New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-14
MURDER THEORY DROPPED.
POLICE LOOKING FOR THE MYSTERIOUS
COLONEL WEBSTER"

DETECTIVES REPORT THAT oHLsrN's DEATH WAS
DUE TO suICIDE-IsI.Es'S CONFESSION IN THE
BHookLYN BRIBERY CASES BELIEVED TO
BE coMrLErE-CoIoNEL GEORGE P.
WEBSTER OF HARLEM. DENIES
ACQUAINTANCE WITH ANY
OF THE MEN NAMED.
New developments IN the Brooklyn bribery
scandal yesterday were the effort Of the Police
Department to trace tho mysterious Colonel
Webster" with the big diamond who furnished
70 Isles the bribery money. and the dropping by
the police OF the murder theory regarding the
death Of Henry D. Ohlsen. one Of the Grand
Jurors who was found dead on March IS.
There have been two separate Investigations
Of tho death Of Mr. Ohlsen by the police Cap
tain OReilly and the police of the First Pre-
cine. first worked on the case. and decided that
II was suicide. Captain Reynolds OF the De
tec.ivc Bureau has had two men following
clews for the lastthree or four days. and Eester-
day he sent a preliminary report TO Chief OF
Police McCul,aSh expressing his belief that "
was case Of suicide. Captain Reynolds mas
not yet dropped the Investigation. but simply
made this report because Chief MCCullagh asked
him for information about the case
It seems that the murder theory originated
with the relatives of Mr.. Ohlsen. and the ponce
investigation was made at their urgent request
The police consider II somewhat Significant tha'
Ohlsen had taken out a policy for Sl0oCo SIX
months before his death In the Equitable lne
Assurance Society This policy. it is believed.
contained the usual clause excepting suicide as
Q cause OF death. for one year AZ any rate y.
NJ Hid and his wife. who is the daughter OF
Ohlsen did not suggest the murder theory until
several DAYS after Ohlsen's death. To Trib-
une reporter Mr. Hid said that the significance
OF certain facts did not come to his mind until
some little time after the death. At the Cor
oner's INQUEST Mr.. Hid seemed insistent that all
the testimony which seemed to suggest that
Ohlsen had met foul play be introduced the
suspicious circumstances which were presented
ss tending 70 prove the murder theory were
these: Three glasses with whiskey in the po'-
tom and some partly burned cigar stumps were
found on tho table. There were two bullets sho'
into the woodwork before the third buHe'
entered the heart OF Mr.. Ohlsen. Some OF 'he
family said that Oh'sen had told them mat ne
was afraid for his life. Although the door was
locked on the inside. the rear windows nea' 'l''
fire-oscape wers oper. Hid. who nrst ioui'" '''o
body Of his father-in-law and informed 'he po-
lice testified that his father-n law was accus-
toned to carry a small memorandum book and
life was threatened II ne did not change his
course regarding some negotiations about the.
Grand Jury matter. The police called attentions
Yesterday 10 the fact that Hid was the man
u,o discovered Ohlsen's dea III and afterward In
formed the police.
Cantain OReilly said 10 a Tribune reporter
regarding the case:
After searching every clew that the ;anlil SUE
eested We reached the decision tha Uni III, wir
Of
revolver which contained short cartrldgcs hey
shrous I his Goa, and xaiscos he threw back
his coat and waistcoat before hring knowing the
s nrshabIy Area two shots to test it. lie informed
tndertaker Henderson some time before MS dea an
i HIS nanciai sroa5es worry and his letter e
his family .,4oge WaE * he suCde eo4y
A. 70 the three glasses that had contained
LIQUOR. Captain Reynolds said;
There Is not necessarily much significance in that.
No one knows when the liquor from these glasses
MAS ps sbonine or T he Might have had friends or
acquanances with him mmediatey pre h,s ne the
shall Continue. however. TO investigate the case
until We can 90 no further
oH1sEN KNEW OF BRIBERY.
Mrs Hid said Yesterday that her father had
told her while the Grand Jury in session
that great deal OF bribery was going on.
sail 70 him: Father YOU Touldn,; take
prison." He looked as Z provoked, and then
said that he would no; accept bride under any
consideration.
She said that she did not renembe- clearly the
contents Of ;he threatening letter which her
father put in the memorandum book.
There is reason for believing that the Distrc.
Attorneys Office and the police have learned the
identity Cf the man Isles in his confession called
Colonel Webster" but VITO. Ia his statement
TO Jurors Edwards and schot:. he called Colonel
Morris" Assistant District-Attorney John +.
Clarke went TO Manhattan carly in the after
noon and it learned positively that he went
10 make an investigation IT. tina; borough re-
garJng this man. Webster is said to be Man
haitian man. and not connected with Brooklyn
politics On the contrary, he is said to he
Tammany Hall politician. hut this rumor could
not he verified. The police have A complete de-
scription Of Webster. which furnished by
Isles and they also know what his connection
was with a man who much interested in the
success # his negotiations NO more arrest
will lie made. it is said. until Webster is either
in custody or II is positively learned that he has
left the city. Then. il is said several other
arrests may be made but Just who will he
rested could not he learned and everybody in
the District-Attorney's Office now is particularly
close -mouthed
ISLES TOLD ALL HE KNEW.
Isless confession contained a great deal more
Information than appeared in the affidavit upon
which the arrest OF Charles NJ. Winan;
made Isles had 10 as surance of immunity
III ha agreed to make full and free confession.
and there IS no doubt that he told absolutely
everything he knew. District-Attorney Marean
would say nothing yesterday as 10 the manner
In which he expected to corrobOrate the testi
r1ony Of Isles at the examination OF Wirant
next Wednesday. but his statement 10 Magis-
trate Bremen definite that he would then
be able 10 corroborate the testimony. II he
should not succeed in doing this either at the
examir alton or later. It is hard to see how even
Winant is 10 he convicted. because the uncor-
roboratcd testimony Of Isles would be simply