New-York tribune., 1902-06-19
DISBROW FOR WITNESS.
SUBPOENA FOR HIN ~ Az
PEAR WILL BE ISSUED.
AUTOPSY on FOSTER REVEALS NJ
WOUNDS-MISSING MAN ACIlNu
on ADVICE OF COUNSEL.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE J

IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE
Good Ground Long Island, June 1S.-Ihe podE
Of Clarence Foster was exhumed thls 4lIe'l
by Coroner Nugent. II it had borne any "ouiios
they were obliterated by decomposition anu tile
autopsy threw no light the manner OF hl9
death. The body Of ''Dimples Lawrence VIII
NOT he disturbed The father OF Foster forceo
the coroner to act after week of ureless I'M
portunng He was disappointed by the result
A representative of the Dishrow family Row
land Miles. an attorney of Northport came
here to-day and took up all the forged chechs
uttered by Louis Disbrow. Mr.. Miles said that
Disbrow would not be given up unless formal
charge were made against him. He oeclareo
emphatical that the young man was innocent
of any part in the death of Foster and MISS
Lawrence.
Miles made a statement to the reporters which
he asked them convey to the District Al
torney.
Our first step has been to clear up Louis Dis
brow's check transactions in order that the two
cases might not be confused he said. Il have
succeeded in cashng the dishonored paper, and
that part Of the trouble is settled for good. Now
we are ready to produce Louis Disbrow. and to
have him tell all he knows just as soon as n
charge is brought against MIN. If his connec-
ton with the case is not thought by the officials
TO be serious enough to warrant their charging
him with homicide he will never explain.
We don't care to have him tell what hap
pened that night ! convinced that he is
absolutely innocent of any wrong doing in con-
nection with the death of Foster and Miss
Lawrence. He has acted under competent legal
advice from the first and will take no step
advised"
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANGRY.
Livingston Smith, the district attorney, was
angry when he heard of Miles's mission and his
way of performing il. for without waiting for
Mr.. Smiths return from the shore the North
port attorney left Good Ground by train.
IF l wanted to clear a man of murder sus
picion' said the District Attorney, I would see
the officials in person. l rode for seventy three
miles on the same train with Mr. Miles this
morning. yet he told me nothing of his inten-
ton to come to Good Ground. 1t is evident that
he did not want meet me-
Late this evening Miles telephoned to Mr..
Smith that Disbrow would not come to Good
Ground for the coroner's inquest. The District
Attorney then decided to issue subpoena de-
manding Disbrow's appearance here Friday
morning. This will bring him into the case as
a witness instead of principal.
To-day the District Attorney went over the
ground covered by William H Fields. his Pink
erton detective and will continue his invesu-
cations tomorrow. He is satisfied that Foster
and Disbrow fought on the beach and that Dis
brow went out on the bay in a second boat. He
tried some interesting experiments on Tiani
Bay this afternoon with the yellow rowboat
from which Foster and Miss Lawrence were
lost He proved that it leaked badly when
more than one person was in il He questioned
many witnesses but. far as can be learned.
secured little new evidence. md has little hope
Of bringing sufficient to light to complete the
case.
COULD NOT DISPROVE DENIAL.
Louis Disbrow knows what happened in
the bay that morning the District Attorney
said TO : Tribune reporter this evening Yet
if he says he went out in the Squres's boat TO
save them from drowning do not see how we
can disprove bis statement.
It was shortly after noon to-day that Fosters
body was taken from the little Good Ground
cemetery. on the edge of the village The ton
Of the coffin was a scant eighteen inches from
the surface. When asked why this was the
sexton replied: We'll ! expected this sort OF
thing and there use working more than
necessary
The autopsy was performed by DR.. ]. H. Ben
ian1in of Riverhead. At the inquest later at
the house of W. W. Wells. DR.. Benjamin testi-
fed that he knew Foster In life, but had been
unable to identify the body. He removed the
clothing and found external marks on the
body. But the physician said that nothing less
than deep cut or bone fracture would show
now. Traces of the wound the eye had
disappeared. The lungs were congested, and
contained some water. In DR.. Benjamins opin-
ion, the lungs would be free from water If Fos-
ter had been dead before his body got into the
bay. In his judgment death from drown
ing The coroner will continue the inquest to-
morrow.
A circumstantial story Of the murder of Fos-
fer and Miss Lawrence Is now told here and
attributed to a bayman named Schwancke.
According to this story, ne rowed across Tiana
Bay from the Good Ground side and slept in
a catboat anchored below the Tunnel House.
In the night he was awakened by noises and
peering over the stern of his boat the
other boats on the water near him. A man
and woman were in one boat, and man alone
was in the boat behind The two boats came
together with crash, and angry words We're
exchanged in low tones. Then the in the
rear boat struck the man in the other boat on
the head with one of his
At this point, the story goes Schwancke
became frightened and crouched down in the
boat so as not to what followed. When he
looked up again the man rowing back
TO the beach, and nothing else in sight.
Schwancke could not be found to-day, though
the south shore. from Morches to Montauk was
searched for him.
Northport Long Island, June 1S.-Mr. Miles.
Louis Disbrows counsel, arrived home tonight.
He made the following statement:
/ have been retained counsel for Disbrow and
am ready to produce him when he is wanted but
first d warrant must be issued for his arrest
charge OF homicide. Diobrow is keeping away on
the advice of his counsel and if anybody is to be
blamed ! accept it.
Mr.. Miles says also that he does not intend
to allow the prosecution TO tie Disbrow all up
1v STA he Nigh kp