New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-29
OLD GUIDE KILLS MAN
Caretaker on John Purroy
MitCheI's Estate Arrested.
HIS PLEA SELF-DEFENCE
Employer, When Informed OIL
Murder, Says He Will Pro-
vide for Counsel.

Richard G. Davenport, an old Adioh
| dack guide and trapper. IL locked w !"
the county jail at White Plains on chare'
! of having shot and killed a man on THURS
day night. Davenport. who Is hfty-t"'
years old. has been caretaker Tor apou'
three wears of the estate Of John Purro!
Mitchell. at Somers. in Westchester County
He walked into Yorktown Heights yester
dav and told some one there. II is said
that he had killed a man at his cottage
on the Mitchell property.
This information soon reached Snerin
scherp and he travelled at top speed in an
automobile TO Yorktown Heights. the
Sheriff found that Coroner Mason oi
.Peekskill. was already there. Davehpo',
was put under arrest and was then ashe"
by Mr. Davies, Assistant District Attorney
II he wished to make any statement he
said he did and made what he said was =
full and complete account OF what had DC
Cured.
According TO Davenports story. Thonits
Heenehan and man he knew only ~
Barney came To his cottage week ago
and engaged board They were away LOT
two DAYS. but returned on Thursday. DaV-
export had promised TO give Barney WORK
on the estate, but in the mean time hao
also engaged a nineteen-year-old boy WIZ
had asked him for work.
While Davenport was cooking dinner that
night the two men began TO quarrel with
him about having employed the boy. and
they kent II up until the boy became BABY
frightened. They all had dinner togetne''
however and afterward the boy went TO
his room Later the two men renewed theN
quarrel with Davenport and nnaliy, ne
saws. threatened TO put MIN out OF MS
own house.
Davenport said that he entered his bed
room. where two rifles ard two douple
barrelled shotguns were hanging on the
wall. and took down one or the rifles
When he started to return to the kitchen,
adjoining the bedroom. Barney tried 10 stop
him. and while they were struggling Heene-
han ran into Davenport's room and grabbed
one of the shotguns Davenport said he
tried to escape by the rear door of the
house. but before he could reach the door
Heenehan fired one barrel at him.
The charge entered the floor and Daven-
port got out Of the house safely. The
prisoner said that he then started to go
around to the front OF the house to go up
the road but as he reached the kitchen
window he saw Heenehan standing there
ready TO fire again. Bringing his rife TO
his shoulder, he fired and saw Heenehan
fall.
Davenport, according 10 his statement,
then saw Barney come out Of the back
door, and he entered the kitchen and re-
,oip in oil pf xt-ith a.
boy and the body of the dead man. Yes
terday morning he started for Yorktown
Heights to give himself up
Coroner Mason had two physicians make
an examination of the body of Heenehan
and they found that he had been shot in
the back. and that the bullet had gone
out at the neck. struck the ceiling and
bounced back against a wall.
When informed by The Tribune late last
night Of the arrest Of Davenport, MIR.
Mitchell was greatly surprised. He almost
Immediately expressed an opinion that
Davenport had shot i'm defence of his life
Davenport has been with me on hunt
ing trips in the Adirondacks and in South
America during the last ten years He is
a man who has always been able to act
with GOODNESS and Judgment under trying
circumstances and able to care for him.
self. II seems impossible that he should
have done such thing"
Mr. Mitchell said he would take immediate
steps to provide legal advice for the pris-
oner He said he had never heard of
Heenehan. but that Davenport had author
ity as caretaker to hire what help he
needed.