New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-05
A NUDE BODY IN RIVER.
-Four Negroes arrested, Suspected of
Murder an Case.
MAN MAY HAVE BEEN DRUGGED.

The nude body OF man, with cut IN the
forehead was found in the Harlem River near
East One Hundred and-twenty- sixth-st'- yes
terday afternoon. An investigation led to the
arrest of four negroes on suspicion or murder
ing the man. They are Joseph Wilson, OF one
hundred and fifty sixth-st. and Eighth-aVe.;
Edward Cotton of No. 423 East One-hundred-
and-twenty-fourth- William Brown, of No.
SAB East hundred and-twenty- second-st,
and Charles Carter, of One Observation-Disclosures
ty-second-st. and First-ave.
Cotton, one of the prisoners. told Policeman
Flood of the East ne-hundred- and-twenty-
sixth-st. station, a story which led the officer
to take him to see Captain McNally. The story
the negro told the captain and officers is that
the white man. who was drowned. had asked
him Friday night at Second-ave. and One-hun-
dred-and-twenty-fi fth-st. where there was a
barber shop in the neighborhood. Cotton said
he never saw the man before. He led him to a
shop, where the man shaved and had his
hair cut He then asked Cotton to have drink
with him. and Cotton said they went into the
saloon at the southeast corner OF One-hundred-
and-twenty-fifth-st. and First-ave.
While they drinking. Cotton said, two
other negroes entered who knew Cotton. and
the white man bought drinks for them all. dis
playing about $40 in roll of bills. Cotton says
one of the negroes whispered to him that he
was going to have the money the white man
had and he bought a flask of whiskey, went TO
a side door and poured the contents OF snuff
box into the flask, and shook it up
The men left the saloon and walked out on
the Wills-ave. bridge then going down to the
river Cotton said the white man gave him
10 cents and sent him for some more whskey.
When it was drunk, Cotton said, the man who
had the flask of whiskey drugged with the snun'
then said: Lets have some more
This man pulled out the flask. Cotton said he
made believe to drink but though he put the
flask 10 his mouth he did not pull out the cork
Then he handed it to the white man. having
pulled out the cork. The white man drank almost
half of it Cotton said he then walked away, not
wanting to take part in any row. He said he
/, turned and saw one of the negroes seize and
hold the white man while the other negro
pounded the unknown man. Cotton then dis
A little while later, Cotton said, he met the
two negroes, one Of them carrying the white
mans clothing over his shoulder and the other
with the mans shoes in his pocket. He said one
of the men, the man who had beaten the white
man, told him to say nothing and offered him
50. Cotton said he refused the money. When
he heard that the body of white man had been
found in the river. near the scene of the robbery
he looked at the body and finding it to be that
of the white man, he went to the policeman.
Captain McNally put a policeman in a cell
near the negroes cells without their knowing
1t. and after some delay the captain reports that
the policeman overheard one Of the negroes say
to Cotton
You black niger, I'll cut your insides out if
you squeal. If l don't get out myself I'll write
to friends and have them do it,"
Assistant District Attorney Krotel appeared
behalf of the District Attorneys office and
questioned the prisoners. Cotton told his story
again, but the other men denied they knew any
thing about the case. The Coroner was asked
to perform autopsy on the body of the white
man.
Detectives Reardon. Teevins and Liston, Of
the East -hundred-and- twenty sixth-st. sta
ton, who began TIE investigation of the mys-
terry, found the white man was well dressed,
with the appearance of a business man or pros
porous merchant, and that he had been seen in
the neighborhood Of One-hundred-a d-twenty-
fifth-st. the East Side for several days before
last Friday. He had spent money freely. The
detectives think he may have been of
some refinement, and that his association with
negroes the result of drinking. The de-
tectives learned they say, that the wore
several pieces of diamond jewelry when seen
about the district, and had a gold watch and
gold chain. They have found no trace of these
articles.
An alarm has been sent throughout the city
and to suburban districts to bring about an
identification of the man, If possible, and as
quickly as possible