The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-12
SUICIDE WITHOUT A CORPSE,
or MURDER, MAYBE, OR CUNNING
DISAPPEARANCE.
Pool OF Hood and Stained Razor In John
Tewich's Room; No Tewich Anywhere,
Dead or AIiye--Had Business Trouble,
hut Was Not Robbed-vague Arrests.

has disappeared from $40 East Twenty third
street. leaving behind a room that looks
like slaughterhouse, a bloodstained
razor stories of business embarrassment
and first class mystery. The police are
uncertain whether they have suicide,
murder or four-fush disappearance on
their hands. Louis La Ferre, Tewch's
partner; Joseph Hyland, a room mate, and
James j. Ryan, his landlord, are held as
suspicious characters in connection with
the disappearance. The case came to notice
in a queer way.
Tewich who was naturalized last year
was real estate operator in a small way
in Philadelphia. He came to New York
last spring, couldn't find a real estate
opening, and finally. last June, formed a
partnership with La Ferre and took the
saloon business at $40 East Twenty-third
street of the hands of George Ibert
The business did not do well. BY last Sat-
urday Tewich, his associates say, was at the
end of his string. The landlord had given
notice Of eviction for unpaid rent and the
Union Brewing Company, which was back
ing his business, shut down on his credit
and his license. He sold out the beer
left about the place and closed up Satur-
debt for money borrowed to keep the BUSH
ness going.
Tewich La Ferre and Hyland lived to-
gether in a little suite OF rooms upstairs.
In the biggest room, opening upon the
hall. was Hyland's bed. Tewioh and La
Ferre slept in two little dens opening off
this room and divided by board partition,
in which, about six feet from the floor, is
a single barred window.
Tewich went out on Sunday about !
o'clock. His room mates did not see him
again-at least, 10 they say.
But according to the story Of these two.
they tried the door of his little den on Mon
day morning and looked in. The edge of
his bed was stained with blood There
was thick pool OF drying blood on the
floor and in it lay Tewitch's razor. In the
inside keyhole, was Tewitch's bunch Of
keys. They were bloody, and so was the
door knob.
The two men say they We're going to
notify the police, when they met Ryan, the
landlord. He begged them not to do it,.
He said that the papers would get it, and
he could never rent his place again.
I'm an old deputy sheriff and III attend
to this" he said according to La Ferre
and Hyland They were persuaded the
more easily because La Ferre owed Ryan
money.
The horror just the other side OF that board
partition got on La Ferries nerves. how
ever and Hyland did not like to sleep alone
facing that door They moved their beds
together to Hyland's room and there they
slept Monday night
They told Mrs. Norton, the housekeeper
Tuesday afternoon. She wouldn't hear
of keeping it quiet and told Policeman
Kuohhor of the Twenty-second street
station. He sent in a report. Capt. Gal
lagher came down. saw the room. and sent
detectives out for La Ferre, Hyland and
Ryan They we're all arrested at once,
Hyland making an unsuccessful attempt
to escape. Their stories all agreed.
On the bedpost hung Tewich's only coat
and waistcoat. A good silver watch and
$40 were in the pockets. The pool Of blood
was OF no great area, but 1t was deeply
clotted, as though by big flow in one
place. The only entrance to the hall was
through Hyland's room. A lodger just
on the other side Of the partition from
Tewich's compartment said that he heard
no noise Sunday night. There was no
blood outside the door.
Detective Sergeants McCaferty, McMul-
len and Reth searched the premises,
saloon, yard and tenement and found
nothing Coroner jackson searched and
found nothing. And at last they arrived
at the remarkable conclusion that this was
a suicide without a corpse.
None OF the three murder,
suicide and cunningly planned disappear
ance--quite holds water according to the
police. There was no apparent motive
for murder. The man was ruined man,
His clothes had not been riied. There
was no blood trail from the door, as would
have been the case had the body been
made away with Besides, criminals dar-
ing and clever enough to get the body
away without detection would have cleaned
up the room and taken away the razor.
III he cut himself and scattered blood or
threw around beef blood to cover up a dis
appearance ahead OF his creditors, il seems
curious, the police think, that he left coat,
waistcoat, hat and money.
As for suicide, he had q motive, the police
say, in the fact that he had just failed in
business and was in debt Coroner jackson
believes that he cut his throat or wrists,
slowly, he stanched the blood, went out
and either threw himself into the river.
which is only a block away. crawled in
some hole to die, or went to a hospital.
However, the police think it queer that a
hatless man in his shirt sleeves, weak and
bloody, should not attract attention on
East Twenty-third street at any hour Of
the day or night.
The detectives planned to search and
drag the river at daybreak this morning.
Assistant District Attorney Garvan went
over the case with the detectives late last
night.
II was found that women frequently
visited Tewich's room. but no one in the
house ever heard Of his having trouble
with man or woman.
The three prisoners we're locked up RS
suspicious persons and later held In 81, SEQ
bonds in the Yorkville police court.
It was reported to the detectives, on
doubtful authority, that Tewich has lately
inherited money from the old country, but
IT is not known II he has received any pay
ment on the inheritance.
Av.rc a NEU