The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-04
6. H. Wood In jail Here for
Killing In The Sleigh.
SAYS HIS MIND IS A BLANK.
Police Hated TO Arrest Him De-
spite PIalnHeId's Request.

Reporter VINO IOlu Inem huTueTt ct Was
Loose in Town Was Told II Was No
Business OF Theirs-Wood, Who IL
Jersey Seeking Help From His Rca-
tIyes-Quarreled With Old Written,
His Father-In-Law. Then Went Riding
with the I.attcr's Friend. Williams
Police Think He Vas on His Way to
Knl Written and in Dispute over II
Slew tho Old Mans Friend Instead
His Tale OF Aimicss wanderlngs
Talks as Though He were Insane.
A man. thought TO have killed George
Williams the grocer OF Plainhed. n. j..
on Thursday. by shooting him through the
back while Williams was driving him in a
sleigh to Warrenvile. was arrested in New
York last night nfter series Of police antics
which would have been comic in a case less
serious
George H. Wood n contractor, living at
$40 West l3ist street, is the prisoner He
went to Jersey to see his relatives on Mon
day and took room in the Farmers Hotel
in Somerset street. Plainfeld. After the
murder the suspicious Of Chief Kelly
Of tho Plainfeld police led TO a search OF
the room and the finding in Woods suit
case OF box Of cartridges of the Same
caibre as the bullet in Williams's body
All this was telegraphed to New York
late yesterday afternoon and tho police
were asked 10 arrest Wood.
sun reporter who went seeking Woad
found him at o'clock last night in the
fat Of his brother-in-law, Frederick Bis
choff. at 44s West Twenty-seventh street
Wood. though he talked nationally, said
that he left New York Monday afternoon
and that his mind was blank from that
time until he returned yesterday afternoon.
The reporter informed the Detective
Bureau of Woods whereabouts, manner
and story. The sergeant in charge re-
piled that IL was a matter which did not
concern the bureau. Perish the thought
that It should dabble in the case.
Reporters then notified the West Tween
tietb street police station. 1t WAS difficult
to interest the police there in the affair.
but at last it was decided TO send a patrol
wagon to the Bischoff fat and bring Wood
to II headquarters.
here that the Plainfield chief of police had
telephoned to the head Of the New York
Detective Bureau at 2 O'Clock yesterday
afternoon the result Of his investigation at
the Farmers Hotel, giving Woods name
and good description Of him and asking
for his arrest. Capt. Steve O'Bien, who
runs tho bureau, said last night that he
didn't get the message. Who at the De-
H. v,nt tD1aiD
At any rate, the patrol wagon finally
called for Wood In the interim he had
been examined by neighboring physician
and had evinced a desire to give himself up.
He really didn't seem TO realize what
difficult task this would have been, not
knowing the humor Of the police.
POLICE HATED TO GET HIM
When the precinct police at last decided
that it would be a good scheme TO take
Wood to Police Headquarters, they thought
1t would be we'll TO make q complete haul.
Wood. his wife, his brother-in-law and
TIFF Sun man who was waiting at the house
all were asked to ride. Wood, who had
been acting in a dazed manner all along.
was more than willing TO 60 The party got
a brisk drive to Mulberry street.
Wood was not locked up at once. Ths
fly cops had their doubts about the whole
thing. They voiced the opinion that 1t
might all be an attempt on the part OF The
sun to get somebody locked up. All
you couldn't fool theml
There was a lot of whispering, and II
was voted to see whether the Plainheld
police really wanted Wood. Somebody
got Chief Kelly on the telephone II was
very discouraging. but Kelly did want
Wood. Hadn't he telegraphed to Head
quarters in tho middle Of the afternoon
saving he wanted him for the Will ans
murder9
I'm come on in the morning and take
him off your hands, il you'll only please
hold him until then, said Kiely.
And IL was with -well-if-you-insist-
tone that Mulberry street promised the
excited Jersey chief that Wood would be
held until to-day. He was taken away to
a cell, and the reporters departed under
volley Of frowns.
MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME.
Wood was born and raised at Warren
vile. where the murder was committed.
His father. George II. Wood, now dead
was respected highly by his neighbor,
who had no such liking for his son. Fiji
teen years ago Noou ieAt NailoH'iii" e'iNi
went TO New York. He went back to Plain
field from time to time. and spent two years
working on his grandmother's farm.
That was three years ago. Seven years
ago he married Viola WhitteN, the daughter
of George Written. who used TO be the
village schoolmaster.I Written hasn't seen
much Of his son-in-law since and hasn't
got along with him very well, according 70
the story he told yesterday.
In fact, it is in the bitterness of the rela-
tons between Written and his son-in-law,
eliminating. as the police have learned, in
old man Written cutting of Wood In his will.
recently made. that the authorities believe
may lie the motive which Wood might have
had for shooting Williams with whom he
had no reason TO be unfrendly and whom
he did not rob. Williams is known 10 have
been a friend Of Written, and the authori-