The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-05-12


The escape la.s week of Edward H. Ruloff from
tne jail OF Tompkins county, New York, where be
was confined for the murder of his wife and child
has been mentioned. The case Ia singular one
and remarkable for the mystery which surrounds
{:
20 huion n appeared In Tompkins county in May
los- ne was then engaged the canal de
spent part OF the summer there ard the u;,.ar
taught school in the tow of Drvdea6n that coun,v
iuisS harriet Schut Of that town. a young lady 20
years OF age was one of his pupils The f,Ilowing
summer he studied medicine la December la43
he married his youHg woman. After his m sr,i.ue
III the winter OF le44 he went to Ithaca and served
as cierk for few months living with his wife at
boarding house. His wife soon returned TO her
fathers Ia the fall Of l84i he again tsueh, school
ana ABOUT that time commenced keeping house
Win MS Wiie In the town Of Lansing in Tompkins
county.
Within q month or two after his marriage he
seems TO have become very jealous of his wife ac-
cesiDe ner, without any cause, 80 far as appears
OF improper Intimacy with Dr. Bull and becom-
ing 80 much excited one or two occasions a. to
exercise violence upon her. He continue to live in
Lansing with his wife (having daughter born
entIy In ApriD until the oath day of June, 1876
MS wife and child have never been sean or heard
| OF since the evening of that dey
Du,ins the next to7enoon be went to his nearest
| no,suoor' on the opposite side of the highway
anu pfoEures horse and wagon for the purpose
1
| some or lO miles distant, which he stated IN nm
Gle Oh MS lad left at his house the evening hefora
10 make room for his (Ruoff 81 wife to ride with
us uncie 10 Mr Snyders some miles off, where
ne sara she had gone His neighbor helped him
| load the chest into the wagon 1t was beavv
Inc theofy OF the prosecution against Rulloff il
that be had murdered his wife and child dnr tho
previous night, and that he carried off their bodies
10 luis ehest and made way with them while he
was gone by sinking ia the lake near by or in
some other rnanHer. We returned with the horse
ana wagon seou nooa tie eztday, bringing back
she ehest, which sue witness WHO saw him take it
from the wagon thinks was then light He left
Lansing the same afternoon and in the house
when afterwards searched, were found more or
less Of the clothing of his wife apparently lust as
she dropped it upon the floor from her person in
undressing On the evening of the 25 b of June,
he hlred horse and lumber wagon at Ithica
which he returned at O'Clock th Q next morning.
On the morning of the Goth, under the assumed
name OF John Doe he took passage in the stage for
Geneva
In some five or six weeks he returned among his
acquaintances in Tompkins county By this lime
MS wife friends had become anxious about her
absence. lie gave contradictory accounts tAe
matter; told one she bad been UP between the
iaGes visiting another that she was in Pennsyva-
MIA, and others that she was at Madison Ohio
Being pressed in the matter he wrote letter to
her directed to the latter place, which he showed
requesting her to write TO her friends and another
witch be had directed to a Mr. De Puy requesting
MIN 10 send letter to his wife. But during the
evening he elUded observation and suddenly Left
His wife s brother pursued him, and overlook him
at Rochester, whea Ruloff proposed to go with
MIN 10 Madison, Ohio, and see his wife, but when
theygot tn Buffalo and hsd purchased tickets for
tne steamboat, he escaped from his companion
Inc latLer went on to Madison, but could hear
notsing cf his sister. He then FASTENED to Cleye-
Il and suspec;ing that Ruloff would 20 West by
the next boat and there found and arrested him.
and took him back to Tompkns county.
The case was tried iu Tioga county at Circuit
Court held by Justice Mason in October last, and
was one of absorbing interest," as well from its ex-
trsordnary character, the distinguished counsel
engaged init. The prosecution was conducted by
J Williams, District Attorney of Tompkns and
don Daniel 5 Dickinson aud the defence by
Boardman and Finch, attorneys for the prisoner
and by Hon J Spencer, (uow deceased) his
| counsel
few facts, in addition to those detailed were
| e!iclted 1t was shown that in August, 1915, he
| applied to a man at Chicago to borrow money On
pledge OF his chest, and obtained S25 $40
| He represented that bis wife and child had recent
| ~ died South of Chicago on the Illinois river He
| did not redeem the chsst, and part of the con-
tents were identified as the clothing Of his wife
| and child
A very important legal question arose on this
trlal upon which the case is now pending before
| the General Term of the Supreme Cour. 1t was
whether there could be conviction for murder il
case where there had been no discovery of the
Dody OF the person alleged to have been murdered,
| or where there was not direct and positive, but
only circumstansial proof Of the death. After an
elaborate charge from Justce Mason, the jury
convicted the prisoner OF murder. Sentence
suspended, to give him time to srgue The legal
question arising upon the Judges charge before
lhe Supreme Court at GeneT 81 Term. 1t is stated
that iIuioh during the whole trial. preserved his
sef-posses1ion to a remarkable degree and his
equsnimity was not at all disturbed by the rendi-
ton of the verdict OF guilty.