Of the sheencs
fixed
after the session he asked me to 20 20 A.
Smith & cos wine room. ana take n drink with
him. IIe asked NJ. schott and Mr.. DoMott 70 80
also. After couple OF drinks. turned to him
and said. WHY don't you trcat?' We'll haven't
got n" money with me now he replied. 'Whoro
are all those hundred dollar bills YOU had this
morning. Looking at us critically. hc said: Let's
At down and have tax over this. have some
thing to tell you He SAID that he was anxious 10
know Just how the Grand Jury stood on IN" matter
Of the indictments. that 500" had been raised Tor
himself 5000 for me. slrr for Nj. Schot $500 for
Nj De Mott and he added. 1 fixed the old man
(rnoaning Ohlson) and some others and as a matter
now even II thcy were Indicted Let tell
sny " YORK Ni na. ns S@ FH SGn 'G@ as Mr.
schot' W. indiInan, a' tis ,hr & b d,n mr.
want 10 hear aiy NOR 81 his matter ana he
adcrcd # ni3 duty t. inform the District Attorney
Schoit to control himself The man clustered out
. statement that lac had been OF on a drunk. and
s sgTr' y f t te orG ieres come Of IL now The
next dag this man came 10 M and said that he
was greatly worried about himself and his family
for what he had done while he had been drinking
AT the time. however. that these incidents oc-
rnr d we Y nI nin ocsi,o1ed Him. H. was mnnh
frightened and said that he feared detectives were
following him
Assistant D.strict-AttoTney John i. Clarke yes
terday admitted that President York Of the Police
Board had called him While the Grand jury
was in session and discussed some business
nectcd with the Dstrct-Attornoy's Office. but he
denied most cmphatcally that he subject OF in
dictments against Mcssrs. Philips or WINS was
discussed at all.
Swallowed BY DETECTIVES.
Mr. Edwards said yesterday that he was induced
TO make this statement n means OF sef-protec-
tion
Il have been Swallowed by detectives" he said
ever since the indictments were found. They fol-
low about and look into my Office window and