New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-12
POLICE HAVE THEORIES,
: But NOTHING ELSE
Clews to Murderers of Maid and
Butler End in Confusion and
Are Abandoned.
LOOK INTO PUNcHAYA STORY
DIR. Cannon Deposited $4,000 on
the Day Before Crime-BeIief
That Robbers Were After
His Private Papers.

With number Of slight clews discarded
/ the investigation Of which ended only .r
! confusion, and several ursatisfa ctory
/ theories exploded during the day. the police
last night were as much at sea in their
efforts 10 solve the mysterious murder OF
the aged -housekeeper, Mary NIeehner, and
the young Hindu butler, William Benan
as they have been since the crime was com
united IN the home of DR.. Mott D. Cannon
At No. 81 West 122d street, on Monday af-
ternoon
-Authoritive information which came &c
the detectives yesterday. that DR.. Cannon
had kept nearly 5000 locked in the desk
IN his room which was ransacked by the
intruders and had deposited the money two
days before the tragedy, led them TO renew
their examination OF one or two persons
whom they had reason to believe know
something about the inside Of the Cannon
household affairs II was. said, however,
that their efforts IN that direction had met
with no success.
Following out the theory that the butler
might have been the victim OF the vengeance
OF an Oriental secret society known as
The Punchaya,'' which is said TO be looked
upon by Hindus as the most fearsome Of
secret orders, the police are keeping under
surveillance a close friend of the murdered
nan, who is said to be versed in the char
acter and purposes Of this Eastern order.
AindUs Scout Vengeance Theory.
Some Of the few Hindu friends that
Benan had in this city and with whom he
shared his confidence were inclined when
seen yesterday to scout the idea, that he
had done anything in his life which might
visit the hand Of the Punchaya upon him.
4. +. Tulsie, z Hindu dental student, who
lives at No. 229 East SD street, and who
came 10 New York with Benan from Trini-
dad, ". /, year ago. was positive IN
asserting thai although he knew Of the
Punchaya order. he was sure that young
Benan had not experienced any trouble in
India which might bring him under the
ban Of the organization Mr.. Tulsie said
that Benan was quiet, easy going fellow,
who had been faithful in assisting his
mother and wife. whom he left in Trinidad.
Captain Kuhne, of the Harlem Detective
Bureau. had al his men working on the
case yesterday, and admitted last night
that they were still in the dark He was
firm in the belief. however, that the killing
Of the old woman and the butler in such
an unnecessarily brutal manner, both hav-
ing been shot in the head after z blow
had been dealt which would have caused
death, had not been the work Of profess
sional burglars
He intimated that some one with z grudge
against Dr. Cannon might have entered the
house al an opportune time, just after the
physician had left, for the purpose Of secur-
ing documents or papers which the physi-
clan kept IN his desk, and resorted TO muir
der when he was confronted and recog-
IN f,a ,7iro
the physicians family for twenty-five years
The fact that SO little money and vaIuables
were actually taken when there was much
more property available, if robbery had
been the sole motive, strengthened this the
ory. the captain said.
one belief Of the police which has not
been weakened. despite the fact that al the
slight clews so far obtained have been
abandoned. is that the murderers had some
knowledge Of the interior Of the Cannon
hone and were familiar with the physt-
clans private affairs.
Dutch" Work, Police Say.
Another police theory which grew in IA
vcr among some Of the men working on
the case yesterday was that the crime had
baen committed by q Dutch housenan,"
IS The police call amateur burglars. One
detective said he was convinced this was
the case as no ether class Of housebreak-
ers would have resortsd TO such violent and
extreme methods
Corner Winterbottorn, who IS fnvestgat-
ing the murder, advanced still another the
CIV. After careful examination OF the
PREMISES the Corner says he thinks that the
murder was committed by two men. who
battered the skulls CT their victims with 2
Ratchet instead OF e jimmy, and fred three
shots from Dr. Cannon's revolver and one
from pistol carried by either Of them
The Coroner does not believe that the men
were admitted through the front door, but
that they climbed from the roof down 70 q
sun porch over the rear Of the second floor
The examination Of the bodies disclosed
four bullet wounds instead Of three, the
number OF empty cartridges found in the
doctors revolver, tbs Coroner said He
also said that from the nature Of the
wounds he believed q German had com
-,,itted the crime, as '<Ihey. never can kill
dead enough and some times rnutilate
their victim
The police do not think that the person
or persons who committed the crime could
have entered the house in broad daylight
by any other way. than the front door with
ont being seen by neighbors-