The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-15
THEORY OF ARDSLEY MURDER
NOT CHANGED BY. HALE'S NEW
STATEMENT.
Abercrombie Says Hcnernan Later Said
He Was Mistaken In thinking Man
VINO Shot Him Was "Howitt's Intended
son.in.Iaw'-Perhap . Hishwayman

AbercrOmbie Says HcnernAn Later said
He Was Mistaken In thinking Man
VINO Shot Him Was "Hewitt's Intended
Son.in.Iaw'-Perhaps . Highwayman
TARRYTowN une 1.-THE statement
made to Coroner Russell last night at the
Ardsey Club by E. G. Hale. the clubs super
int endent, in which Hale said that John
HefYernan told him while Hefernan lay
dying that he had boon shot y "Hewitt's
intended son-in-law." has excited renewed
in rest in Heirernans murder, ut ap-
parently it has not changed the minds OF
the authorities very mucn from the theory
the ave held ever since inquest
Both Coroner Russell and President
Aberorombie OF Irvington said to-day
that they still were OF the opinion that
Hefrernan was shot by highwayman
and that subsequent statements made
by him showed that his first impression
OF his assailant had been a mistake.
With Hale's statement which he made
rather unwillingly on account Of pressure
apparently brought to bear within the
Ardsley Club, three persons are now on
record as having heard Hetfernan make
the same assertion. but all three were prac-
tically together when he made it.
In declaring that Hale's statement did
not alter matters In his opinion, President
Abercrombie gave to-day new version Of
talk which DR.. Denniston had with Hetfer-
nan on his way to the hospital which was
not brought out at the inquest. Mr.. Aber-
crombie said that Hefe,nan told the doctor
that he thought at first it WAS -Mr. Hewitt's
intended SON law, as he had told the 9TH
ers and that then the doctor asked him
II he found 1t was. Heffernan replied that
when the man got closer he found he was
mistaken.
Herernan said practically the same thing
to Father Ftzsimmons. and with these
two statements and the slibi Of young
Sewall unshaken In the slightest degree
since the inquest, the authorities believe
that they are not justified In seeking any
further In that direction fol. Heffernan's
about whom various stories have been
told, Coroner Russell said to-day. had been
carefully questioned and their stories tailed
exactly with those Of the witnesses at the
inqy os o,,,ntrv ro,,,d.r ,,n,,.,,., .+tsun,s
have been made to solve this one. In addi-
ton to the Pinkertons and county detec-
tives. 1t became known to-day that Mr..
Edwin, Gould had personally employed
several private detectives. Mr. Gould has
Heffernan for his own personal satisfaction,
and he is known to have sent for promi-
nent police official OF this vicinity and de-
clared he was willing to spend any amount
Of money to solve the matter.
At present 1t would appear that all are
at q standstill, but Coroner Russell and Mr.
Abercrombie remain firm in the belief
that when they find the man who got a
hat in Tarrytown the morning after the
murder they will have the murderer.
Coroner Russell is indignant over criti-
cism that has been made here and else
where concerning his conduct Of the case.
for this criticism failed to recognize that
from the beginning the authorities had
been confronted with the fact that no
legal ante-mortem statement was ever
made by Heffernan.
If twenty persons instead OF three, said
he had heard him accuse a man without
that man being there to hear himself ac
cused their statements would not hold under
the laws of evidence, nor would any state
ment except one made either to a Coroner
or a Magistrate be accepted by a court as
proper ante-mortem statement. To
spend money on a case improperly con-
While Hale was unwilling to make sworn
statement to the Coroner, Mr.. Abercrombie
said to-day he had made the same state
ment several times to him and that it was
simply a short-sighted policy on the part
OF the House Committee Of the club that
had led to the difficulty. He said that
Philip Schuyler, president Of the club,
had advised the committee to recede from
this attitude and it had done so.
Word has been received that Heffernans
brother, who lives in Ireland and is COM
fortably Of, has started for this country to
try to find his brothers slayer