New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-03
HER DEATH SUSPICIOUS
Nag Hare Been Kicked to Death
Husband arrested.

Suspicious circumstances surround the death
OF Mrs. Della Chapman, thirty-seven years old.
whose bruised body was found last evening in
her rooms in the basement of the four story
tenement house, at No. 444 West Thirty-frst-
st. The woman's husband. Nathan Chapman,
painter was locked up in the West Thirty-sev
enth-st station. on suspicion of homicide" and
John H. Ryan. a boarder has been detained as
a witness Both of the woman's eyes were
blackened, her nose was broken and her body
was covered with bruises.
The police have one witness, Miss Ellen
O'Brien. who has room next TO the Chapman
apartments. and who declares that on Saturday
she saw Chapman knock his wife down and
kick her She says that the woman was just
able TO crawl back into her apartments Mrs
Cornelia Doerscher. the janitor. who Informed
the police Of the woInan's death, told them, they
say. that Chapman had beaten his wife num-
Der OF times TO her knowledge.
Patrolnan Neary. Of the West Thirty-seventh-
ST station, says that he arrested Chapman a
month ago on complaint Of his wife. who alleged
that he had beaten her. He was arragned be
fore Magistrate Cornell in the West Side Court
and held for trial in the Court of Special Ses-
sions. When his trial came up Mrs. Chapman
pleaded for her husband saying that she
not able TO work, and that ne would support
her He was found guilty of assault and SEN
Mrs. Doerscher says that Chapman called her
10 the apartments last evening. and said that on
his return home from work he found his wife
dead Mrs Doerscher went into the apartment
and looked at the body, and then told Police
man Winhan. Policeman Neary called, and
the two officers went TO the apartment. Chapman
was not there, but some boys said they had
seen him going toward Tenth-ave- The police
men followed, and overlook him at Thirty-third-
st. and Tenth-aVe. Tie policemen took him back
to his apartments. They held him there until
an ambulance had been summoned from the
Roosevelt Hospital and the woman was official
~ pronounced dead by DR.. Meade. When asked
TO express an opinion as to the cause Of the
womaus death DR.. Milliken said:
Il can't say Just what caused DEATH but from
the condition of the body 1 should think the
case was one for the police to look into"
Chapman was then placed under arrest. a
big crowd Of people had collected about the
tenement. and when Chapman appeared the
crowd jeered him and called him names. As
he was being taken or rather dragged away
By the policemen, number Of people threw
many missiles at him. He was not struck by
any Of them. The policemen had all they could
90 to handle Chapman. and the crowd followed
the party TO the station, hooung ana 1eerlnG
'roping party" and the policemen got their
rev0lveTs ready for an attack
At the station Chapman was asked TO eX-
plai0 the condition Of his wifeS body, and he
said that she had fallen down the steps leading
to the basement. The police say that the
yyornan's bruises could not have been received
from such fall. An autopsy VIII be performed
to-day.
Detective Boyle. OF the West Thirty seventh-st
station who has charge of the investigation.
says that when the prisoner was arraigned be-
fore the sergeant in the station blood was dis
covered on his coat and vest He was asked
where the blood came FROM and according TO
Boyle, said that he had hemoThage