The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-01-26 00:00:00

. THE MURDERS IN AUSTRIA.

Writing on Monday night, the Vienna correspon-
dent of the Daily News says: Before being delivered
up to justice Hugo Schenk confessed to the police that
he had planned five murders for last week, which were
to provide him with 30,000 florins. With this sum he
intended to escape to America with Emily Hoechs•
mann. Two of his intended victims are claughtet s
of raApectable families. One is a servant to the
Baroness Malfatti, whose chambermaid he had in-
duced to steal pearls worth 20,000 &rine, which
the Imperial family had presented to Doctor Mal-
fatti for attending Napoleon's son, the Duke of Reich-
stadt, during his last illness. This maid, who had
lived in the family for twelve years, was so thoroughly
trusted that the pearls w re not missed until Schank'a
arrest gave the clue to the robbery. She bad pre-
pared everything for Schenk and his accomplices'
reception in the house on the very night he w.ls
arreoted. Schenk said to her he would give all the in-
mates, herself included, a dose of morphia; but he
has confessed that his real intention was to murder
them all. If he had not been arrested on the 10th
this crime would have been added to the others. The
Baron,,,s Malfatti had about 10,000 florins' worth of
plate and jewels, besides much cash, in the house, a
solitary vide in an outlying suburb. She is a most
generous old lady, who founded and keeps up an
asylum for old women. Her pearls were pawned in
Linz. The maid's deposition confirmed Schenk's con-
fession.
A further account says:

Every step that the police take serves to reveal
fresh crimes of the brothers Schenk and their accom-
plice f?chlossarek. Schenk acted by minutely-pre-
pared plans, and several times he plotted against one
girl even before he had disposed of another, who
seemed ready to give up all to him. He is tall, hand-
some, well-mannered, speaks fluently several lan-
guages, and has the bearing of a gentleman. His
brother has confessed to having helped him to
murder the cook Ketterl, whom they shot
dead and threw into the Danube early in August.
1883. This is the fifth murder which seems, SO far as
we may say no before actual convictions, to be esteh-
tidied, but three others are probable. Hugo Schenk'e
wife and his child have disappeared altogether. A
man answering his description was seen from a rail-
way train near Lundenburg, on the Northern Rail-
way, wrestling with a woman, whom he seemed to
stab. This affair was not cleared up, because the
police rent from the station where the train stopped
could find no trace of murderer or victim.
Schenk confesses to having murdered a woman
near Lnndenburg, but refuses to gives details.
The principal witness against Hugo Schenk will be his
sweetheart, Emily Hochsmann, whom he first enticed,
like his other victims, but finding her poor yet attrac-
tive, spared her life, and even spent upon her much of
the money obtained by his terrible crimes. She
offered herself as a witness when she heard who her
lover really was. His acquaintances were all made
by means of advertisements in the local papers.
Schenk made the women believe that he was a
Nihilist agent, a Polish count with untold gold,
that he had uncles in America, and noble rela-
tions who would not hear of marriage with a
servant. Clandestine marriage was always the
excuse for leaving Vienna, and once en route, with the
girl's money safe in her bag, be got out at roma
romantic spot, where he met his accomplices, and,
after murdering his victim, returned by next train, In
March, 1883, he was released after two years' imprison-
ment. In May he 'murdered the two Timals, after
four weeks' acquaintance. In August the cook Ketterl
was murdered, and in the last days of December,
when the police had already traced him, he killed Rosa
Ferenczy. During all this time he professed to be in
love with two girls, and corresponded with at least fifty
others. Last August ho left Emily Hochmann for
one day, promising to meet her at night in a certain
public garden. She waited for him with her relaticns,
and when he came his merriment kept them all in good
humour. He excused his insatiable hunger by the
bard work which had kept him busy all day, and then,
surrounded by dozens of people, gave Emily Hiichs.
mann a watch, bracelets, and rings which be had taken
from the murdered Ketterl three hours previously.
Next day he started on a Swiss tour with his sweet.
heart, and only left her when money fell short. The
most pitiable of his victims was his last, Rosa
Ferenczy. The illegitimate daughter of a Hungarian
nobleman, she was full of fanciful Ideas, and when, at
the age of thirty, this handsome man offered her his
band and heart she believed fate had turned at last,
And leaving service followed him. He took some of
her money, 1800 florins in all, and lodged her in a
remote suburb, visiting her sometimes. The landlady
states that Rosa Ferenczy suspected him when absent,
but whenever he showed himself she always believed
him. At Christmas he took her to the theatres and
the Opera, promising to visit his sister in her compsny
soon. She prepared for departure, and said, crying,
to the landlady, "You'll either tee me happy and
married, or never again." The landlady recognised
Schenk and Schlossarek as the two men with whom Rosa
drove to the station. Next day her body was found in a
Danube near Preebourg. The sums which Schenk
obtained by phis murders, and which he must have
divided with his brother and his accomplice Sake-
sarek, do not amount to 6000 florins. But he never
worked, and lived comfortably, often travelling, for
three years at least, as also did his accomplices. He
must, therefore, have obtained money by other
means or many other murders, to which no clue is as
yet obtained, were his work. The Pesth police have
asked for his likeness, several girls having been
abducted from that city of late years in a similar
manner to that practised by Schenk.

