Bowery Murder, page 28
The commissioner of police did not comment upon Kelly’s connection with the Woodward murder in any way nor upon his visit to see the gangster before his death. It has been learned, however, that two detectives were seeking Kelly Sunday morning and that the police commissioner along with other officers was waiting for him at the Bowery Bar, where a special conference had been arranged at which a number of witnesses to the Woodward murder were interrogated. It is rumoured that both Rose O’Neil and Watts Gordon were brought to the Bowery Bar Sunday afternoon under guard, later being sent back to their cells.
POLICE STAGE MURDER SCENE
The police, in staging a star-chamber session interrogation, etc., etc.
From the Post, Last Edition, Monday, May 7, 1928
PETER O’NEIL HELD AS MURDERER OF THOMAS WOODWARD
Kelly, Dying Gangster, Confessed Bowery Boss Shot Woodward
ROSE O’NEIL AND IRENE WILLIAMS RELEASED
Gordon Still in Tombs; Kelly’s Confession Not Given Out by Police
Acting secretly and with dramatic suddenness, Commissioner of Police Howard late to-day staged what he termed the final act in solving the Bowery Bar Murder mystery by arresting Peter O’Neil, downtown political leader and owner of the bar, as the murderer of Thomas Woodward. At the same time police charges against Rose O’Neil, his daughter, were withdrawn, and her confession was officially declared to be entirely false. The charge against Irene Williams as being an accessory to the murder was not, however, withdrawn.
The police hunt of the last three weeks for the murderers of Thomas Woodward has presented a startling new situation every day but is now finished, according to the commissioner.
“We finally have the guilty man,” he said, “but it’s taken a long while for us to complete our evidence. From the very first we suspected O’Neil, and evidence obtained in the last two days has clinched the case.”
O’Neil was arrested in his flat above the Bowery Bar at two o’clock this morning. Acting Inspector of Detectives Carr, accompanied by four plain-clothes men, made the arrest, charging him with murder. He was arraigned before Magistrate Harold Robertson and held without bail. O’Neil protested his innocence and stated that the entire police case was a frame-up.
HARRY KELLY HELPED POLICE
It was the testimony of Kelly, the Bowery gangster shot Sunday, whose funeral is being held to-morrow, that enabled the police to obtain sufficient evidence to warrant their holding Peter O’Neil for Woodward’s murder. The police commissioner and several officers were at Kelly’s bedside just before he died, and he told them the true story of what he had seen as he rushed into the back room of O’Neil’s bar at twelve-forty-five the morning of April 19th. Kelly admitted that the story he told at that time was untrue. He blamed O’Neil for his death but did not claim that O’Neil had any actual hand in it nor that O’Neil had ordered it.
Kelly knew he was dying, according to the police, and saw in a deathbed statement of the truth the only chance to revenge himself against his leader O’Neil, who Kelly declared had caused his death by withdrawing support of him as leader of the Five Points Gang. It was when O’Neil withdrew his influence that Kelly’s opponents took courage enough to put three bullets into Kelly, leaving him for dead in a hallway in an abandoned tenement on East Twenty-eighth Street.
DETAILS OF CONFESSION WITHHELD
Kelly’s statement concerning Woodward’s murder was not made public by the police. It was said that his confession confirmed evidence obtained at a secret interrogation of everyone concerned with the case held Sunday afternoon in the back room of the bar on the very spot where Woodward was shot. The various mystifying circumstances of the case, according to the police, were cleared up by recognition of the fact that Woodward died by O’Neil’s hand. No explanation has been given concerning the confession of Watts Gordon or Rose O’Neil. Rose’s assumption of guilt can be credited to the fact that she wished to protect her father, and as such is touching testimony of the relationship between father and daughter.
