The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-20

Trial Of Antoine Maurer for the Killing Of
Joachim Fuerter--A Network Of Circum-
stuntinl Eyideucc.


Joachim Fuerfer--A Network Of C.rcum-
stantinl Evidence.
Yesterday morning at nne O'Clock, the Court OF
oyer and Terininer for Rockland county, n. T.,
convened at New City for the trial OF Antoine
Maurer charged with the murder Of Joachim
Flerter in Spring Valley last March. The
empaneng OF the jury was accomplished
the previous evening, and everything was
IN readiness yesterday morning to proceed
fully and effectively with the trial. over dfty wit
nesses for the prosecution were on hand and about
fifteen for the defence. The interest excited by the
case drew an unusually large number OF country
people TO town, and the Court House was hled by
an ample audience throughout tho day. On The
bench were A.. y. Tappan, Presiding Judge;
a. j.. Sunern, John A. Bogart and John
J. Cole, Associate Judges. william Chauncey
Prall, District Attorney, ami Walter H. Shupe,
assistant counsel, conducted the prosecution,
and Messrs. Hoffman and Falion did the gratuitous
service OF carrying OH the defence. The prisoner
was brought promptly INTO court when the proceed
ings were III readiness to begin. Maurer rs Asa
tan by birth and In the color or skin ana formation
OF features has strong Franco-German and mixed
Gaelic and Teutonlc appearance. He is a small sized
man of about twenty-five years with quick, clear
Intelligent eye, slight black beard and mustache
and rather mid expression OF mouth. lie
looks by no means the ideal OF homicide, and both
in the expression OF eye and composed, almost
cheerful, ease OF manner gives no impression at a
superficial glance that he feels the horror and
sequences OF his situation. Since his incarceration
he has preserved an unvarylng calmness OF dspo-
siton, except that within the last week or twu as
he realized the near approach or his trial Tor HE. he
grew nervous and on several OCCASIONS sent for the
sheriff TO tell him that man had entered his cell
IN the night and inquired IN terrible voice what
brought him there. The Sherin told him It could
only ne an apparlton conjared up by the disturbed
condition OF his fancy and noG TO dwell TOO much
upon the subject OF his Trial. He grew composed
after this, and now that he nds his trial has nothing
irightiul about 1t and conducted in quiet, fair
judicial way he has resumed hls wonted manner.
and shows no treplation about the result. The
witnesses on both sides are mostly Germans, WHO,
III one way or another, had varying terms OF
qUanance with Maufer and Fuerter.
The District Attorney, Nh. Chancey Prall opened
torcloe speech brief synopsis of which VIII place
the inteliglbly before the reader. About the
month OF October last Joachim Fuerter and Antoine
Maurer landed IN the Guy OF New York. One was
a German and the other Franco-German. Their
acquaintance with each other was formed on tile
vessel and continued after their arrival On the 14th
OF the following March the murdered body of hucrer
was found in a Geld at Spring Valley, Rockland
county, New York. An inquest was held which
lasted for several weeks and by the variety Of
evidence II elected. produced much interest and
| ctement in Spring Valley 1t was very dincult 10
get on the track Of The murderer but finally by weav-
ing rogether The scattered threads OF testimony a
strong mass of circumstanria evidence was found
| to point towards Antoine Maurer the man VINO
committed the murder. The witnesses al the In
quest identified the body thar OF Fuerter's The
when the murder was committed, was stated, and
| hat produced, found covering the face
Of the corpse, which proved TO be that Of Maurer.
| Other points were advanced, such as Maurer
| trading OH a knife which was proved to belong TO
Fuerfer giving away pair OF gloves, which were
still, as the body OF The murdered man was found
half naked, that he pawned a coat the ticket Of
which was recovered, and this coat was Fuerters.
The coat pantaoons ana other portions OF Fuerters
clothing were recovered alter diigent search
knife and pocketbook OF Fuerers, The
| hat found lying over his lace, and proved to he
:he property OF Mauler, and 4 barrel slave with
winch the fatal deed is supposed to been com
mltcd. All these links Of evidence lay in heap
the court room floor and were Identified by various
witnesses. Maurers hat on the lining OF which
were marks OF blood, seemed from its color and
shape to be readily recognized by the witnesses,
and formed, perhaps as strong testimony as any for
the proSecut on.
The witnesses yesterday were all clear and precise
IN their evidence, aud, though few VINO spoke Eng
sh poorly, mixed matters little, the general story
was straight
Charles schneider stated that he heard Maurer
make arrangements with Fuerter TO meet him At
| Spring Valley and pay him eight dollars, due for
money loaned on a 1ormer occasion. The prisoner
was IN poor circumstances at the time and left New
York Tor spring Valley to obtain work shoe
maker. Schneider heard Maurer direct Fuerter how
to go to Spring Valley, and knew OF the latter
starting for that destination March the 9TH Wit
the deceased. and the nat found on his lace.
David Schlas was promised by Manrer on the Sth
OF March present OF gold watch which man
living III the country was anxious to sell for twenty
dollars. On his next visit, 30th March, nothing was
seen OF the watch The prisoners manner was eX.
cited and he asked the witness II he mad heard OF
murder that was committed in the locality he came
from. Prisoner related the reports he had learned
concerning the inding OF the body in hall naked
condition
John II. westervelt allowed Maurer to sleep in his
barn March 4; Two days after saw him again ana
noticed his dress being very shabby; week subse-
quently his appearance In dress was greatly I'M.
proved.
A concert saloon girl named Adelaide testified to
drinking wine al the expense OF the prisoner on
March IL. The crosseXamnation elected notAng
beyond the fact that Adelaide. who said she was
married, was unable TO tell where or by whom the
nuptial ceremony was performed.
Wilhelm knOwlton remembered being offered by
the prisoner pawn ticket OF a coat for fifty cents
with the intlmaton that unless IL was presented
three dollars had been originally received upon It,
knowton not being the possessor OF fifty cents
declined the offer. lie mad difficulty In identity.
ing the inevitable had.
officer Phelps OF the Metropolitan Police, arrested
Maurer No. Morris street April I. He went
along with the officer quietly and neither vi them
INDUCED IN any conversation during the walk the
precDe. station house. The next day, on the way
mp to New CITY jail, Rockand county the
prisoner of his own yoi,ion said-..If they
him." Nothing further on that head mentioned.
Mr. HOFFMAN, FOR the defence, TOOK exceptions TO the
admission oil this testimony and all OF d similar
character on the grounds that the prisoner had been
already informed he was under suspicion OF murder
anu what was SAID under such circumstances was
not legitimate evidence OF crmnatlon Other wit
nesse3 were examined who corroborated the fore
going and at u late hour the court adjourned TN
to-day when the Witnesses Tor the defence WIN be
examined.
REAL ESTATE MATTERS.