An accident occurred on Monday near Macon City.
&lissom!, on the Wabash Railway. Through a rail
being broken a train was thrown off the track and
some of the carriages were shattered. The railway
officials say that six people were hurt; but none
eeriously.

Thomas Metcalfe, a gamekeeper In the employ of
Lord Zstland, shot in an affray with poachers at
Loftus, in Clevelani, on the 15th of December, died
Dn Monday from the effente of his Injuries. A miner
named John Lowther has been committed for trial at
York Assizes for shooting with intent to maim. The
charge will now remolve itself into the more serious one
It causing Metcalfe's death,

A verdict of "Wilful Murder" has been reurned
by a coroner's jury against Michael I.ll`Lssn, P,trick.
Duran, Alexander Caulybdi, and Murdccx Yalta.
tine, the lade charged with kicleng and stabbing to
th,a;.l3 a SpaniT s.ioe ia L zetlrlal, on the of
Saturday, the M !wt.

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

ONE of the most fashionable gatherings of the month
was seen on the 17th inst., at Bt. Paul's Church,
Knightsbridge, on the occasion of the marriage of thi
Marquis of Kildare, eldest son of the Duke and Duches
of LOnster, and the rady Hermione Willielmiria
Duncombe, eldest daughter of the Earl and Conntese
of Feversham. The bridal toilette was very handeorue.
The bodice and train were of a full shade of cream
terry velvet, the petticoat of Duchesse satin, trimmed
with two flounces of rare old lace, the lower one headed
by a cordon of orange flowers with fringes of hanging
blossoms and long pointed tassels of green-tinted buds
falling over the lace. The train, entirely untrimmed,
fell in well-arranged folds, and was lined with a broad
band of creamy plush. At one side of the skirt were
two large bouquets of orange blossoms mingled with
green leaves. The square-cut bodice had a chemitette
of lace, with a bouquet of flowers at the ne3lt ; the
front of the elbow sleeves were also of transparent
lace, finished with folds of terry velvet.

TEE trousseau also contained a dinner robe of an
exquisite shade of ruby velvet cut up in unequal
lengths at each side, but well towards the front of the
skirt, and slightly raised over a petticoat of satin ot
the same shade. The edges of the velvet were
trimmed with hanging featoons of cut ruby beads,
and at the left side the opening was eurmounted by a
large ruby satin rosette. The trained skirt, bordered
with silk cord, was puffed at the back, below the waiet,
and lined with a wide band of thick ribbed ruby plush.
The pointed velvet bodice was laced at the back, low
at the neck, and every where edged with beaded pesie-
neenterie, having small, irregular points. The short
sleeves were cut up the front of the arm in curves
to the top of the shoulder, merely outlined by
a narrow frilling of soft crepe lieme, a small
tucker of the same crossing the bodice in the front
only. There was also an elegant reception dreee of
pale blue satin with bodice and train of brocade in a
pattern of cowslips and leaves. The front of the petti-
coat was veiled in Brussels lace, yellow with age and
of splendid workmanship and design, which was draned
and caught up at the right side with two large rolettes
of blue satin. Below the lace were feetooned puffir)ga
of satin, and the skirt was edged with a plaiting of
pale blue crêpe. The pointed bodice, laced in front,
had an upstanding collar of lace; the square-cut open-
ing was trimmed with lace thickly embroidered with
small steel beade, and the elbow sleeves, gathered very
high on the ehonlder=, were similarly omamented,
finished with ruffles of Brussels lace.