GORDON’S MOTIVE UNCERTAIN
Such a motive cannot be credited to Watts Gordon, who confessed three weeks ago, immediately after the murder. One conjecture to be made at the present writing, in view of failure of the police commissioner to amplify his brief statement, is that Watts Gordon in some secret deal with O’Neil voluntarily assumed guilt for Woodward’s murder in order to save O’Neil from disgrace. Another is that he tried to shield O’Neil because of the leader’s daughter Rose. Such a sacrifice is almost unparalleled in the history of the Police Department, and experienced police officers believe that this was not Gordon’s entire motive. It is significant that the police, while exonerating Rose O’Neil, made no move to release Watts Gordon, nor was any statement made concerning his confession.
STRONG EFFORT TO RELEASE O’NEIL
O’Neil, who has long been one of the important political leaders of New York, raged at the Police Department when they arrested him, and the police officers had to handcuff him in order to take him before a magistrate and thence to the Tombs. It is understood that strong political pressure has been brought to bear to have him released on bail and that his attorneys have received the full cooperation of several Justices of the Supreme Court in obtaining his release. In many quarters it is thought that the police commissioner has overstepped himself in an effort to discredit his political antagonist and that O’Neil is not guilty.
District Attorney McDermott, who is Howard’s rival for the mayoralty nomination and who has been very free in criticizing the many arrests made by the Police Department, singularly refused comment concerning O’Neil’s arrest. He was, however, visibly surprised, and it was evident that the police had taken action without consultation with him.
ROSE O’NEIL IN PHYSICIAN’S CARE
The arrest of her father came as a tremendous shock to Miss O’Neil, and when the news was given her she fainted in her cell. She was removed to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where she is under the care of physicians and nurses, and admittance to her room has been forbidden. In direct contrast to the effect of O’Neil’s arrest upon his daughter was the composure with which Watts Gordon received the news in the Tombs. He is stated to have evidenced no surprise and to have said only, “Well, that’s that.” He, however, immediately requested that his counsel be sent to him within an hour.
Miles Portor, former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, was sent for and conferred with Gordon for a half hour. The counsel stated to reporters that the case had taken a very dramatic turn and might prove one of the most complicated murder trials in the history of American courts. He would not enlarge upon his statement, which leads to the supposition that Gordon is still deeply involved in Woodward’s death.
SIXTH ARREST IN CASE
The arrest of Peter O’Neil is the sixth that has been made, etc., etc.
From the Morning Herald-Tribune, Tuesday, May 8, 1928
FOUR CONFESSIONS IN WOODWARD CASE SOLVE SHOOTING
O’Neil, Gordon, Irene, and Kelly Give True Stories Concerning Murder
O’NEIL AND GORDON BOTH FIRED; ONE KILLED
The Amazing Solution of Bowery Murder Finally Disclosed, But Guilt Remains Undetermined
By W. K Smith
Harry Kelly, dying, told the truth concerning the murder of Thomas Woodward. Three police officers, including Commissioner Howard, bent over his bed to hear for the first time a recital of the events as they actually took place at twelve-forty-five in the back room of Peter O’Neil’s Bowery Bar the morning of April 19th.
Yesterday Peter O’Neil was arrested and charged with the murder of Thomas Woodward. He is being held as a co-defendant with Watts Gordon. Three hours later he confessed to the police that the story told by Harry Kelly was correct and was a true recital of the actual happenings within the room.
O’Neil’s confession was brought about after his repeated refusal to talk by the fact that one hour earlier Watts Gordon in the Tombs told the police a story practically identical with Kelly’s, and almost at the same time Irene Williams filled in details of a previous story she had given to the police. All then tallied with the story given by the dying gangster.
Neither O’Neil nor Gordon would substantiate Kelly’s confession until they learned that Irene Williams had independently given the police a story which corroborated Kelly’s statement. All previous testimony presented by O’Neil, Gordon, and Rose O’Neil are proved to be made up largely of falsehoods in which each endeavoured to put the police on false trails. This situation, coupled with the fact that practically all other persons implicated in the crime have also lied to the police, that has made the case so difficult for the department to unravel.
After the final confessions of Kelly and Williams, Gordon still refused to talk, but upon the insistence of his counsel, Miles Portor, he eventually agreed to tell a true story of the events within the back room of the Bowery Bar. O’Neil’s confession then followed.
