The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-29
SEWALL NOT THE MURDERER,
CORONER WAS READY TO HOLD
HIM FOR HEFFERNAN'S DEATH,
witnesses SwOro Dying Man Accused
Hiln-Was viewing F1ancce's Wedding
Offts when shot was F1red-Nlfss
Hewitt Flies to Ills Arms After Verdict.


Him-Was viewing Fiancce's Wedding
Ofrts when shot was Fireti-Mfss
Hewitt Flies to Ills Arms After Verdict.
1RvIEoroN-oN-Hu HUDSON. May 2s-Young
Rufus L.Sewall who is to marryJuanitaHew-
lit, daughter OF Robert Hewitt OF Ardslev,
next Wednesday, established perfect aibi
for himself on the night Of the murder OF
John Hehernan, the coachman, near tho
Ardsley Club, at the Coroners inquest
to-day. after two witnesses had sworn
that Hefernan in his dying moments had
indicated him as tho man who fred the
fatal shot. These witnesses swore that
Hefernan's words were that II was mir.
Hewitt's intended son-in-law" who shot
him. Sarah Campbell, the girl with whom
HehernAn was when he was shot, testified
that she thought Heffernan said it was
MIR. Hewitt's eon-in-law.
Both Sewa and Edward Somerville
Jaffray. who married Mr. Hewitts eldest
daughter and Ia his only eon-in-aw, were
at dinner party in Mr.. Hewitt's home
when the shooting occurred. This they
proved by the testimony OF guests. The
Coroner. who was willing to hold young
aewall at one stage Of the proceedings.
after earring their testimony and the testi-
n,ony OF others. among whom were Edwin
Gould, F. f. Eldridge and DR.. George F.
Shrady who testified "a to the incidents
that followed the murder, including state
nerts made by HeKernan that he did not
know the man who shot him, rendered
verdict IN which he held that He1ernan's
death had been caused by person unknown
and that he found no evidence in support
of the accusations against sewal
Had young Sewal taken the Coroner's
advice at one point In the proceedings.
after Healy. the night Waterman Of the
Artlsley Club. and John Flynn. the BELL
boy. had sworn that he was the man in
dicated by HcfFernan, he would probably
have been held for tho Grand Jury But.
when told by the Coroner that any state
ment he made, as the man accused, could
and would be used against him. and that
he had better wait and get a lawyer, he
said that he wanted to make 4 statement
and then went on to prove an abb, sup
ported by Mr.. Hewitt and his guests. This
resulted in his release and exoneration.
Altogether 1t was most trying situation
for Scwan. He was giving his farewell
bachelor dinner ct the Puritan Club in
Boston last night. when he was called up
on the telephone by his Aancee and told that
sponse to this message. and without know
ing what he had to face, that he appeared
at the inquest to- having left tho dinner
party and taken the midnight train. When
lated by the score Of clubmen and promi
nent men present, and the girl whom he is
to marry on Wednesday almost foil into hts
arms
here instead OF at the station At Ardeley.
rs wss intended originally. 1t was really
continuation OF the proceedings begun on,
Tuesday night At which Sarah Campbeal
hell then did not mention the statement
which she said to-day Hefernan had made
to her. Dr. Denniston sworc that He6cr-
nan on his way to the hospital told him that
= gentleman at first. but later found he was
mistaken.
Mhen the inqnes, wss continued to-day
in the presence Of lot Of clubmer and vii
tho Coroner and asked il she had told all.
She said she had not and then. in describ-
ing how she came back and asked the
c"ochman who had sho, him. she said:
Il thought John said: Mr.. Hewitt's
een-in-l,w shot me
In reply TO questions by Coroner Russell
;ha girl said that she didn't know whether
H1enernsn knew Mr. Jafi;r I, but tn, that she
could identify the murderer if she saw
around tho room for him At least fifty
l,-,sons we're then crowded into the room.
,Ini, ray WAS among them. Although standing
0uie far back. y was one Of many dra-
,na'ic moments during the little country
inu,3s, whe1, the girl, eyes swept over
rte crord Of wealthy residents aud club
Inc and answered that she did not see the
H.Ugsarer.
AJAX A. lI,aIy, the night Waterman. for
was then called. HI said that Heffernan
l.sd spoken Z, him "a he was waiting for
alir. Campbell; that he saw the two 60
tw, pistol shots.
u got revolver. called one Of the bell
boys aud ran up to where. HetYernnn was
l sas y IN on, on h ss0s s s s asked him
if he was hurt He said: Yes. I'm shot
/ saw he was seriously hurt and left the,
boy there while went hack and notified
the club and asked then, to ask Mr.. Hewitt's
house 70 turn on the lights Then Hale,
the superintendent, and got door and
went back to Hehernan and carried him
ys 1 I'd T @is p% say sesns I.G Sss
e. :i.s p" i Ia tasH Es e:' " "s's
Msf so, hsse .a ai : sssf' xG4s 1ssd
tended son-in-law repeated two or three
name o. the man indicated John Flynn,
the, hallboy Of the CLUB, told h how Healy
hsd h a nc askSe ep n TO
while was with him." said the boy.
u bent down over him and asked him II
he know Who had done it2 He said: Yes.
know who did It, The man who did II is
Hswitts intended son,in-lsw aSsed
him then how 1t happened. He said: Well.
had him down, but he was too strong for
me and got away.
Young Hymns story could not be shaken
By the Coroner and he swore positively
that the words he had used were Heffer-
mans. He was the only witness. appar-
time. Both Healy and Flynn said that they
helped to carry Hefernan TO- the station
on 4 door, along with Hale and Mr.. Platt,
and that they were the only ones who car
Red him. ~
Young Flynn denied . .s "a! times = tia!
The words tho Campbell girl had used:
He said 10 thought He6ernan had said
something while being, carried on the
kkst no hod raM0hf