THE Queen, in an article on "London Fashions,"
says :—The exceptionally mild weather is the general
topic of conversation. Landoners complain of tbe
cheerier; close, depressing atmosphere ; and from the
country come tidings of flowering gardens and hedge-
rows green with unwonted foliage. As a consequence,
therefore, furs and all heavy wraps are temporari!y
relegated to the recesses of our wardrobes, or, if worn,
appear in the form of shoulder capes of braver, otter,
seal, or sable, of chenille, velvet, plush, or si11:-
embroidered cloth. The last is a particularly pretty
style for children and young girls. The fine black
cloth, lined with some bright colour, is worked ell
over with a pattern of leaves and stems embroidered
In black silks bordered with a row of bullion drops
or a fringe of small fur balls. The cape is shapely and
smart laoking, and has either a shallow Medici collar
or a ruff of fur, skunk, beaver, or seal surrounding the
throat, which, carried down the front, teradnates in
a graduated point at its lower edge.
A VERY long•piled plash—an excellent imitation oi
natural otter fur—is much used as trimming to cloth
costumes both on the skirt, as flat bands, plastron, and
side-panels, and on the jacket with short round
brogue, that usually accompanies all walking or out-
door toilettes of cashmere, serge, or fine cloth.
Imagine a costume of deep geranium cloth, the rather
full petticoat trimmed with a hand of otter plush, cat
in long points, and placed above a series of closely
gathered, very narrow, pinked-out flounces, arranged
at the extreme edge of the skirt. The tunic is formed
of two wide scarves of the red material, tordered with
plush, each'point fastened down by a flat button of
gilded metal; the scarves are gathered in at the waist,
and cross the front of the skirt, where they slope away
to the drapery at the back, composed of three
graduated puffings and a fan - shaped plaiting
of otter plush. A eecond costume, illtIR•
trating the application of this material, was
of brown cashmere and rich seal plush, the latter form-
ing a plain skirt with box-p'aited back breadths; the
front trimmed with a full ruching of cashmere, Edged
with chenille cord; the overskirt had double paniers,
short and very full' at the back was a long balloon
drape-y. caught under, and finished with a cluster of
brown loops lined with buttercup satin. The pointed
close-fitting bodice was of cashmere, bound with plush,
and f 3 0m beneath the edge of the short basque fell
loops of cashmere lined with yellow satin ; the rcuod
plush collar was similarly lined, and the cuffs were
turned back with yellow. The full-bag waistcoat,
gathered at the neck, fell below the waist, and was
finished with clusters of ribbons to match.

FULL dress toilettes for matrons and young married
women are composed of Watteau or Pompadour
brocades and self•coloured satin of some full, rich
shade. The trade in skirts are entirely untrimmed,
with the exception perhaps of a narrow kiltiog or
bouillonn4 placed at the edge, and ample balayem.e of
silk embroidered muslin, or coffee tinted lace. A
beautiful dress of this description bad the train and
fiat side panels of deep Bordeaux satin of a peculiar
shade of red, with a slight admixture of purple ;
the panels opened at the waist in front, hod
disclosed a long bag plastron of Frarç is
Premier brocade, small sprays of flowers oo a
ground of pale salmon, below which was a puffed
rtich;nr, of pink satin veiled with tinted lace.
The plastron was tied across at intervals by girdles of
salmon ribbons, having tassels of plaited lace bound
with the same colour. The train was edged with a
double row of narrow kiltings of pink satin ; the
bodice was of Bordeaux satin, high to the throe, with
chern 3ette of tinted lace; on one shoulder was a large
cluster of ribbons, matching the colours of the brocade.
A ball dress of yellow tulle scattered with tufts of
shade' chenille had a bodice of yellow brocade cut in
a novel way, like a long Swiss corselet, the scooped
out upper edge being filled in with rows of gathered
lace with excellent effect. This lace was carried over
the shoulders, forming the bertha both back and front.