ROSE O’NEIL STILL SILENT
Miss O’Neil alone, of all those within the Bowery Bar at the time of the murder, has not given corroboration. She is in St. Vincent’s Hospital recovering from a temporary nervous breakdown which occurred immediately after she had learned of her father’s arrest on Sunday. Physicians at the hospital state that it will be several days before they will permit her to talk to police officers.
And, in the face of the fact that four witnesses of Woodward’s death have now finally told the truth, the police do not know at this time who actually killed Woodward, nor is the murderer apt to be determined. Only by technical evidence given by pistol experts, whose testimony can be combated by other experts, can the guilt be decided by a jury.
O’NEIL OR GORDON GUILTY?
The murder of Thomas Woodward lies between Watts Gordon and Peter O’Neil. Each shot at him. But one bullet killed him. Four shots in all were fired by those present in the room, according to the confessions just obtained. The record of empty shells found in the pistols used indicates that five shots were fired. Marks of six bullets altogether were found on the wall of the room itself. This discrepancy has not yet been accounted for by the police in charge of the investigation of the case, nor by any information given by those who confessed. And to complicate the problem, the confessions state only four shots were fired.
The fatal bullet came from a gun in the hands of either O’Neil or Watts Gordon, according to their present sworn statements, and neither knows whether or not his bullet hit Woodward. Rose O’Neil fired one shot, which is known to have missed him. Woodward fired at Gordon and also missed. Then Gordon and Peter O’Neil fired simultaneously, and Woodward fell mortally wounded.
It is doubtful if any writer of fiction could create a situation involving a more complicated determination of guilt than is now presented by the confessions obtained yesterday. Doubt is also expressed that when O’Neil and Gordon are brought to trial they can be convicted of murder, because of the circumstances of Woodward’s death. In the whole history of crime in New York, the police state they have no record of a case which has involved so much mystery as this which now presents such a complication in the determination of guilt.
CONFESSIONS TELL THE STORY
The true facts of the killing of Thomas Woodward are best presented by a chrorniogical recitation of events as they occurred on the night of April 18th. From the four signed statements, which agree as to main facts the Herald-Tribune presents for the first time the actual account of how Woodward died. These confessions have been thoroughly studied, and while there are points yet to be settled there is no doubt but that they are a true recital.
INITIAL EVENTS AT OPIUM DIVE
Thomas Woodward left the Plum Blossom, the Chinatown resort which he owned, at about twelve o’clock. He proceeded directly to the Bowery Bar to discuss with Peter O’Neil certain matters relating to the United Omnibus franchise vote. He had made frequent visits to O’Neil’s place during the past month, and it was generally known that he could be found there around midnight.
He arrived at the bar at approximately twelve-five, entering through the front swinging doors, and saw O’Neil standing at the bar. He greeted him affably, and the two men chatted for a moment with Tim McLarney, the bartender. They then proceeded to the back room, where they could have privacy, and they were there served by McLarney with two bottles of ale. O’Neil and Woodward seated themselves at the table and were engaged in a discussion of franchise votes when there was a sudden rap on the Bayard Street door and simultaneously the buzzer rang in the barroom. O’Neil got up and went to the door and looked out through a small peephole.
LILA CARROLL ARRIVES
He saw Lila Carroll standing outside and turned back to Woodward to ask him if he wanted to see her.
Woodward replied, “That damn Chink must have told her that I came up here. Well, let her in. I can get rid of her quick enough.”
O’Neil opened the door, and Miss Carroll entered, closing the door behind her. She looked around the room, apparently surprised at seeing only the two men, and said:
“Well, this does look like a business conference. I thought, Tom, maybe you were trying to shake me. This is your last night here, and I didn’t want to have you giving me the gate for some other charmer.”
Woodward was scheduled to leave the next morning for Europe. (Miss Carroll’s previous testimony has shown that she was jealous of Woodward and had followed him to the bar to ascertain whether or not he had deceived her when he left the Plum Blossom.)
