The sun., 1909-02-20
SHOT THE DETECTIVE DEAD
THOUGHT HIN A BU URGLAR, SAYS
MAN HE WAS AFTER

> He Was In for u and Dciiberste,,
Killed Geidha mer-IAttsr Just Pve.
mosed-kne~ Much Of Policy Gang.
Niger the Giunie. known also o.
Edward Byrnes, vas in his rooms on the
second floor rear Of the six story tenement
at i27o First avenue yesterday afternoon
when there came a knock. He open Cd
the door leading to the kitchen. whence
the knock had como.
What do you wantH' he demanded
thickset man with blond hair, sharp
blue eyes and roughly clad In an old
suit and blue fame! shirt inquired e
a Mr.. johnson lived there. Byrnes, aooord-
ing to the story he told later. replied that
the stranger was AT the wrong apartnent
and thereupon proceeded 10 slam the
door. The stranger, who was sergt
John b. Goldhammer Of the Detective
Bureau and temporarily detailed on tbs
stsf Of Third Deputy Commissioners Han
son. thrust his foot across the threshold
and forced his way into the kitchen. He
intended to arrest Byrnes on q charge Of
receiving stolen goods from the Humpty
jackson gang. but with an added purpose
OF taking him down TO Police Headauar-
ters and asking him what he knew about
the policy syndicate that has be en- operat-.
ing in this city.
Byrnes, the only witness TO the tragedy.
told his inauisitors that he believed that
the man who invaded his apartments was
a burglar and that he had shot him 70
death only after desperate struggle In
which he thought his own hfe was at stake.
q some respects his recital OF the events
leading up TO the tragedy appears piaus-
ible. but the police are firm In their belief
that Nigger shot Goldhammer In cold
blood.
Assistant District Attorney Theodore
II. Ward, who with Capt. Arthur Carcv
Of the homicide bureau, Inspector James
Dillon, Capt. John Cooney Of the East
Stxty-seventh street station and a SCORE
or more Of detectives questioned the
prisoner, declare that his statements
conflict and that the burglar story is-a
subterfuge. They believe. they say, that
Nigger knew Goldhammer, and rather
than 60 with him downtown shot him
to death and built up the tale Of the bur-
glar.
This is borne out by q woman who
heard Bynes and Sergt Goldhammer
wrangling at the door and who saw the
policeman enter the kitchen and close
he door after him. She was on her
|" ay 10 her apartments upstairs, and whi,e
oassing heard the men still In CONVEX
'ation. Five minutes later, abe told :
Assistant District Attorney Ward. hsr
little girl rushed into their homo and
aid q man had been shot downstairs.
An opium user for thirteen years,
With habit that requires dollars worth
g the drug a day. Byrnes was smoking
n the bedroom when he heard knock
t the door. He got up Immediately.
'e said. opened the door and was con-
ronted by man he had never seen be-
ore. The stranger asked IL Mr. John
on lived in that apartment Byrnes
nswered no and started to close the door,
Q says.
He wore blue shirt. his clothes were
habby and Immediately took him for
burglar said Nigser. Il was sus-
icious OF him from the start and when
attempted TO close the door he put his
'ot forward and tried TO force his way In.
tried TO hold the door against him, but
3 gave II a violent push and came right
after me. l ran through the apart
ent into the bedroom. where he jumped
Doe me. but not before | had got NV;
'vOlver, and in the struggle that followed
shot him
IL was just a few minutes before q
clock when Goldhammer appeared at
o tenement house and inquired Of the
nitor. Mrs. Kate Bernson. who lives In
g corner house, at 401 East Sixty eighth
rect, II a man named Byrnes lived In
at building. He showed her a rogues'
llery picture Of a man whom he said
was after, first explaining that he was
detective. The woman replied that
. photograph bore a striking resem-
lnce TO Byrnes. tenant who lived on
Q second floor. -.....-
Goldhammer went upstairs and Mrs.
rnson went about her household
ties. Five minutes later. as she guessed =
, time, Byrnes thrust his head out OF
J window Of the sitting room which
Ems on court separating the corner
Use and shouted that he had shot a
rglar, Bernard Levy. the agent OF
building, was In the woman's apart
nts at the time. and both ran STRAIGHT
Byrnes's rooms.
A burglar | shot is in the bedroom
said when they appeared. -He tried
break into my rooms and shot him
ough the head
evy and Mrs. Bernson ran to the strset
called Policeman Patrick NcIauRhlin
he East Sixty-seventh street station,
, was half block away. When Nc
lghlin reached the first landing he
nd Byrnes standing in the doorway
lis shirt sleeves.
What's happened here9' demanded
cop.
Only a burglar who tried to break
my apartments, and guess I killed
= Niger replied.
cLaughlin went into the bedroom
found Goldhsmmer lying on his
{ with blood streaming from a bullst
nd back OF the left ear. Taking for
tied the statement that the dead man
a burglar the policeman made no
mpt TO place Byrnes under srrest,
instead hurried to the street. held
he first man he met and ordered him