The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-02
THE GALLOWS.
Interview With Condemned Man-What lao
Says About tho Murder and the Trial.

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Interview with . Condemned Man-what h0
Says About tho Murder and the Trial.
From the Toledo tOhlo| Commercial, august 2s.I
Through the poiiteness Of Sheriff Kingsbury and
granted an interview with Conrad Meier convicted
Of the murder Of Solomon Feidenheimer, . full
account OF whose trial was published In these col
Conrad Meier is OF German descent his father hav-
ing been o resident Of Stuttgart, IN Wurtemberg
the age Of eighty. Meier's mother died about thirty
years before his fathers decease. Conrad, now .
man Of thirtyseven years. about i've feet five inches
In height and 1870 pounds weight is OF rather dark
complexion, with an open countenance. He had but
one brother who is st living at Stuttgart as Jew
ellef. Conrad received fair common school edu-
cation and learned the trade OF glider at
which business he worked over four years
thrty-twO and spent the first year near Ann ArbOr
Mlcn, with countryman OF his doing numerous
KINDS KIM OF work. From there he went to Cincinnati
ana entered into an engagement with MeSsrS. Garlls,
Nurre d Eckhart, picture frame manufacturers,
where he worked without interruption four years
more. lie was married at Cincinnati to his present
wne, who, though born in this country, Is also or
German parents. her mother having come from
He has had two children, one having been still
BORN ana the other died April 4, 1858, nearly two
formerly attended divine service at Rev. Ras0he's
church on Elm street, Cincinnati. The brother OF
Meiers wife, Paul Winner lives at Watervile, this
c0unty. and is engaged at PllliOds sawmnl, where,
as Meier says he works from twelve O'Clock mid
night, to twelve O'Clock NJ To visit this Paul Winner
Meier and wife came from Cincinnati Their main OBJ
Ject was to find better work and higher wages; but
after hve weeks OF vain trial, during which time
MSers we seems 20 nave been the only one 70 nave
cinnat Meier had been at Toledo several times -
look for work, but could make no satisfactory ar
which originally consisted Of only fifty dollars Of
Meer's and three four dollars of his Wifeg, would
give out, they concluded to go back.
The prisoners statements. thus far, bore the ap-
pearance Of truth, willingly and readily communi-
Gated AS our opinion as to his guilt was fully made
up long ago, the evidence on the trial scarcely eav
ing shade OF doubt upon our mind, we could bus
wonder at the GOODNESS and elaboration with whtch
he answered our questions; but when. with appa-
rent confidence to the result, he ssaid that ell he
asked was new trial and chance to bring forth his
witnesses, our abhorrence OF the murderer gradu-
ally changed TO sympathy with man who, unable
to understand or talk the language OF his accusers
and judges. surrounded by strangers who from the
clrcumstantial evidence, apparently establishing his
crime, !sttll might be innocent,
OF said pantaloons, mad not been called upon. she
returned to Cincinnati, ana now lives with her
mOtherinaw at their old place In No. so Finley
street. or can be inquired for there. He represents
her to be encet and he expects to be the father Of
another child within week or two He says IL Will
surely kill her II they sentence him. During hts
three months confinement no one OF his country
men has ever yet addressed him either personally or
Paul Winner. in Watervllle, has been sent by him.
and TO this he has received no answer-fOrsaken By
all except his counsel Messrs. Haynes Of this city,
"If they Will only grant me q new trial." said
Meier "the good testimony that ! can bring from
Eckhart, and the witnesses that can testify ~ 70
my coming into possession OF my money 10 Oin-
cinnati and the way obtained those pantaioons.
which furnished SO strong an evidence against me,
shall come out all right" He repeatedly made
the above assertion, and, prompted by desire
tails BY calling up various points that had
furnished 80 strong proofs Of his guilt.
al vi hn az
admitted TOR what her AFFIDAVIT would be worth.
The testimony OF MIR. Gariss. who ID Consul for Nor
and his good character, that never permitted HIM 70
get INTO difficulty. He pretends never to have been
HIS character thus established might relieve him Of
that great pressure which p0iRted him out from the
first as the only possible actor 10 TINS drama Meier
else as the probable dOer OF the hOrrd deed. but al
ways seemed TO have strong suspicion on another
party, but said az he could bring no proof It would
be useless to name anybody.
At Geller's, the farmer with whom Feldcnhelmer
stad over night Just previous to the murder. Meier
hood, one Of whom only had appeared in court
against him. The other could not be found. He
thought he ought to be found for his (Meier's)
Meier reasserted the facts set forth in his adavit
concerning the panta0ons, which were admitted a.
evidence the same as though the parties had been In
court and sworn as he claimed they would swear.
falcons by the circumstance that he, upon leaving
his wife, put them on that, In case he should find
work At farmers, ne mlgnt DC PROVIDED Win
change
He appeared much dissatisfied with the measuring
OF the tracks, as several different measures had TO
be called into question TO make them correspond
with his, and then he said they did not agree. Sew
eral other objections were urged. among which was
the assertion that several OF the jurymen had lett
their seats and absented themselves for some time
during the proceedings while others el asleep aud
had TO be awakened ny the turnkey.
They produced y snuffbOx, which, he said, had
been pronounced by several Israetes be the silver
snuffbOx or Feldenhemer and had been taken from
him. but restored after IL had been aacertained that
1t was nothing but pewter.
Kindness OF his attendants he had secured scant
supply OF snuff, TO the use OF which he seemed
strongly addicted.
With the above and several other assertions OF q
similar character he repeatedly complained OF tho
undue haste and hurry OF his trial. consoling him
his complaints, together with the action Of attor-
neys on Monday next would cause him TO receive
the benefit OF q new trial.
1t will be seen that Meier, while he finds fault
with the verdict and asks for O trial, fails to
point out particle OF new evidence of the least
possible Importance which he could introduce. He
falls to tell where he spent the night prior to tho
murder, and all that he claims he could prove con-
corning the panralOOns was In evidence. What
benefit he could derive from q new trial when he
Is unable to discover q particle OF testimony
favorable to his acQuittal Is more than we tell
The evidences OF his guilt are very strong, ana.
Judging from his own Statements, the testimony
taken at the late trial cannot be impeached In any
essential particular even though he might be ablo
to prove all that he claims could be shown.
he Ii evidently beginning to realize his situation,
and during the conversation which elected the
gong facts and statements mis- eyes were frequently
filled with tears