The New York herald., 1869-11-23
THE RocKLAuD COUNTY MURDER.
Trnc, Clenr and Condensed Account Of the
acknowledgements and False I'm.
prcssiOns COrrected-The "Deafh's Headl''
Sensation Explained and Ventilated.

Trnc, Clonr and Condensed Account of the
HorrOr-Misrcprcsentntio and False I'm.
prcssi0ns COrrected-The sDeafL's Head,
Sensation Explained and Ventilated.
NEW CRY, RoCKLAND COUNTY, Nov. 81, 1869.
As a great deal Of Misrepresentation prevails, and
much has been studlously circulated in reference
to the facts concerning the murder OF Joachim
Fuerter in Spring Valley last March and the guilt
or innocence OF Antoine Maurer the following true
and condensed statement OF the whole case, THINK
may be OF Interest,"
on the 14th day OF Marcn last, as the readers of
the HERALD may remember, the body OF an un-
known man was FOUND In q ieariuily mutilated con-
dltlon, the village OF Spring Valley, In Rock
land county. feeling OF horror at once seized the
whole community, and for months the interest III
the affair remained unaDated. The usual form OF
an inquest was at once commenced, but the
Coroner and the jury labored under difficulties al.
most without precedent; no one there came forward
to look on the ghasty corpse and enghten the jury
as to the name OF the deceased. They were sitting
In inquest upon the body oil man that had never
been heard OF before In Rockland county, and as
whose name and place no clue seemed possible OF
beng obtained the finger OF suspicion was point
Ing wildly about In regard TO wnon the man might
be who committed the deed. The Coroner's inquest
continued Its sessions from time to time, until at
last witnesses appeared who were able to identity
the features Of the murdered man, and also identity
the clothes which were found upon the body. 1t
may seem somewhat astonishing to sucn persons
as do not recall the particulars OF The
proceedings that were had last spring, that the
features OF the corpse after such lapse OF time
since the death occurred could DC recognized Being
aware, however, OF the great difficulty that would
occur In procuring witnesses to identity the body,
and that time would be necessary In dong, 1t was
thought expedlent to remove the head from body
and nave it carefully preserved according to well
known principles OF chemistry THIS was done, the
body suitably encoiined and sent TO q receiving
vault one OF the cemeteries OF the county where
II now lies until such time his friends shall Claim
tue remains. 1T was TINS act tho severng OF the
head from the body which made the Identification
OF the body certain. The friends OF the deceased
were Iound-or rather came forward-n the follow
ing manner:-An advertisement appeared time
to time IN the HERALD. stating that o body
OF murdered man had been found In hook
land county, and that on tho corner OF the
SHIRT found on the body were the initials ~. F.o
This coming to the attention OF an old German lv-
ing In New York, and suspicion nitting across his
mud tnat he might identity tho Dody-havlng a
friend whose name these Initials Indicated whom
he had not seen for some tme-he proceeded the
place directed In the advertisement. Here ne was
shown the clothes tnat were found on the body anu
he recognized them az belonging TO one whom ho
called joachim fuertcr. Tho ciothes wero handed
to him one by one until the hat which was found
the body was AT last placed lii his hands Here the
Old man staggered and stood aghast-"Ihis is not
Fuerter's hat; this Ia tie hat OF . named Mau-
rer." The hat shown blm was soft white one; the
one that Fuerter wore wnen he last saw him was
black one. The light was beginning 10 break upon
this awful tragedy-the way was being opened by
winch TO arrive al redress Tor the great wrong done
humanity. Shortly after other witnesses caino Tor
ward, recognized the clothes as tuerters and the
hat as Maurer's The path opened was carefully
| pursued. The question kept repeating itself, wny
should the hat OF one Maurer have found the
body OF the deceased Facts last accumulated
pointing to Maurer as the man who committed the
deed. lie was subsequently arrested and together
with the witnesses brought before tho Coroner at
spring Valley To await the result oi the verdict OF
| Jury. Here the identification OF the body was com
pleted. The witnesses were asked to look upon tho
lace OF one whom they had oDco known either as
| friend OF acquaintance that they might. il possible
/ recognize the features. The head was carefully
taken IRON tho case IN which IL had been cemented
| and placed on the table In the room. The face was
found to have been restored by chemical treatment
To almost natural color or, least TO the color of
/ person very shortly deceased certain ghastness,
| however stu remaining. Then the question was
/ ASKED oI the Witnesses
| U. DO you recognize those featuresS A. Yes.
z, AS whoseS a. jonchim Fuerter's
haurer In reply to question, said that he did not
recognize the features. One of the Witnesses sworo
| that he had seen haurer and the murdered man
together ON the Sth OF March; that Maurer then
| an arrangement win Fuerter to meet him at Spring
Valley on The 9th, that he tMaurer) might pay Buer.
ter debt which lie owed him. This was corrobora-
tod. Another swore that Maurer had spoken 20 him
| oil murder which had occurred al Spring valley,
saving ST was dangerous to go there, the 10Th
| OF March, four days before the discovery
| OF the body. number Of witnesses recognized
the hat that was found the body, after q
careful examination an bsng that OF MaureIs. otner
| testimony was oeduced pointing to The prisoner, al
| the conclusion OF which q verdict was rendered By
the Jury duplicating haurer. lie was su bsequcntl,
! indicted At the Apr oyer and Terminer, airaiuned
and pleaded mot guilty" HIS case was then seat tc