Rochester, Monroe, NY
Democrat & Chronicle
Sat
Mar 11, 1905
SISTER SENT TO ASYLUM
Ames's Murder Preyed on Her Mind
Tracing Negro
Jackson Came to the City Sunday Night
Conductor Testifies
Railway Men Carried Suspect on Lyell Avenue Evening of Murder.
Proof of Unusually Early Arrival at Work Monday Morning
Considered Important by the People
Obsessed by the published details of the murder of her brother, Charles M. AMES, Mrs. Helen SMITH, of Lockport, was yesterday committed to the state insane asylum at Buffalo. She had been found by the police wandering in the streets asking for a lost shirt waist, says the Democrat and Chronicle's Lockport correspondent. After the physicians had adjudged Mrs. SMITH demented, she made an attempt to escape from custody with her 7-year-old daughter. The woman is 50 years of age, and has resided with a brother on Corinthia street, Lockport. She was in the asylum once before, and it is believed her brother's terrible death preyed on Mrs. SMITH'S mind and brought on a return of her disorder.
Assistant District-Attorney MATSON's work in the AMES murder investigation yesterday was devoted to details of the people's case against Berry G. JACKSON, the few developments of the day being important principally as corroboration of earlier discovered evidence. Considerable testimony was sent to the Grand Jury, which is expected to hand up indictments the latter part of next week. Should a true bill be found against the negro, it would probably be presented then.
It is established that JACKSON came to Rochester Sunday night on the car which leaves the Lyell avenue terminal about 8:16 o'clock. Ed WELCH's story of giving the coachman a ride to the JACKSON farm, after picking him up on Lyell road west of Barhydt's Corners about 7:15, has been closely scrutinized by the officials, to guard against the lad having made a mistake in the time, or even in the date of his meeting with the defendant. Proof brought in yesterday, however, shows that JACKSON did turn back to the farm, after returning the broom to CHENEY, as the latter has testified.
CHENEY said yesterday that his clock might have been, and probably was, fast, when he told JACKSON the time was 7:10. The estimate of Ezra CARTER, with whom JACKSON rode the latter part of the way from his farm to CHENEY's is that they reached Barhydt's Corners between 6:45 and P.M. This fits in with WELCH's time of picking JACKSON up when the latter was walking back to the farm. Supposing JACKSON to have left WELCH's wagon and entered the house about 7:20, remaining there but a few minutes, it is calculated by the officials that the negro would have ample time to trudge to the end of Lyell avenue and get the 8:16 car. The distance is roughly estimated at two and one-half miles. Conductor McCROSSEN and Motorman PHALEN told the District-Attorney of the Sunday evening car trip yesterday.
Mrs. W. E. WOODBURY thinks it was about 8:30 Sunday evening when she noticed JACKSON about his duties in the barn of the Lake avenue residence. The story of Mr. and Mrs. Bert MITCHELL, JACKSON's tenants, that he came to the Frank street house between 10 and 11 o'clock, and, apparently, retired, is probably quite correct. The MITCHELLS did not see JACKSON then. They did see him Monday forenoon, early.
HIATUS IN THE PROOF
There is a hiatus in the District-Attorney's proof from 11 o'clock Sunday night until 5:46 Monday morning. Conductor Michael J. EAGAN has the second run out Lyell avenue, and starts from the terminus about that time to run into town. He and his motorman saw JACKSON board the car and noticed the lantern. William EAGAN, another conductor, who resides on Otis street, was a passenger on the car. He spoke to the negro about the lantern and elicited the reply, it is said, that JACKSON had been to his farm. The car arrived at the corner of Lake and Lyell avenues about 5:45, JACKSON transferring to Lake avenue.
JACKSON continued to WOODBURY's, reaching here about 6:15, says a servant of the family who was before the Grand Jury yesterday. The prosecuting attorney's attach importance to the time. It is claimed this was forty-five minutes earlier than JACKSON usually came to work in the morning, and the earliest he had been known to be there. It corroborates the very important testimony of the street car men.
It is understood that the men who rode in with the negro Monday say he carried, besides the lantern and his cane, another article that he "stood up" in the vestibule of the car. None observed what this was, but there is proof that JACKSON carried the object to the WOODBURY farm.
