New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-13
FIRE REVEALS BODIES.
DOUBLE MURDER FEARED.
Police, WyStifcd, Hold Too on
.SusWciOn.

Called 20 extinguish a fire in old stable
used as JUNK shop in Chapel Alley. a blind
lane running in from Iay-st.. almost 10 Pear!-st.
brooklyn, at II a. IN. yesterday. fremen. headed
by Battalion Chief Matschke. from Engine No.
107 in Pedrl-st. discovered what the police
believe 20 he a double murder. George F. All
lot;, the junkman vho made his home IN the
Stable was lying IN the rear with his head bat
Ie-sG IN and mis- hands and neck tied with cord.
frederick Van Buskirk Who worked with Al
ao.;. and usually slept IN the wagon. was found
81 -iDnotts bunk 81 a small room IN The rear.
Oulla, hole IL mis- eft temple showed how he
I:.Ct his death. a revolver lying on his
f,.:.E urder hiz neck his hand folded gently
cver q From TIE condition of the bodies doctors
ia, ;aey believe Abbott had been dead for forty
eight hours. ard Van Buskirk not than
twelve hours
Although Captain Harkns, Of the Adams-st.
station. mas direct evidence against them,
Charles Johnson and oscar DahIgren we're ar
rested and are locked up on suspicion. Dahlgren
said that Johnson knew about the crime. and
the police have found a shirt which Dahlgren
admits is his and which has blood spots It.
Both men tell such conflicting stories that the
police are much at They had been hang
ing around Abbotts stable long time, selling
him odd bits Of junk. Abbott and Johnson had
quarrelled frequently. The latter sent to
5afl for six months @ charge of larceny. made
by Abbott some time ago. Since he got out,
Abbott had frequently said that he afraid
Of johnson, and once tried TO get a warrant for
his arrest johnson said last night that Abbott
shot him In the shoulder last fall
Dahlgrer, who lives in a lodging house at No
17S Fulton-st-. and Johnson. a carpenter by
trade who had a room at No. 80 Pearl-st.,
were sitting in a wagon in Chapel Alley, in
front of the stable, when Rafael Beneditto, a
boy who IS held q. witness. came up with
piece of metal. He wanted TO sell it TO Alb
bott. Johnson. he says. told him Abbott was
out, and offered him three cents for the metal
Just then the boy saw smoke coming out of the
stable and spoks to Johnson and Dahlgren
about It
.roh. it's all -aare." ey-cried. and ran around
10 the engine house IN Pearl-st. and said the
stable was burning down The apparatus was
sent out, and Battalion Chief Matschke rushed
around on foot They found the edges of a lot
Of papers burning the floor and were able
10 stamp it out with their feet. Looking around
the stable Matschke found Abbott's body, and
soon after Van Buskirk was found
When Police Captain Harkins reached the
stable he at once ordered the arrest of johnson
and Dahlgren- The latter was drunk, and for
this reason and because he does not talk Eng
lish plainly It was hard to get much out of him.
minutes before the fire broke out and found
johnson there. The latter had gone TO the door
and. opening it a little, had pointed out Abbotts
body. saying:
Look at the old -"
Then johnson went in and came out in a few
minutes, Dahlgren said. The latter was in such
a condition that the police had to get him TO re-
peat what he said again and again.
Charles Olsen a young companion of the two
Fulton-st was taken into custody late in the
afternoon. and is held a witness. He says
that the three were together on Saturday night
and that Johnson had S24. and not only bought
him = shirt and cap but also loaned him 81 He
says that Johnson told him he had got the
money by knocking man down with a rock IN
a handkerchief In Myrtle-ave Johnson denies
telling any such tale. but admits that whereas
he did not have at 4 2. Saturday he
had S24 two hours later. The explanation of
this sudden acquisition is that he got it shooting
craps.
on Sunday afternoon the three were at the
rendezvous in Chapel Alley. After considerable
drinking johnson and Olsen went to Coney
Island where the former seemed to have
siderable money. Dahlgren not allowed to
go because he drunk. He slept in the loft.
he says, until the heavy rainstorm. He spent
the day in Prospect Park. and went TO bed I'm
the Fulton-st. lodging house at o'clock in the
evening, and slept until m, he says. Then
ne walked over the bridge and back and after
sitting in the park adjoining the Municipal
Building went to Chapel Alley at 10:45.
The police found that Dahlgren had not been
IN his bed Monday, but had spent a little
time in the basement. There they found the
blood stained shirt. already spoken Of 1t had
been thrown in dark corner. He admitted TO
Captain Harkns that II his shirt, but was
toe drunk TO explain the blood spots. There
cuts his body TO account for the
blood.
Abbott was last seen alive about 3 o'clock on
Saturday afternoon. Van Buskrk was
about Chapel Alley early Monday night. He
much under the influence Of liquor. one
of Captain Harkins's theories is that the men
who killed Abbott. whoever they We're decided
TO put Van Buskirk out OF the way. for fear he
would tell on them; that they got him drunk,
and. after tucling him away in Abbott's bed
shot him. and then put the revolver where il
would point 10 suicide. According to Captain
Hsrkips Johnson says the revolver was Dahl
grer's. The latter denies this vigorously
Abbott and Van Buskirk used to quarrel fire.
quently, and It is possible that the latter may
have killed Abbott and later committed suicide
The police are working hard Oh the case but
81 is much Of a mystery still. Owing TO the abb
sence OF the coroneT's physician no autopsy has
been made yet.
ELLEN TERRY COMING HERE.