New-York tribune., 1901-09-03
MURDERS YET UNSOLvED.
NO CLEWS TO THE DOUBLE KILLING AT
THE SIWANOY GOLF CLUB.
THE POLICE BELIEVE 1T WAS THE WORK OF
AN INSIDER, ONE FAMILIAR WITH
THE PREMISES-A NEW ARREST.


The tragic killing of David Scott end John
Stevens the colored steward and head waiter
of the Siwanoy Golf Club. of Mount Vernon.
whose bodies were found in the attic Of the
clubhouse on Sunday morning, literally carved
to pieces. is a mystery that has so far COM
pletely bafied the Mount Vernon police and
coroner and a hundred more members CT the
club who have been working hard to solve H.
The first impression of almost every one, in
cluding Coroner Banning and the police, was
that the men got into fight and killed each
other. but this theory has since been disposed
of by the finding of large stains of blood the
two small beds of the murdered men, showing
that both stabbed while asleep. The
autopsy also indicates that the men were muir
dered. The four physicians who made it say
that Scott and Stevens were cut up too badly to
have done the work themselves. Stevens
lying on his back. with a stab wound in his
back that went through to his liver. and he had
also been struck in the temple with a golf
stick that went through his skull. ScOtt's left
arm was cut open. and there were two big dag
onal cuts across his breast of which went
TO the abdomen. He also got blow from tire
golf stick which left a bruise his shoulder.
Bloodstains on his bed show that ne was evil
IDENTIFY attacked while sleeping, and he then
sprang up and fell the floor where his body
was discovered lying in a large pool of blood
The knife with which he stabbed was
found in the folds OF his shirt II was big
steel carving knife taken from the club kitchen.
The steel part OF the golf stick was found COW
cred with blood in the room in which the muir
ders were done. and the handle was picked up
in a dark hallway leading to the second floor. 1t
was a putter and the man that used il must
have broken II and dropped the handle as he
rushed down the stairs
Chief Foley looks upon the crime as being one
Of the boodiest ever committed in Mount Yer
non, and he has half a dozen OF his best men
at work on the case The police working
the theory that there were dissensions among
the help. and that there double motive
for the crime, that of spite and OF robbery.
The blows that were struck. he says. were
powerful and vicious. The men were literally
sliced TO pieces. The tin box In which the
steward kept the clubs petty cash. supposed
10 he 500 OF $500 Is missing and the chief
thinks that the assassins took that and then
went down the stairs and broke open the cigar
case and wineroom. and forced the back door
In order 70 make II appear that the crimes were
the work OF housebreakers
The chief thinks II strange that burglars
should have taken the trouble 20 pry open
three glass doors leading into the clubroorn
when there a window near at hand from
which they might have broken the catch and
are looking up all the men who have been en-
ployed by the club since II was opened on July
4. There are half dozen Of them and like
the murdered men. they are all colored
Another arrest was made this evening in
Yonkers by Detective Lynch. The suspected
man is Peter Buckenhoff. fifty years old. a
native OF Charleston S. c. He has been living
in this city. but gives his address as No. IL
James-st., Yonkers The police say that he was
formerly employed az the club. but left there
two weeks ago. after having had a quarrel with
one of the murdered men Chief Foley has
learned that Buckenhofr was In Mount Vernon
on the night OF the murder and he has arrested
him because he cannot give a satisfactory ac-
count of himself
The prisoner tells the police that he left
Mount Vernon at IL o'clock that night and went
10 Yonkers. where he slept at his boarding
| house No. IL James-st. Chief Foley says that
he has found man who will swear that Bucken-
hoff in Mount Vernon as late as 1 O'Clock
in the morning. and Mrs. Green, who keeps the
boarding house. denies that he slept at her house
that night.
Warner Simms. the cook. who. after discover
ing the murdered bodies dressed himself in his
best clothing and went TO the police station TO
report the case. and who was arrested sus-
picion. arraigned before City Judge Frank
A. Bennett at Police Headquarters yesterday
afternoon. After making a statement he was
remanded without bail to await the action OF
Coroner Banning. Simms appeared TO be COM
posed and voluntarily told his side Of the case.
lie said ne Was fifty y-one years old, married. and
that his family lived at No. 1873 West Twenty
sixth St. Manhattan. In part he said:
am generally heavy sleeper and when re-
go to tLeir room. They We're talking pleasantly
fh1s' fesdns from my room to the haIl Their room
was opposite mine NJ skve terrier, ToOtsle, slept
ceiccE IN the 59oraiSf Ghsn when W Was Swaksned by
whsre the cries came from and struck light
nv nv feet g in so Pooi Of blood stev@s lay on his bed
covered with blood His legs stifened out. and
/ then he Nfeless.
At this juncture Judge Bennett interrupted
Simms by asking him this question:
Didn't YOU tell yesterday that you saw Scott
on his hands and knees and that he was alive?,'
mo. sir; said he was dead. and lying on his
.fiow did you get blood on your bare feet?.'
.'rhen how do YOU account for the blood on one
of the sheets in your room"
up ON my led to shut the blinds in my room. be-
"Die YOU know that Scott took the club funds
70 ..tIe ~. aiwavs did that"
Are you holding back anythng?
No sir; I perfectly innocent OF any crime
Policeman Gleitzman made several Intellectual
efforts 10 examine Tootsie, Simms's Skye terrier
to see if there any blood on the dog. The
animal seems to be in great state Of excite
ment. and snarls and snaps at every one that
comes
Simus's clothing was carefully examined but
everything was perfectly clean No trace OF
( blood could be found.
Crcat Y eight is attached to the discovery made
bv Chief Foley that the kitchen door. which u
was at first believed had been broken open from
The outside to permit the burglars ingress. had
been forced from the inside On the kitchen
table was found cleaver. which IL is believed