Besides the blank in the people's proof as to JACKSON's whereabouts late Sunday night, there is a less important detail lacking, in the absence of a shovel or other implement used to make the grave in the farmhouse cellar. The ground in the cellar is practically stones, some of them boulders in size, and even the shallow excavation into which AMES's body was thrust could hardly have been made without a suitable tool. Nothing of the kind has been found on the farm. There are several such implements in WOODBURY'S barn and it may have been a spade that JACKSON had with him Monday morning. No one has said it was, however, and the authorities think the shape and unwieldiness of a spade would have attracted the attention of the street car passengers and crews who noticed JACKSON's lantern.
QUESTION AS TO WEAPON
Although the officials still consider the bloody scantling most likely to have been the fatal weapon, there is no certainty on the subject, as there was a poker, a hammer, iron rods and various other articles in the farmhouse that would have served the murderer's purpose as well. It is possible that the blood and hair on the scantling were picked up in shoving the body about in the cellar, as it would appear that the corpse was crushed and bruised in stamping down stones and earth on top of it.
A gates resident found an ax on the Lyell road Tuesday morning, about a mile and one-half east of JACKSON's, and turned it over to the county officials, suggesting that it might have some connection with the case. There is nothing about the tool to indicate its having been used in the crime, and it is expected that some farmer, from whose wagon the ax dropped, will claim it within a day or two.
The evidence of AMES having been hit from behind given by his cap inclines officers to the theory that the assailant saw AMES coming to the house and lay in wait for him as AMES mounted the stairs from the rear door. The victim might have lurched forward under the impetus of the blow and fallen against the window found broken. It would be comparatively little work to drag the body from this spot to the cellar. Blood smears in this part of the house strengthen the theory.
Not less than ten important witnesses were before the Grand Jury yesterday and others will testify Monday, Coroner KLEINDIENST must hold an inquest, under the law, and it has been set for Monday, but the Grand Jury investigation may be over before the inquest. This would leave the Coroner little further to do in the case, although his verdict would be duly given, following out the legal theory of an independent investigation conducted by him regardless of other official investigations.
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN
The district-attorney had photographs of the house taken Wednesday and necessary measurements made. The county physicians have not reported on the examinations of finger nail scrapings of the defendant and AMES. Other lines of investigation being followed are a search for indications of insanity in JACKSON's past, and inquiry into the relations of him and AMES. The latter research will be carried out with especial care, because of the sensational allegations of JACKSON against AMES in Judge LEDDY's court, and because of a rumor that the men had known one another from AMES's boyhood, instead of but a year, as first reported. It is believed W. E. WOODBURY was questioned on the subject of the rationality or otherwise of JACKSON's conduct.
Neighbors used to say that JACKSON was so jealous of his young and pretty wife that he begrudged her church attendance, and that she rebelled at the idea of being secluded. It is said his desire to live on the farm was one of the wife's reasons for leaving JACKSON. An incident of unkindness by the negro to his little stepdaughter is alleged by people who know the couple.
The funeral of Charles M. AMES was held from the family residence, No. 16 Starling street, yesterday morning, burial being at Riverside. The simple service was conducted by Rev. Horace A. CRANE, of Glenwood M. E. Church. The bearers were Fred HARTLEMEN, Walter WOODEN, W. BROOKS, Henry HATCH, William HESS and Charles SHAW. Mrs. AMES saw her husband's remains for the first time. She is broken in health by the shock of his tragic death, but displayed self command at this painful moment. Her only words were: "He looks as if he had finished his life's work."
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MATTERS BEFORE SURROGATE
Administrator's Accounting Accepted Daughter Sole Heir to Lightfoot Estate
The accounts of Catherine J. SWEENEY as administratrix of the estate of Patrick H. SWEENEY, were accepted yesterday by the Surrogate. The executor is chargeable with $1,578.57 and after making necessary expenditures shows a balance of $861.15 for distribution.
Letters of administration upon the $500 estate of Anne LIGHTFOOT, who died February 21st, were granted to Margaret A. McGREGOR, a daughter of the decedent and sole heir to the estate.
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WOMAN INTERFERED WITH POLICE
In police court yesterday judgment was suspended upon Thomas J. CLIFFORD, who was arrested for intoxication on the afternoon previously. CLIFFORD was found by Patrolman DOYLE so drunk that he could not give his name. This was at Lake and Lyell avenues. When placing him under arrest Mrs. O. W. GERMAN, 45 years of age, came upon them. She was carrying a baby, but decided that DOYLE ought not to arrest the man. She threw her muff at DOYLE four times, striking the policeman in the face, DOYLE very gallantly returned the woman her muff, until finally he lost his patience and arrested her also. It was learned yesterday that Mrs. GERMAN is insane, so her case was dismissed when she was arraigned yesterday.
