The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-20
AFTER SEVEN YEARS.
Ntwark's Great Mystery Of the Girls Who
were Found Dead In Their Beds.
Rosc Wittel and Frodsrika Kosgcvs Singular
Fate at Kcpp.er's Hotel-A New and Extra
ordina Phase Of the Caie-A Sister
Charges o Brother with Horrible
Crines-Is She Perjurer P
A Strange Affidavit-Ths
Jersey Authorities at
Their Wits Fad.


Sunday moralng in February, the ancient
| town Of Newark, n. j. was thrown INTO
l a state Of feverish excitement IN cohsc'
| quence OF tho discovery that two young wo'hcn'
1 German servant girls employed IN Tcutonlc poaru'
| inr house on Newark street, known as heppcr
Hotel-tne proprietor being man naihcu Ahu'o"
| Kepp,er- had been murdered III manner nios'
| mysterious.
Tne victims. Rose Wittcl and Frederick koegel,
the former cose thirty years OF age ana the latter
about twenty took part during the early part OF the
nrccedinr evening in some terpsichorean pleasures
which took place In the hotel, and In which the
boardcrs ana the Kcppler family also participated
Everything passed or right merriy, and at COM
paraliyely early hour the girls Rose and Frederika
withdrew from the dance hall and repaired to their
chamber. They appeared TO be III the best OF
hcalin ana tho happiest OF moods One OF
them, Fredcrlka, was especially light hearted
that night. She was engaged 10 be
married soon to a nice German lad living in the
same house, one Rudolph Hcndrick, and her buoy
ant encrvescing state OF feeling was such that cven-
ing as to excite some little banter from her more
intimate friends. Soon after niue O'Clock the girls
retired for the night, occupying each separate bed
Subsequent to their retirement several persons be-
longing 10 the house, as Will appear hereafter had
occasion 10 the girls sleeping apartment, but
nothing TRANSFERRED calculated 10 excite the slightest
suspicion that
FOUL PLAY
was even dreamed Of Shortly after the girls had gone
to bed young Rudolph entered the room in search
OF his watch Key. which 1t appears his sweetheart,
Fredcrka, was accustomed TO keep for him, lest
he miqht lose It, Custom, too. had made 1t mat
ter or course for him TO the girls habcr on
such errand without exciting any nneaslness with
them othe rs. lie remained IN the room about ten
minutes and then retired to his own apartment An
hour or so later OF Mr. Kcppler's dau ghtcrs had
OCCASION to go into the servants room, and after
short ana pleasant chat she, too retired.
That the last seen alive OF the poor girls. In
the morning, when the family began TO STIR, one OF
tho Eeppers started to trout out" Rose and Frede
rEa. but reaching the chamber the terrible Is
coyery was made that the spark OF life had icl fr ON
both Instead Of the breathing, usty girls in rude
health who but a few hours before, were among
the gayest Of the gay, there was now naught TO be
seen but
TWO sTrrFENED CoRPSEs
The bodies bore not the slightest traces OF having
been subjected to violence, nor was there anything
about the room to indicate that any struggle
haa taken place. There the poo. cOrDses lay,
cam and quiet and perfectly natural
like: each stretched at length on It's separate pallet.
How 70 account for their most mysterious and SEEM
mgiy Simultaneous taking or was simply beyond
the power OF those present as it also proved even TO
the Coroner and his entire panel. Some there were
who could not, and. indeed, never nave been con-
WINGED but that foul play had been resnrted TO- hut
by whom was matter ABOUT winch everybody
! The news OF the horror spread like wiidnre. and
| hundreds In church tnat Sabbath morning thought
deal ss asr pIaysEs r as
OF The poor German girls: The authorities were, OF
course, promptly notified OF the matter, and steps
were ~ once taken for the holding OF coroner's
inquest.
ceeded with the nquistlon, and the testimony was
taken OF the following persons, vz.:-Andrew
kepper, the holei Keeper; II. Eaillla keppler, MS
daughter; Marietta keppier his wife; Rudolph Hen
drck, the girl Frcderika's tg,tcse: Albert sticAer
| Louisa Kepper Christian Volz, John Engehorn and
Drs William O'Gorman and christopher Eyrich.
