The New York herald., 1868-08-18
THE EIGHTEENTH WARD HOMICIDE.
Inquest ON the Body of Jacob Stillwagen,
Proprietor of a Lager Beer Saloon Vino
Was Killed ON Saturday Night.


Yesterday forenoon Coroner Flynn, assisted by
Deputy Knox, commenced holding an inquest upon
the body of Jacob Stlwagen, German saloon keep
er, who stabbed on Saturday evening at his own
place of business, No. 615 East Fourteenth street.
by q young man named John Seibert, and died on
Sunday morning. After empanellng jury the
prisoner, who was locked up in the Eighteenth ward
station house, was sent for, and after some little
delay arrived in the custody of two officers He was
handcufed and had careworn appearance. He is
about twenty-five years OF age, and rather delicate,
The inquest was held in a room in the rear OF the
saloon, No. 6l5 East Fourteenth street, where the
deceased was killed. 1t was crowded and outside
the building no less than two thousand men, women
and children congregated. The following Is the tes-
timony taken:-
George Meyers, being duly sworn, says:--I live at
Gl5 East Fourteenth street; board with the de-
ceased Jacob Stillwagen; the 10th Of August, be-
tween eight and nine O. clock in the evening was
sitting the basement steps OF the house next door,
No. 6l3 East Fourteenth street; ! was IN conversa-
ton with a couple of young ladies, one OF whom /
see present, when ! man coming across the
street dressed in q white undershirt gray pants and
tall white hat; | recognize the man; II was John
Selbert: boy was sitting on the railing in front Of
No. GIL when he said, "Iherc comes Jonn sell
was; thought better to get out OF the way and |
went and secreted myself in room in No. 613 East
Fourteenth street; was afraid OF the man on ac-
count of q quarrel had with him two weeks pre-
vious; afterwards l heard of the wounding OF the
deceased; recognize the prisoner, whom saw COM
Peter Klapthar, being duly sworn, says:--I live at
No. 615 East Fourteenth street; on the evening OF the
18th of August at halfpast seven was in the dining
room, on the lrs, foor of the house when the pris
came In and asked for glass or beer; Mr. Still-
wagen, the deceased, said he had no beer and that
he should not trouble him. Stillwagen told the pris-
oner to 60 outside, that Mr.. Blumhead next
door had beers the. prisoner, sald again,
told him there would be trouble If he did not out;
third time he asked for beer, when Stlllwagen
came from behind the bar ana took prisoner by m the
left arm ana showed him out of the front door; tine
prisoner then forced himself IN again, breaking
glass window as he did SO; Mr.. stellwagen was be
hind the door, trying to keep 1t shut by putting his
knee against t; he was looking towards the door;
the prisoner came inside ana turned quickly towards
Stillwagen and struck him with fun force on the
right side of the neck with knife; saw the KNIFE
and the blood following the blow; the blade
was about i've inches long and the handle was
concealed In his hand; tried TO seize the prisoner
by the back OF the neck, when he turned around
quickly and cut me on the forehead with the knife;
he ma de a second lungc at me, when caught him
by the coat and held him by the hand, with the
knife with it; / then got him by the throat aud
threw him on the noOr kept him there until help
arrived when we took him into the back room;
party of men came in and took or their coats and
entry door and tried to get in, but we held IL until
the arrival of the police; was not able to hold the
prisoner alone, but was assisted by W. Muterverb.
Louisa Lindenkreitz being duly sworn, says:-l
am seventeen years of age: reside at 6l3 East Four
teenh street; was sitting out by the door, talking
to Mr.. Charles Myers; my intention was TO come
over for the young man who was stabbed In the
head, when n boy said ''Iiere comes Seibert Qhe
prisoner) with knife:" tried to get over to the
door TO tell Mr.. Stillwagen that the prisoner was
coming with knife; the prisoner reached the store
before did, and put both fists through the glass;
the door seemed braced nside finally the door gave
way, Mr. StA wagon mt the same time falling up
against tables inside then the prisoner put his
right hand up on getting inside, anu struck Mr..
Stlliwagen in the neck; saw the knife; think IL
was about five inches In length; they say IL was "a
fish knife; afterwards saw the KNIFE on the Moor;
my sister tried to pick up but she was pushed OVER
then called for assistance and Mr.. Lanierwald and
my brother came III and put handkerchief about
the deceaseds neck and took him away; Mr.. klap
thar then caught hold OF the prisoner; crowd then
rushed in and said .'They are killing Seibcr;" at the
same time they tried TO rescue the prisoner; could
recognize those who tried TO get the prisoner away
Thomas G. Knox, NJ. d.. being duly sworn, says:-
made a post mortem examination on the body or
the deceased, Jacob Stillwagen; was assisted by J.
ID. Morlen. NJ. De- on Sunday, August is, 1865; on an
external examination the body presented an ex-
tremey healthy appearance; on the right side or the
neck there was found an incised wound two inches
IN length, passing along the ante border OF the
sterno-cleide mastoid muscle, beginning two inches
below the mastorid process OF the temporal bone;
on further examination the wound was found TO
6eneath the sterno-clavicular artcular Of the
left side. The instrument causing the wound cut
through the transverse processes OF the fourth and
fifth cervica vertebrp and severed the vertcbral
artery and thyroid axis at their origin with sub
clavan artery of the right ride. he th0racfc and
abdominal organs were found nearly boOdless but
otherwise healthy with the exception Of some slight
pleuritic adhesions. The brains on examination
proved I'm healthy condition. The cause OF death
In my opinion was the result OF stab wound in the
neck by which the vertebral artery and thyroid
axis were severed.
At this stage or the proceedings the inquest
adjourned TO eleven o'clock this morning, at the
Eghtecnthth Ward station house.