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SCHOFF'S HOME GOING DELAYED
Garry SCHOFF, who was shot by Bessie BAKER LITTLE SCHOFF some weeks ago after a quarrel, will not go to his home in Wende, N. Y., to-day, as was planned. He felt so well that it was decided to allow him to leave St. Mary's Hospital on Monday last, but the trip was delayed until to-day. During the past two days a small ulcer has developed upon the cornea of the right eye. The bullet that was fired by his common law wife entered the face just below the right eye, and the ulcer is believed to be indirectly the result of the wound, severe pains occur about the region of the eye, and it is not impossible that eventually SCHOFF may lose the sight of that organ. Otherwise the man continues to improve.
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LARGE STONE KNOCKED MAN DOWN
Cornelius DECKER, a laborer, who lives beyond the city line on Main street east, was painfully injured while at work on a building near Main and Washington streets yesterday, and is now recovering at the City Hospital. DECKER was at work near a wall, which was being pulled down. A large stone fell from the wall and struck him in the back, knocking him down. As he fell his face came in contact with another stone, and his lower lip was badly cut. It bled profusely. He was taken to the City Hospital, where he is expected to recover, unless internal injuries should develop.
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TO LOOK UP GIRL'S RECORD
The vagrancy charge, entered against Anna BISHOP, a girl of 16 years, was adjourned for a week in police court yesterday. She pleaded not guilty, and her case was put over until other matters connected with the case can be investigated.
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RECORD OF DEATHS
Daniel GOSNELL, of this city, died Thursday at the Soldiers' Home at Bath, N. Y., aged 65 years. He was a veteran of the Civil war, having served with Company B, 108th Regiment, New York Volunteers, and a member of O'Rorke Post, G. A. R. He leaves three sons, Samuel, Charles and Thomas, of this city, and two daughters, Mrs. Mary FITZGERALD, of this city, and Mrs. Anna MOLYNEUX(?), of Chicago. The remains have been brought to this city and the funeral will take place from the residence of Mrs. FITZGERALD, No. 182(?) Otis street, Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock. O'Rorke Post, which will have charge of the funeral, will meet at 10 o'clock Sunday morning at the rooms on Front street to take action on the death of Mr. GOSNELL.
The funeral of Mrs. Eleanor M. REYNOLDS was held yesterday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ralph J. BENDON, No. 50 Hubbell park, at 8:30 o'clock and at the Immaculate Conception Church at 9 o'clock. Solemn requiem mass was celebrated by Rev. Augustine M. O'NEILL, assisted by Rev. William GLEASON of St. Mary's, as deacon, and Rev. John P. Lrophy, of St. Monica's, as sub-deacon. Rev. George W. ECKL acted as master of ceremonies. The bearers were John M. REDDINGTON, Augustus L. McKITTRICK, John C. KING, Thomas W. FORD, James H. MAHER and Michael L. HUGHES.
Della, wife of C. H. PLUMB, died yesterday morning, aged 63 years and 7 months. She leaves four sons, William H. and Robert J., of Geneva, Almond H. and Watson S., one daughter, Mrs. H. S. JUDSON, two sisters, Mrs. Albert H. SPENCER and Mrs. Elias HICKS, all of Rochester.
Delanta H. HAMM died at the home of her son, Henry D. HAMM, No. 258 West avenue, aged 74 years. She leaves two sons, Henry D., of this city, and Homer A., of Syracuse, and one daughter, Mrs. William SCHULTZ, of this city.
James Thomas McKECKNEY, infant son of Thomas and Margaret McKECKNEY, died yesterday morning at St. Mary's Hospital, aged 1 year and 11 months.
Mildred Louise, daughter of Arthur and Clara STAFFORD, died yesterday at the family residence, No. 8 Chatham street, aged 8 months.
Mary, widow of Adam DILL, died yesterday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William ULRICH, No. 190 Orange street, aged 74 years.
Abby ROACHE died yesterday morning at the family home, No. 88 Monroe avenue. She leaves her daughter, Mrs. Mary ALCOTT.
Winifred, wife of James O'KEEFE, died yesterday at the family home, No. 89 Cottage street.
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SIX MONTHS TO BRACE UP
Marcellus MOREHOUSE was yesterday sent to the penitentiary for a period of six months. His father-in-law appeared in police court, and said that he was a nuisance about the house. Attorney McDOWELL stated that MOREHOUSE was a victim of the morphine habit, and that if sent in some institution he might be cured. The court sent him to the penitentiary.
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