New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
SIX ARRESTED IN CASE
Of DEATH Of SINGER
+. ]. Totten and a Police Lieu
tenant Among Those Accused
in Poison Mystery.
CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE
Action by Coroner Follows In
quiry Begun Soon After Miss
Tristram Was Said to Have
Committed Suicide.

Six men. one Of them a police lieutell-
ant. were placed under arrest last night
on the charge that they were directly
implicated In the death of Alice Tristram
Shandy, the Irish singer, who died from
the effects OF carbolic acid poisoning
week ago to-day in the restaurant op-
posite the Van Cortlsrdt Park golf house
Coroner Shongut was responsible for
the arrest of the men, and after he had
been informed that the prisoners were
i'm the Morrisania police station he di-
rected that they be taken TO the cor
oners office. in fremont, where he said
he would at once begin an investigation
of the case
The men under arrest are Thomas j.
Totten. of the real estate firm Of Totten
Brothers. charged with homicide; his
brother, DARCY Totten: Edward Gala
CHER, an employe of the city Paymas-
ter's division Of the Controllers office;
Joseph F.. Crippens. n stenographer, of
245th street and Broadway; William
Lappe. Of 250th street and the Albany
Post Road. and John J. Mccarthy, police
lieutenant attached to the West 152d
street police station. The last FIVE named
are charged with being accessory TO the
crime.
All the arrests were made a s the re-
suit Of m inquest held by Coroner Shon-
gut after the death Of Miss Tristram. as
she called herself here. lie issued war
rants yesterday for the six men he
wanted and placed them in the hands of
Detectives Wines. O'Mara and Flynn. In
each case the mon were arrested in their
homes. Wines found it assigned to him
to Mace his brother officer. Lieutenant
Mccarthy, under arrest. Mccarthy
seemed TO be taken by surprise. but put
on his oyercoat and hat and accompa-
uiad Wines to the Morrisan'a police
station house.
Coroner Shongut arrived shortly after
the prisoners had been taken to his Of
flee and remained closeted in the jury
room for about half an hour At the
conclusion Of this conference he an
nounced that he would admit Thomas j.
Totten to $1,000 bail and the other pris-
oncrs To So. 800 ball each. The bail bonds
were soon signed auI he prisoners re-
leased. They were directed to be present
at the inquest, adjourned from last Fri
dav afternoon 10 tomorrow evening at
7:3O O'Clock.
Alice Tristram Shanks. said To be "A
daughter Of Canon Tristram. Of Ireland,
fau he
ago She had letters of introduction TO
persons of prominence In tho musical
world i'm this city and announced that
she was seeking an engagement on the
concert or light opera stage. She OK
hibited various clippings from foreign
papers which told of appearances she
had made before royalty abroad.
For several days Miss TriStram, as she
was known, stopped at the Hotel Car
Teton. Then she moved To a furnished
room house in Manhattan. and later. a
week ago SATURDAY, visited the proprie-
| tor of the Van Cortlandt Park golf house
and his wife. who were known to her
lust what happened in the restaurant
of the golf house on that Saturday night
and in the early hours Of Sunday is
known only 10 those who We're present
and possibly 10 Coroner Shongut The
/ facts so far made public show that Miss
Tristram was in the restaurant at that
time and that she joined the party Of
men. all of whom are now under arrest,
IT another table.
II has been testified that there was a
quantity Of liquor drunk during the
night. and that the Irish singer sang
several songs to entertain the company.
suddenly after taking drink. MISS
Tristram rose from her seat and stag
rored toward the door. Some Of the
men ran forward and supported her, ana
some one called an ambulance from the
Fordham Hospital She died before half
the distance 10 the hospital had been
! traversed a bottle with vermouth