VERY elaborate was a reception dress of chaudron
ottoman silk, the front embossed with large raised
flowers of chenille, most beautiftlly shaded and ad.
mirably designed. It was cut out at each side in a
long point, showing the plain matsrial beneath, with
revers of velvet, fastened by small brandebourgs of
glistening brown beads ;the lower edge of the plastron
WP.B finished with banging clusters of chenille drops;
the back drapery, which was fully plaited, was of plain
ottoman silk. The bodice was also of the chaudron
silk, the back cut with a very long pointed end, half
covering the skirt; the shaped basque, short in front,
was edged everywhere with balls of shaded chenille,
and further decorated at the back with rosettes and
long ends of shaded satin ribbons. The plain sleeves
bad cuffs of chaudron velvet, cut in email teeth, the
edges sewn with brown beads,

IN noticing some useful adjuncts of the toilette OA
same writer says :—The always attractive windows of
the leading West-end jewellers are just now filled
with a number of golden knicknacks in the way of
brooches, bangles, .te., and cases of dainty toilet ping,
which are so fashionably used for the proper adjnet-
meat of veils and bonnet strings or as fastenings f.
waistcoats and frillings of old ft.
ace. A • bridesmaid's
brooch, in the form of a long gold nail crossed by a
horseshoe of coral, pearls, or diamonds struck our
fancy as novel and appropriate withal • and bangles of
dull gold, with signets of agate, bloodtone, or cocoa.
ban, are acceptable and useful gifts for all ladies who
practice the revived custom of sealing with wax the en-
velopes of letters or other important missives. The
"betrothal " bangle (a circlet of pure gold) is also new.
Itli engraved with a motto or couplet of touching sm.
timenfality, and is so fashioned that it is not pos4ble
to remove it, save by filing, when once it encircles the
arm of its owner. Gold horseNhoes have sprays of
small flowers—forget-me-nots, violets, or lilies of tbe
valley, beautifully modelled and enamelled in natural
colours—placed at one side, gracefully curved towards
the top of the brooch. Handsome paste buckles or
clasps, jewelled pins, and brooches of all kinds have
quite superseded the locket of gold, crystal or silver'
so long the recognised form of souvenir presented
to the bridesmaids " assisting " at a fashionable
marriage.

THE highly-inflammable material of which evening
dream. are usually made, and the fact that dressing-
ro( ms must at this period of the year be both warmed
and lighted, create a danger which all would wish to
avoid. The only security is to wear dresses which
have 1,,,Pn subjected to a process rendering them unin-
flammable. On this point the British Mcdical Journal
opportunely remarks :—Tungstate of soda has been the
material most frequently employed to render light
fabrics unimflammable ; it fulfils the purpose altnir-
ably, but its high cost has been an objecti to its use.
Patera's formulie have stood successfu .y frequent
trials of their efficacy. One of these preparaticos is
made by dissolving three parts by weight of biborate
of soda, and two and a quarter parts of sulphate of
magnesia, in twenty parts of water. Fabrics soaked
In this solution become coated with a borate of magnesia,
which is insoluble in hot or cold water, and is a good
resistant of fire. The other preparation is a mixture
of sulphate of ammonia with sulphate of lime,
.or
gypsum, in proportions of one part of sulphate of am-
monia with two parts of gypsum. The gypsum i. said
to form with the ammonia a double sulphate which has
not the disagreeable properties of the ammonia-salt.
The action of this preparation seems to be twofold—
first, in coating the fibres of the material to be pro-
tected, and also in the production, when the material
is brought to a red heat, of volatile ammonia, which
tends to smother flame.

THill use of flowers for decorative purposes meefn
with increasing recognition, the productions of the con.
servatory being freely used as embellishments for the
table as well as the ballroom. But for personal adorn.
ments their fragility renders them practically unavail.
able, and therefore the artificial substitute is oftPnPst
adopted. In Nice, however, the lack of durability
seems not to be regarded, for we read in an evening
paper that "the latest novelty in parasols at prPsent
in use among the ladies at Nice is a sunshade covered
with living flowers on sank lining, It is true they last
but three days at the longest; but, according to an old
saying, only thst Is beautiful which is of short aura.
tion, and a parasol of violets with a border of jessa-
mine, or another of white and scarlet geraniums, is
doubtless very beautiful."

The China papers comment on the circumstance
that. "owing to the deplorable condition of the money
market," consequent upon the unsettled state of
political affairs and the probability of war, several
Chinese bankers have committed suicide by teking
large doses of opium.

The Plustrirte Zeitunq states that a Dutch engineer
tamed Von Braam has received a conceseton from vle
Fortognese Government to lay a submarine cable frean
Lon to the Azores, and thence to New York n. d
Coha. He thinks hig crtbic can 13.?, mads vr^4.l-3,141
hal! a franc a