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The
inquest in the case of Edward Pullman, the murdered constable and
night watchman, was called in the Sodus Opera House Friday forenoon
by Coroner Robert S. Carr.
The
first witness sworn was William Dickinson, who resides seven miles
east of West Webster. He told of his horse being stolen the morning
of March 23d, and of the leaving of another horse in its place. He
heard nothing during the night. At the time the animal was stolen it
was shedding hair. Horse hairs were found on the men who were
arrested in Rochester as suspects, so this part of Mr. Dickinson's
testimony was considered important. Lorenzo Atwater of Webster
testified as to having found Mr. Dickinson's horse and returning the
same to the barn.
M.
F. Boyd was called for at this stage of the proceedings, but he was absent.
Edward
C. Smith of Webster took the stand. He said he discovered the
morning of the 23d that someone had been swapping horses with him. He
found the doors of his barn open, and discovered a strange horse in
place of his animal. His wife telephoned to Webster and later to
chief of police at Rochester of the fact. Afterwards he procured his
horse and the cutter to which the animal was hitched in Rochester.
Drove horse home and shipped cutter to M. F. Boyd at Sodus.
Mr.
Boyd reached the Opera House by this time and testified that a horse
was stolen from his barn the night of the 23d. He was not able to
tell if horse was driven out of barn, after being hitched to cutter.
Horse was in fair condition when returned.
Dr.
J. F. Myers took the stand and swore that he made an autopsy on the
body of Edward Pullman the morning of March 23d. He first saw the
body at 6:30 a. m., as it lay on the floor in the bank and store. He
examined the body at that time. There was no blood on the floor, or
any to be observed externally on the body. Clothing did nor, have the
appearance of having been disarranged. He discovered that a pistol
ball had been fired through a side window and lodged in a book case.
William
R. Shonassy, a conductor on the R. W. & 0. R. R., arrived at
this time, and he was immediately called to the stand. He testified
that he left Rochester at 5:40 p. m. March 22d and arrived at Sodus
about eleven minutes late. He identified a train slip issued by him
to a man who paid a cash fare from Rochester to Wallington, but who
got off the train at Sodus. He swore that another man who had paid
him a cash fare from Rochester to Wolcott also got off the train at
Sodus. Neither passenger asked for rebate fare. The man for Wolcott
sat directly behind the man for Wallington. They did not converse
with each other. |
After
the conductor left the stand Dr. Myers resumed his testimony,
swearing as to the location of the bullet wounds that caused the
death of the night watchman. He told of the removal of the body to
the undertaking rooms of J. J. Wylie and the examination which showed
no bruises other than those inflicted by the bullet, which he
believed came from a 38 revolver.
Captain
George Garlock of Sodus Point stated that on March 22d he was
visited by a stranger who attracted his attention. The fellow acted
strangely. Mr. Garlock said he thought he would be able to recognize
the man if he saw him again. He then swore that he did see the man in
question on Monday, April 2d, at the sheriff's office in Lyons. He
thought the man was Schultz. The man wore dark clothes, overcoat and
derby hat.
C.
K. Knapp testified to having been notified of the crime and of his
immediate visit to the bank, finding the front door' locked and of
his being unable to turn the same by the use of his key. After trying
for several minutes to open it in this manner, Albert Hamm went to
the rear of the building and found the door closed, but not fastened.
He made his way into the store and unbolted the front door from the
top. The finding of the bullet holes, the hole drilled in the safe
and other matters known to the public were brought out in Mr. Knapp's testimony.
Mrs.
W. W. Wood was called. She swore that she was disturbed the morning
of the 23d and looked out of the window. She saw a man come across
the cross walk. He stopped and stood still. Then she saw two shots
fired and saw the flash. After, that she heard a scuffling noise. She
heard no shots after that. Later a door was slammed. Then she saw
three men go west, past Cornelius' store. She watched them until they
reached the home of Mrs. A. B. Williams. Soon afterwards two men went
west on the south side of Main street. There was one short and one
tall men on the north side. They walked rapidly. It was 1:45 a. m. at
that time.
Owen
Wood testified that he was awakened by four reports which sounded
like fire crackers being exploded. He got up and look out of the
window and saw a man standing in front of Gardner's store. Another
shot was heard and the man immediately disappeared from sight. After
this he dropped the curtain and went back to bed.
C.
C. Field then gave his testimony in which he told of the finding of
the constable's body, after he had been called from his bed by Miss
Pulman, who informed him that the family members were fearful that
something had happened to Mr. Pullman. After Mr. Field's testimony
was concluded the inquest was adjourned until Wednesday, April 11th.
It was announced that the three prisioners at the county jail would
be brought to Sodus at that time.
The
report of Wednesday's developments will be found on page 5. |