Woodward replied, “My dear Lila, I always tell you the truth. You’re interrupting a serious conference. But sit down anyway and have a drink and I’ll put you in a cab and meet you later. It’s too damn bad I can’t get away for ten minutes.”
IRENE WILLIAMS ENTERS
Miss Carroll replied in anger and started to leave. Then Woodward persuaded her to sit down for a few minutes, and she seated herself at the table. O’Neil went out into the bar for glasses and liquor. During his absence Irene Williams, who had followed her rival, Lila, from the Plum Blossom, came to the Bayard Street door of the bar and found it unlatched. She pushed the door open and confronted Woodward and Lila Carroll, seated at the table. O’Neil returned at this juncture and has stated that he was intensely surprised to find a new woman present. He expressed himself in no uncertain terms.
Woodward had got up as Irene entered and asked her what the hell she wanted.
Miss Williams replied, “I understand you are skipping to Europe to-morrow and you still owe me $25,000 that you promised three months ago. You can stick to your little friend there”—meaning Miss Carroll—“but I’m going to get your personal check now before I leave this place or before I’ll let you leave.”
Woodward, according to Miss Williams, replied with cursing and told her that he had nothing to do with the matter, that it was in the hands of his lawyers, and further, that he would throw her out bodily if she didn’t leave immediately. Irene replied, according to O’Neil’s confession, “You will like hell. You lay your dirty hands on me, Tom Woodward, and you’ll wake up with the devil prodding your corpse with a pitchfork.” Woodward jumped from the table but was restrained by O’Neil.
ROSE O’NEIL AND GORDON APPEAR
At this juncture Rose O’Neil, accompanied by Watts Gordon, came into the inner hallway of the bar through the secret entrance. Miss O’Neil entered the back room to see her father. Gordon and Rose had been at the Plum Blossom earlier, Gordon stated, explaining that he had taken her there for the first time. He had previously told her about the place, and she was anxious to see just what such a gambling establishment looked like. He was writing a play about the place. Gordon had learned shortly before that the place was owned by Thomas Woodward, his informant being a half-caste attendant named Pluto, who had been discharged. Gordon’s visit to the Plum Blossom was an attempt to learn more details and also to show Miss O’Neil the place. They had left just previous to the time of Woodward’s departure. They had then taken a stroll down lower Broadway, and finally took a taxicab back to the bar.
When Miss O’Neil entered the room she evidenced surprise at seeing Woodward and the two women present. She turned to leave but Lila Carroll, seeing her, immediately turned to Woodward and accused him of lying to her.
IRENE’S ACTUAL STORY
Miss Williams’s statement to the police yesterday as taken down by an official stenographer reads as follows:
“When Rose O’Neil came in Lila jumped up and turned to Woodward, saying in an excited voice, ‘I knew you came up here to see her. This business deal stuff is a lot of apple sauce. It was just an excuse to leave me and get a chance to talk to this new flame of yours.’
“Woodward told her to shut up and sit down, that he didn’t know Rose was going to be in at all. He said to Rose that as long as she was there he was glad to see her and asked her to come in and have a drink with them. Rose turned to go, but O’Neil told her to stay. Then I saw that Gordon was with her, for he came pushing into the room, giving Woodward a terrible once-over. Lila was as huffy as a cat stroked the wrong way and got up from the table.
“‘All right, you can take your little Bowery Belle, if you want to, Tom. I’m through,’ she said. Then she ran out by Gordon and went into the hall. I didn’t see what happened to her after that, but O'Neil jumped out after her, and Lila told me afterward that he showed her how to get out of the place by some cellar exit.”
GORDON’S STORY OF SHOOTING
Watts Gordon’s statement to the police is quoted, giving the next succession of events that occurred:
“When I followed Miss O’Neil into the back room it struck me that Woodward was either drunk or in a highly nervous state. He had got up as Lila left and said, ‘Well, it would cost me another ten-ton sparkler, as those damn tabloids say, to get her back into good humour, but I’m through. I was told she was a gold digger, and she is. She ought to be incorporated as the best-paying mining company in America. I’ve learned my lesson. This saves me the trouble of shaking her.”
