The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-03-03
INQUEST
ON HART
MURDER

Coroner Eugene Lincoln has opened an
inquest on the death Of Hart, the ProW-
dence fellow murdered on the Larchmont,
February IS. or early Feb. l9 Several
witnesses were examined yesterday after
noon No new information was gathered
on the case.
Robert f. Dickerson was first sworn. He
Is New Yorker. g. years of age and a
waiter on the Larchmont His evidence
was as follows:
"we left New York on that night be-
tween o'clock and 20 minutes past. as
we were going to take an outside route
I mean by that outside OF Long Island,
IN what is called sandy Hook Bay.
AT o'clock I took up my duties IN the
dining saloon. which is opposite the a.
cove running 20 staterooms ii and Il
The table OF which 7 was In charge on
that night is situated near the entrance
70 that alcovs. / had very little 10 90,
rs there were very few eating, IN tact !
did not wait on a passenger. AT nearby
tuhit 7 served a woman. who was III
room II. and this was the extent OF my
table work She was all alone. so far as
I could see. and appeared very quiet and
ladyfike ater I'm the night i saw no per-
ton with her From where | was station
ed 7 had a clear view Of the alcoNe' ana
Jaw Mr.. Breeze go into the alcoNe. lie
T. the only man that could say posiuNe-
ly went down there
"At 7.ao O'Clock left the saloon and
went down 90 my quarters in the forward
cabin 7 remained there until 1890, wheh
again went on duty IN the salooS re-
riained on the quarter deck from about
J2:% TO a. m. Al o'clock Went up %sno %
rtade a punch OF the registering clock ano
called two OF the men 10 begin TO get cor
fec and the dining room ready.
Later on hA told OF the finding OF Hart
tody lie said: -
Il went 10 room II first. There were
rooms In my care. end there was no par
ticlllar reason why l should 60 hrst Y
room II. Next took room A. tried TO &c
int room II after l finished with room
il hut found the door locked Only rooms
II ana l2 remained when ! hnlshed witr
the other rooms, and went back 10 trN
- again. The stateroom keys are II
charge OF the purser. and he has the pas
keys. II the walters need pass key tne!
can get Il OF the purser. Others BESIDE tn'
nurser who have pass keys are the frs
and second stewards.
II obtained a pass KEY from the pursel
and went into the stateroom NUMBER l.
No trouble was experienced In UNLOCKING
the door.
when I first went into the room "a y
a mans hat and overcost hanging up nea
the head OF the upper berth. They nuns
SO as TO partially obscure the heads o
tho bunk I said 20 myself where IN
man? ] wonder II he's jumped overooara O
I didn't SEQ any occupant or the DUNK a
that moment knew that room IL ma
b.en occupied. stood just inside the 400
locking inside, and saw one pair or pa)a
rras hanging from the top berth. an
there wes a pair lying on the lower perth
Ietters Law scattered ail over the floor
''The bottom oerth had been used o
,oroeona because Il wes In diffenent snap
than I had left it. Looking up on 10 IN
ton berth again, I saw both blankets VI
there The dark req blanket covered IN
lever half OF the berth. and the pure re
one the upper half. l lifted the top on
slowly. enough 20 see that mans hea
Law under t. The dead man VINO Ia
there was lying half on his left side an
ralf on his back with his hands crosse
an his body in front, and pool OF bloo
under the left arm where II had run dow
from the head.
The mans face looked like thst OF
dcad man. There were blood stains on IN
,age OF the pillow near the mans cheef
~ looked as II the red blanket had pee
tucl,ad in at the side OF the berth hetwee
,he woodwork and the mattress
After l had seen tnat the HnaI
dead I went out 10 get the steWatu, N'
Harrison He was in the ticket of1lce'
koId the steward that ] had something
lhou him in room IL. He went tnere VII
rae. I think the purser went with him'