The evidence given by Hendrick appears to have
that that he was boarder in Keppers place aud that ne
I was there on Sunday night; that about hall-past
nine O'Clock he went INTO the room occupied by the
Two girls for The purpose OF winding his watch, as
| was his habit; The girls were III separate beds;
spoke to one Of them and asked her for his watch
Dire ; was hanging on the stove; took the dress
from the stove after striking light with match;
and cav gave '9eN to ,ni him; wound up the watch
and put the key on the trunk; was
positive the dress from which the key was taken
! was on the stove; was IN the room about ten min
uIes vas engaged tobe married TO Frederlka; when
| Lspoke TO her Sue seemed TO be well aud In gooi
spirits; there had been held on Saturday nignt
| FREpERIKA DANCED
but witness did not know that either Of the girls had
| drank anything; OH former occasions had observed
fire in the room, but was positive there was none
| ON sunday night
Emilia Keppler sworc that she went up to the
room in which The girls slept about eleven O'Clock
for the key of the kitchen during tue night she had
conversed with them and believed them well in
health Louisa Keppler abiding to Erederika de.
ciared that on Sunday night the latter appeared
| 'Gnusuaiiy happy"
| WHAT THE DOCTORS THOUGHT.
DR.. O'Gorinan the then county physician, at the
examination which had been made said he was
unable 10 state positively what caused death, "Dut
from the appearances OF The bodies viewed exter-
| naliy, wIlea first observed them, ana the post
| mortem appearance, upon eX1ninaron, was such
| as corresponds with the poisoning by carDonc acid
Or. E,rich made an analytical examination OF the
| stomach of one of the bodies. lie tested for NOR
prime and arsenic, but found none. 1t was his
opinion, Also that ''leath resulted from inhalng
| carbonic Or coal oxide gas"
| The testimony, shown, clearly established the
fact that ire had been In the chamber o. death
whue it yet the abode OF the living that is TO
! sequent 10 the time when the girls fell asleep. The
doctors testimony sustains the latter theory, and
IN le the .ef MINDS esns Of individuals but u'S tnas
double murder most foul had been per-
petrate still the Jury felt unable to go further In
the matter OF q verdict than to declare that the de-
| ceased persons mad died IRON causes unknown to
the jury. At this time there was strong
| more OF the matter than he had disclosed.
! lie had had some monetary transactions with one OF
| the girls; had borrowed from her tRose) 500. is
| was not TN after he deed above described had well
nigh sunk among the memories OF the past that
! the 500 was recovered by Roses administrators.
/ Now then, we come to
THE NEW PHASE
OF this strange and bitter business. Some months
ago Mrs. Barb. reta Freytag, OF No. III Montgom-
cry street. Jersey city, visited Newark, and to
tain o.ilcer attached TO the Mayors once made
divers ana sundry disclosures which appeared
! TO gradually dlspei the mystery which
| mad long hung over the tate
OF the poor servant girls III Keplers Hotel. BY ana
/ by, the 26th OF October last Mr.. Freytag went
beiore Justice AIMEE }. Dean, OF the Newark Police
Court. and made affidavit to a certain statement
which had previously been drawn up ana which
| summarized Is as follows-She declares upon
,o2fh that she Is the sister OF John Engel-
. hoIn livery stable keeper OF Newark that
Oh me night OF Sunday, February u, 1854, she
| nm on the jersey CITY ierryboat, while returning
from New YORK with her daughter, Catharine: mat
| lie lEnslehornI came ana sat down between them,
| ana, In an excited manner said he had some
| thing to tell them. He then asked In
! very excited manner II they had heard the news.
lyon Know said ne ''the girl Rosalie Qneauiug
Rose who lens me $i0af ] promised her that I
| would paw her back to-day or Tomorrow hul This