The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
GREAT MYSTERY OF A BOTTLE
IS TROUBLING NASSAU COUNTY

books, and pulled out,-nothing The Hemp
stead men insisted on accompanying Clerk
Townsend to the hotel across the street.
Now, there are three doors leading into
the clerks office. One OF them opens into
the main corridor and to it Clerk Townsend
and the two janitors have the only keys,
A second door opens into the supply room
and the third into the room used by the
Board OF Supervisors.
In the supply room while the clerk was
out to lunch on the day when the bottle
disappeared, was young woman stenog-
rapher in whom everybody has the great
est confidence. She says that nobody
entered the Office through the supply room.
room, 30 far as Is generally known, are
the three members Of the board and the
janitors Of the building. So far as is gen
orally known, also, Mr. Townsend ls the only
The three members of the Board Of Super
visors deny emphatically that they know
anything about the bottle.
Didn't even know there was bottle IN
the room, said Supervisor Willets OF Hemp
stead. Il can't imagine who brought it
known the bottle was in the room, nothing
would have been further from my nina
than the thought Of touching it,
THE news comes as q complete sur
prise to me- said Supervisor Graddeil o y
and had never heard that bottle was in
the safe. The incident, though, Is trivial
and scarcely worth noticing. am not at
az william i f. jones 1 ; of Oyster Bay the re-
manning Supervisor, expressed similar
sentiments.
Il hardly know whether to believe the
story or not" said he. 1T seems 80 i'm
probable"
Nobody in the County Clerks office
knew or cared anything about the bottle,
II wasn't even in the building on the
day the bottle disappeared, said County
Treasurer Charles F. Lewis Of Port v ash
ington,, and as for my clerks think 1
Sheriff johnson, whose office is further
from the clerks office than that of any
other Of the county officials in the building,
alone admits that he knew there was q
bottle in the safe; that is, he knew IT, y. y
there is any truth in heasay. Sheriff
johnson also has some idea about what
became of the bottle, but on this point
he could not, Of course, speak definitely -.
Under ordinary circumstances, the Sherin
! wouldn't have noticed the incident at all
to speak out to allay the suspicion that is
being unjustly directed toward one OF
the janitors This janitor, the sheriff
heard had presented to the Board OF Super
in the corridors Of the court house during
hot. weather, and Clerk Townsend had
objected to the bill as excessive. Now
the janitor, the Sheriff explained. Is I'M
Justly suspected Of having removed county
property" from Clerk Townsend's room by
way of retaliation.
THAT story" said Sheriff. Johnson. Il
am sure, is utterly untrue and most unjust
TO the janitor. have the best OF reasons
for believing that the liquor In the bottle
was spilled accidentally, and not taken,
as is being intimated. for consumption by
persons in the court house."
The Sheriff refused to 60 into details
in regard to his theory.
Il am not at liberty to discuss this matter
simply state that believe the liquor was
spilled by accident. Anyway he added,
Il most certainly hope that was the case
Clerk Townsend and others In the build
ing don't take much stock in the accident
theory. They point to the fact that no
explanation has been given OF how the
man who committed the accident, as they
put it, got into the room or how he opened
the safe or what he was after. anyway.
They are willing to consider the theory,
though, along with other suggestions that
have been made, as to the possible cause
OF the bottles disappearance. But In the
mean time they are continuing their efforts
to get some more logical explanation to
present In case one should be demanded
officially.