Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-05-26
MURDER MYSTERY
For the Mazet COmmittee to In
vestigate.

Police Captain O'KeeHe's Death Alleged
TO Have Been Caused by Politicians
who Wished 60 Seal His Lips Con-
corning Plot to XIII supt. MoCul-
lagh.
The Mazet Investigating committee, which
is probing the administration of New York
city's municipal government, may have
murder mystery to unravel when it recon
venes May 81. Information has been given
to the committee tending to show that Po-
lice Captain John NJ. O'Keeffe (who died in
St. Vincent's hospital on Nov. last from
injuries said to have been caused by falling
down stairs, was the victim of a most cow
ardly and brutal murder that the object of
the murder was the sealing of his lips, be-
cause he had obtained information of an in
famous plot which had for its object the
assassination of Superintendent of Elec-
tions John McCullagh, former chief of po-
lice, on Nov. last, election day; that when
details of the plot are made public they will
involve several Democratic politicians in
New York. The proof tending to establish
these startling statements, the New York
Herald has been informed on excellent au
thority, will soon be forthcoming.
When Frank Moss, counsel for the com
brought to his attention. he said IL have
made it a rule not to publicly discuss in adj
vance any information that may have been
placed at the disposal of the committee, or
which may have been obtained in any other
way"
Superintendent McCulagh said Saturday
that he had positive information that an at
tack on him had been planned for election
day. lie had been warned by many of his
friends. They had written him and also
visited him. At first he was inclined to
make light of the statements, but later be-
came convinced that there was something
under way to do him harm, and it was then
that he decided to act He made report
to the governor and also to the board of
police commissioners in New York city,
pointing out to them the threats made
against him.
1t is claimed that certain politicians had
planned for wholesale repeating at the cleo
ton booths and that it was determined to
kill Supt. McCullagh to prevent his inter
fering with the plan. Capt. O'Keeife, who
was a Tammany man. was to take an active
part in the plot. When the plan was re-
vealed to Capt O'Keeffe the latter said: 81
want Tammany Hall to win, but I'll not
stand for murder, and if anything of the
| hluu IL LIleu suhll see lnhJ lut men VINO
attempt it shall answer TO the law
The Herald's informant states that on
Oct. 81 Capt. O'Keeffe attended an anniver-
sary dinner to Martin Engel. 1.-THE captain
drank heavily during the dinner, and at
about one o'clock in the morning, while
speeches were being made eulogistic of En-
gel, left the room for few minutes. He
was followed by several of the diners, who
knew what was to be done. The captain
had left the dining room and was about TO
decend flight of stairs when he was sud
denly struck terrific blow from behind,
which crushed in his skull and caused his
death couple of days later. Immediately
after the blow had been struck he was
pushed violently from behind, and fell head
long down the stairs His skull was frac-
tured by the fall.
In an interview with Herald reporter
Capt. O'Keeffe's widow said concerning her
husband Sometime before he was hurt he
had told me that he had been asked to do
something which he had Indignantly re
fused to lend himself to. | shall not say
what it was, but it concerns some men who
are known in New York"
Some of the police officials say O'Keeffe'
death was a pure accident, and no mystery
would have risen up around it at all if il
had not been for the efforts made at the
time to conceal the fact that Okeeffe was
drunk when he fell down stairs and frac-
| tured his skull