by Laurel | June 24th, 2009
June 24, 1905, page 8
Complaint Against Holyoke Officer.
Edward Tessman of 367 Park street complained to the judge of the police court yesterday morning that Officer Charles P. Kehl of the Holyoke police force had assaulted him without just cause or provocation. Judge Chapin issued a warrant and Officer Kehl will be arraigned in court this morning. He secured Lawyer T. J. O’Connor to defend him. Lawyer O’Connor admitted last evening that he had been retained by Officer Kehl. The officer was not on duty last night, and it is understood that he was temporarily suspended pending the result of the hearing. According to the officer’s side of the story there was a row in a house on Park street and he was called to quell the disturbance. As he entered the house and after a little investigation told Tessman, the complainant, that he had better go home. Tessman went down stairs with the officer and when the two were out of the house Tessman began to free his mind in regard to the officer, and struck the officer, according to the latter’s story. This the complainant denies. The officer then started to put the man under arrest and in the attempt hit him once or twice with his club. The man, however, got away and later turned up at the police station and asked for a warrant of Kehl. He was told to come around in the morning, which he did. Meantime Kehl found where Tessman lived and tried to locate him at the house so as to arrest him, but was unable to find him. He went off duty at 2 a.m. and was unable to locate him before that time. Some lively sparring is expected over the case.
June 24, 1907, page 10
Woman Falls Three Stories.
Mystery as to How Mrs. Patrick Sullivan Happened to Fall.
Mrs. Patrick Sullivan of 77 Walnut street fell from a third-story window of her tenement to the street about 12:24 yesterday morning and sustained serious injuries. Both arms were broken and severe wounds were sustained on the face and head. She was removed to the House of Providence hospital, where Dr. Edward Warren attended her. It was found necessary to take several stitches to close the wounds on her head and face.
The circumstance of the case are rather peculiar. As near as can be learned the woman returned to her home shortly after 12. The patrolman on the beat was standing on the street corner and heard her body when it struck the ground and hastened to her assistance. One going up stairs to her tenement he found the door locked and breaking in found her husband and daughter seemingly asleep. When aroused the husband disclaimed all knowledge of the matter. The woman herself refuses to state how the accident happened. From the injuries received, she must have been facing the window when she fell. It is thought that unless she has received serious internal injuries she will recover.
June 24, 1909
Holyoke Man on Trial
Case of Napoleon Monat Charged With Murder of John Kliff Under Way at Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
The trial of Napoleon Monat, 23, of Holyoke, charged with the murder of Kohn Kliff, a restaurant proprietor, in Hopewell Junction, January 24, as begun before Justice Tompkins in the supreme court at Poughkeepsie yesterday. Monat’s defense will be insanity. He has confessed and given the authorities the story of the grime, George Conrow of Mattawan, N.Y., Monat’s alleged accomplice, will be tried next week. The motive for the crime was robbery.
Monat and Conrow, who were New Haven railroad conductors, it is charged, went to Kliff’s restaurant and while Conrow watched outside, Monat beat Kliff to death and tried to kill his wife. They got away with nearly $600.. Mrs. Kliff, still an invalid, was in court yesterday to testify against the prisoner. The entire day was taken up in selecting a jury. With Monat sat his father, a Holyoke man. A dozen witnesses from New England are in Poughkeepsie to testify as to peculiar acts of the prisoner since childhood.
Excerpted from the Springfield Republican.
