New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-21
NAY NOT BE LYNCH GIRL
MYSTERY AGAIN DEEP
Conflicting Statements About Free
port Case Made

The statement made on Monday that the
woman found dead near Freeport and buried as
Martha Lairnbeer Was Margaret Lynch the
daughter OF Brooklyn contractor. was yester-
aay emphaticaAy denied and as emphaticaIly re-
iteTated. Miss Lynch's pastor. Father Bvrres
Is declared by District Attorney Nieman Of
Mineola To be the one who told him Who the
dead woman was and gave hin, the story or bs-
DOWNFALL Certain facts brought out at the in
quest do not agree with others stated by the
priest and because Of these the identification is
declared TO be Incorrect William y. Clemens
VINO has been working on the case on his own
initiative, declared that ne had previously given
no Information to the District Attorney. but
that so far as his information goes. Margaret
Lynch was now alive. Oswald Maune. whose
name has been mentioned in correction with the
case is out Of town on his vacation.
Mr. Clemens was asked by Mr. Nieruan 10
produce the live Margaret Lynch at once if he
could do so Harry Van Ripper proprietor Of
the WoodcIeft Inn. said photograph of the
dead girl was not that OF Miss Lynch. who
spent the Summer of 1903 at his place with Mr.
and Mrs. Maune
District Attorney Neman has nad the young
woman's clothing which had been buried ex-
humed- The clothing will be shown 10 members
Of the Lynch and Maune families for Identified
ton
Father Byrnes. rector of St Johns Church
Wiloughby-ave. and Lewis-st. Brooklyn. stat
ed positively that the young woman was
Margaret Lynch
Father Burns said last evening there was no
doubt that the dead woman was Margaret
Lynch Father Burns said that Mrs. Lynch
went TO Mineola at the time Of the young
woman's death and made a positive identiaca-
ton Of the body. The young woman on ac-
M OF Ha- -r-ff-
II, had been intimate with the Maune family
and when Mrs. Lynch returned from the "trip 10
Mineola Father Burns was consulted az to the
best course to follow. II was decided that IL
would be best to avoid all publicity. and for that
reason Mrs Lynch did not tell even the local
authorities that the dead woman was her daugh-
ter An arrangement was accordingly made 10
give the girl decent burial by sending anony-
mously the check for 500 to the coroner's physi-
clan who had charge Of the case.
Father Burns said that he and members OF the
Lynch family we're absolutely convinced that
Margaret Lynch committed suicide and TO re-
move suspicion of murder Father Burns went to
Mineola recently and informed the local authori-
ties that he knew who the woman was and that
he was positive she had taken her own life
Father Burns declared that Margaret Lynch.
ever since she grew up had been a wayward
girl and had been a source OF constant Worry
and anxiety 70 her parents. About two years
ago she became engaged to Oswald Maune, jr.,
and soon after the engagement his mind began
70 give way, and he became hOpelessly insane.
He was now in an institution All thought OF
his marrying Margaret Lynch was then aban-
doned but ia the mean time young Maune's par
ents had taken great interest in her. With the
idea OF trying 10 help her they took her into
their household. and she lived with them as their
niece at WoodcliT Inn. in FreepOrt.
Father Burns added that there vas nor the
slightest ground for the theory Of murder. as he
had i'm his possession the letter in which the
young woman declared to her mother that she
had decided to take her own life. For several
months before her death it had been the con-
slant care OF those with whom she was living 20
prevent her doing 81. She had tried 70 take car
bolic aci1 two or three times.
In spite OF Mr.. Nienan's belief IN Father
Byrnes's statements. the prevailing opinion at
Hampstead Is that the Identification is not con-
vincing According TO Father Byrues Miss
lynch was about twenty-four years Of age At
the coroner's inquest in April. Or. 7. H. 3. Den
ton. the coroner's physician. testified that the
dead woman was between thirty-flve and forty
wears old. The statement that was circulated
that the dead woman had committed suicide in
a hotel or boarding house and been carried into
Herman. a motorman. stated that he had passed
the woman on the outskirts Of Hampstead when
coming from Queens shortly before the body
was found She was acting then IN ar odd man
ner- Herman noticed the woman sitting by the
road for three hours. and then she issppeared-
Three days later her body was found.
Assistant District Attorney Graham, who has
been in charge of the case, is not satisfied with
the Identification. he says that the descriptions
OF the Lynch woman 90 not Mt those OF the body
in many ways. including that OF weight. Miss
Lynch was slender and weighed 12O pounds.
The dead woman weighed about 135 40
pounds according 70 the best estimates Mr..
Graham also declares that the dead woman was
an inch and half taller than descriptions he
has seen OF Miss Lynch. Mr.. Graham remains
inclined 10 the belief that the woman was muir
Iered and says he thinks she was killed in either
Jamaica or RidgewoOd and carried TO where
she was found He thinks that the blow on the
forehead caused death. and that the poison
found in the stomach WAS forced into it by
means OF d syringe after death. The authOri-
ties have such implement which was found
among the effects of the woman. This had been
used for carboIc acid, and IT is said the poison
was poured from the bottle found TO the glass
and then sucked into the syringe. on the other
hand il is said that the woman might have
inserted the implement into her throat and
forced the poison down into her stomach. That
might account for the absence OF burns in the
throat while the lips were burned and the
stomach pitted.
County Detective Furnan has considered the
case one Of murder. and said yesterday after
noon that he was not vet ready TO change his
mind nor was he wholly satisfied II was Miss
lynch.
Il is said that Clemens. who has been working
or the case almost since its start, is now work
~ ON -, an1ireLH- dineran1 LIVE srn-, arr YET