New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-13
MCAHILL GIRL KILLED.
BODY FOUND IN CHIMNEY
Nert to Her Home-FamIy Say
Murder; Police, accident.

Within few inches OF where her mother has
been daily rocking in an arm chair sobbing vio-
lently, the body Of Josephine McCahill, six years
old. who thought to have been kidnapped.
found last night in the chimney of the
house at No 1,S41 Third-ave. adjoining that of
the McCahiIi home, at Nc. 1889. The McCahills
live the top floor Of the house, and in lue
of the chimney Of the next house. on a level
with the parlor floor of the McCahin apartment,
the body. tightly wedged In all probability
she died while her mother almost within
earshot Of her cries. Although the family main
tain that the girl must have been murdered, the
police say they believe she fell into the flue
through accident. The body was so decomposed
that autopsy will have to be performed to
tell whether she died from suffocaton, strangu-
lation other means.
HOW THE BODY WAS FOUND.
The bod was found by three young men, who
had been searching for the child under pay of
Senator Frawley. They are Harry Flynn OF
No. 179 East Ninety-sixth-st: James Cava-
naugh. OF No. 15S East Northumberland nth
St. and Gerard Strassburger OF 116 East Ninety
seventh-st With them were two young men
who say they are private detectives John Cleary
and james Gavin OF No. $50 East seventy
fourth-st.
An odor had been noticed in no. l,S41 Third
ave. The men heard Of this and learned that
Aues of the chimney while at play. Then they
began a search.
Flynn got a long rope a nd hatiron. There
are four fues and he began at the toward
the of the houses and let the iron down
far as it would go. Then he tried two other
iues In the 1ue nearest the front of the house
the weight went down about fifteen feet and
then stopped. A little more investigation showed
that a chds body there.
~k,,
East One-hundred- -and-fourth-st. station. De
tective Sergeant Smith, Detective Summers and
Roundsman Mills were at once sent to the house.
They decided the body must be in the fue
the apartment Of William Wolf. horse
man. on the top floor of No 1.S41. Smith got
and Lacked away, but Lieutenant Con-
way Of Engine 53, in East One-hundred-and-
fourth-st.. appealed to- and sent Fireman
William Cullen. He cut the wall out.
The body stood almost upright. The right
hand was over the head and rested against the
hue The nails apparently mad clutched the
sides of the fue in it's descent. the right foot
was caught ledge IN the chimney where
It had narrowed a trine. This is probably what
stopped the descent Of the child.
The chimney at the top is square. nine by nine
inches Just above where the body was found it
narrows TO eight by eight inches. Then at just
where the body stopped the chimney measures
seven by nine inches. This narrowing may also
account in part for the stopping of the body.
TO INVESTIGATE WOMAN's VISIT.
visit to the McCahill apartment yesterday
was made by a well dressed young woman. who
told Mrs McCahilrs niece that she had pre-
sentiment that the child would be found in the
chimney No attention paid to this the
time, but this feature OF the case will be invest
gated carefully. The woman returned again
about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and asked if the
body had been found. She was told IT had not
been found. She looked surprised.
You didn't act on my suggestion" she said
Il read of similar case year ago. and feel
sure that this will have the same ending"
Roundsman Mills entered the house about this
time Several neighbors told him the
ought to be arrested. He asked that some
make a complaint. but all refused. and he al
lowed the woman to go. She said she lived in
Tsehtieth-st She told another policeman that
she was a Mrs. Rogers
II is on account Of the visit of the woman
that the family firmly believe the girl mur-
dered 90 ,
TbeI, roIr+ ont that she told precisely where the
body was several hours before il was found.
Cieary, a private detective. said Gavin fol-
soSf oGso which fhs w was hSq ~ from the flns vim
the body and said hs as going 10 hold it to
strengthen his own case. He believed in the
murder theory He thought the sock had been
used to strangIe the girl. o
Mrs Ellen DOnneHS. OlaNo lSp.' IHilu-dNe.
said children were in the habit of PLAYING on the
| roof She had seen boys climb down into the
| chin1ney- and had seen little girls climbing
| around st. They could easily get to the top of ii
! by stepping up from the ledge, only TWO feet.
| Mrs DonnelIy believes that some other girl was
| playing with the McCahill child. ana that now
| this girl will come forward and tell what she
| knows
Nav. Velsor VINO lives in %e nelghborhood.
! declared the child was always afraid 10 climb
| around the chimney. Josie MANNING OF NO
1S:}9 thinks the same.
| "a I4t received
| Mrs McCahJu rurporting be from the kid
Continued on third page.
SIS TO WORLDS FAIR AND RETURN. BALTI-