New-York tribune., 1868-04-18
THE DIAMOND MURDER.
A CASE FOR G oy. FENToNs PARDON.

propose to give a short review of this case for the
purpose of showing the probable guilt or Innocence
of the who is suffering lifetime mprlson-
ment on conviction of being the guilty party.
A middle-aged, stout, healthy gentleman named
Sigismund Felner, came from Germany TO this coun-
try in October, 1861 1t appears that he left Ger
many under circumstances that indicate some family
difficulties and probably he carried away property
not leRitimately his own. FellBer was passenger
In the steamer Bavaria. When he landed lie had
some difficulty with the Custom House authorities
in regard diamonds in his possession, but this was
satisfactorily arranged, and in due time he
boarder at the Prescott House in Broadway.
On the same steamer were two women with whom
Fellner became acquainted and very intimate. These
were a Mrs. Marks and her sister Albertina Phaum.
These women went to No. As East Broadway, and
Fellner visited them almost daily during his brief
life The house was one of suspicious character and
the women were generally believed to be common
prostitutes The girl Isabella gave out that she was
to be married to Fellner; she stayed with him at the
Prescott House as his nece several nights and their
intimacy was constant. That Fellner was much en-
amOured of the young woman was certain, and that
he gave her rich presents OF money and jewelry Is
also known.
Fellner landed here on the 10th OF October. Hc
had no business he had valuable property. or was
supposed to have in diamonds and money; he could
not speak English. and got the girl Albertina to
assist him in clearing his property at the Custom
House. -Four DAYS after he landed he spoke to a
young peddler somewhere in Broadway, near Wall
ST. The pedder German, but could speak En-
glish he had his arm in a sling; he had been at
work in percussion cap factory, and had been in
jured by an explosion. This pedder was lgnatz Rat
sky. He was a mere boy. of slight frame, little
strength and that reduced by the injury to his arm
Since that injury he had tried to get living
by peddling small articles. and had got
permission to stand in front Of the store No. %
Whitehall-st. for that purpose. Ratsky had served
as a Union soldier in the War-honorably, we be-
lieve. When Fellner became acquainted with him,
he professed warm friendship took him to his lodg
ings at the Prescott House. paid his bill there and
finally went away with him to his (Ratsky's) board
inghouse, in Carroll-st. BROOKLYN. Thenceforward
until Feners disappearance on the 18th mot very
long period the two were evidently much together.
They seemed to be the best of terms, and Felner
appeared especially fond of his friend, much
so as to take him to see his mistress, Albertina
Pflaum
Ratsl1y tells various conflicting stories about what
Fellner said as to going West at one time he was
going to California, at another to Chicago The
theory of Feners conduct is that he had done some
thing in Germany that might lead to his pursuit and
he became nervous about remaining in the city.
According TO the prosecution he Felnerl asked his
washerwoman on the day of his disappearance to do
up some linen for him as he intended to leave there
the next day.
Now let us see how the parties stand on the day Of
the disappearance of Fellner He has been in the
country only eight days. He has considerable sum
of money and jewelry which he carries in belt or
his pockets. Ratsky may know this fact; his mis-
tress certainly does she helped him to get the dia
mOnds from the Custom-House. Fellnor takes this
Ratsky as an interpreter, puts all confidence in him.
goes to his house, takes him to his mistress and
treats him every way as friend.
On the 18th of October, 1861 Fellner asks to have
his linen ready soon, as he is going to leave. lie
goes to New York with Ratsky. They stop at store
on Broadway, and Fellner buys some underclothEg;
he offers French bank note in payment; the shop
keeper does not change it, and Fener borrows ten
dollar gold piece of Ratsy pays Sc so for the goods,
| and puts the change in his pocket. Hence the
men went to East Broadway. and Fellner had an in
| teryew with his namOrata. About o'clock the
men left the house, and this the last trace of
Fellner until his dead body found four days
afterward on the beach near Port Monmouth, N j.,
q miles from New-York
So far as direct testimony goes, there Ia not
one word TO implicate any human being in the
murder All we know is that Fellner was traced to
that house in East Broadway and that he left there
in company with Ratsky The prosecution allege
that Ratsky induced FellneT 10 90, at half past
at night to the unnhabited and lonely boat-house of
the Yacht Club at the foot of Court-st, and there
killed him. single glance at the evidence with re-
gard to time and distances will satisfy any one that
this was simply impossible. IL at most but little
over hour from the leaving of No. d East Broad
way New-York. before Ratsky was at No. Car
rol-st. in Brooklyn. 1t would have required smart
travel in the most, direct, route, to have
done this, even though he had used a
carriage on this side Yet we asked to believe
that mere boy. of little physical strength and that
little reduced by wounded arm, induced brawny
man of 200 pounds weight TO take q walk away ont
TO Gowanus Bay TO lonely spot with no purpose
under heaven that could be deemed honest that
when there this weak boy got Fellners dirk, pre-
vailed upon him to take oil his oyercoat and under
coat and then and there stabbed him % times near
the heart, took his belt with the money and da-
mOnds threw the body into the water and within
single hour appeared at his boarding house with
the murdered mans bundle of underclothes and cane,
leaving over 500 in gold in his tFellnersl pocket
Let as dwell moment upon this point. With re-
gard to the act Of murder 1T is worth while to re-
mark that the idea OF man being stabbed - times,
nearly all the blows being within hands breadth,
and all the strokes being exactly horizontal, is
little too much for belief If Ratzky induced Fell
ner to go to the boathouss at that late hour, and
killed him as the wounds prove, he must also have
induced Fellner TO take off his two coats present
him (Ratzkyl with his dagger, and lie down on his
back while Ratzky did the butchery. That the stab
bing done while the victim was standing is i'm
possible: that he could have survived the third
fifth blow ana kept his feet Is highly improba-
BILE; that every one of these wounds was
made by directly vertical stroke is almost certain
hence Fellner was not clothed nor standing, but
partially undressed, and lying prone on his back
very likely in drunken or drugged stupor-the only
position in which such wounds could have been in
ficted. Another point When the body Was found
tho condition Of the flesh and the freshness Of the
blood indicated that death had occurred within q
much shorter period than four days. But this, per-
haps, may not be trustworthy testimony The mum
her and nature of the wounds is different matter.
They were never inflicted upon man wide awake
and standing on his feet And had he been struck
down by the first, is 1T likely that Ratsky
would have gone on chopping him up in
stead of searching for his propertyi And supposng
him to have taken the property he must have opened
b;a clofhes nullcd nm his shirt md taken off the