Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-09-14
The New York Mystery,


The Police of New York have succeed
cd in unraveling the mystery attendant
upon the discovery of the body of
beautiful young woman in a trunk at the
Hudson River Railroad Depot, and the
unmistakable evidence that the horrible
crime of abortion had produced death.
The driver of the truck which took the
body to the depot, noting the accounts
in the papers, Mt once went to an officer
and told the following story: He said
that as he was waiting at his usual stand,
young woman accosted him and said
that she desired to have trunk taken
to the Hudson River Railroad Depot.
He had asked her for the service 81. so,
but upon her demurring, he had con-
sented to carry the trunk for 81. The
woman said she was going to Chicago
that afternoon, and she would he at the
depot, to receive the trunk which he
would find at No. 697 Second-ave., in
the basement. She then left him. He
Immediately went to the house men
toned and knocked at the basement.
1t was opened by stout feshy man,
apparently foreigner, who appeared to
understand his mission. The truckman
detailed the particulars which have al
ready been given, and with the officer
went to the house from which the trunk
was taken, and it was discovered to be
the residence of Jacob Rosenzweig, q
pretended doctor, known to have COM
mitted the crime Of abortion, who was
found at home, but who on the approach
of the officer attempted to escape. The
officer was too quick, however, for his
bur]y adversary, and seized him securely
before he had got into the street. A
crowd of loafers seemed to detect in an
instant the fact that Rosenzweig had
been arrested for murder. The Doctors
connection with the trunk murder was
Immediately surmised, and the crowd
gathered around crying "Lynch him /;
lynch him." Rosenzweig upon arriving
at the station-house denied all know
ledge Of trunk having been taken from
his house on the previous Saturday, and
on being confronted with the truckman
denied ever having seen him.
The body has been identified as that
of Alice Bowlsby, of Paterson, N. j..
She was first recognized bya doctor who
was well acquainted with her. and his
testimony was verified by a dentist who
had filed her teeth, and knew his own
work. A handkerchief was subsequently
found in Rosenzweig's house bearing her
name, thus making the Identification
positive.
Another act in the terrible drama of
the murder of Alice Bowlsby has been
played. Walter L. Conklin, a young
man who had been intimate with Alice
in Paterson, committed suicide by blow
ing his brains out. His remorse and
shame were too great to bear. The evil
dence against Rosenzweig is complete.
His servant girl Jane Johnson, has made
full confession, in which she states
that the girl Alice was brought to the
house and afterwards mysteriously dis
appeared thcrefrom. Her evidence is
sufficient to fix beyond doubt the guilt
of the doctor. Rosenzweig has lost his
bravado, and was terribly excited when
the name of his victim was communicated
to him. His daughter has been arrested
Much speculation has been excited by
the statements of q Paterson butcher
named Healy, to the effect that he saw
Alice with another Paterson woman in
New York week ago Healy states
that he did not know the name of the
Paterson woman, although he had fire.
quently seen her in the streets of that
city. From his description it was sug-
gested that she was fortune-teller
named Baily, residing in Ryerson st. A
reporter called at the house of this wo-
man, when she stated that Alice Bowls
by had called on her about six times,
accompanied by other young ladies, to
have her fortune told. She had fire.
quently seen Alice, before AMI after the
fortune-telling, pass the house on the
way to grocery, always looking modest
and reserved.
The jury of inquest in the crse, after
being out ten minutes, returned the fol-
lowing verdict We find that Alice
Augusta Bowlsby came to her death by
metro-peritonitis, the result of an abor-
ton produced, as we believe from the
testimony, by Jacob Rosenzweig, be-
tween the Odd and Goth of August, 1871,
at No. 6S7 Second ave.
The prisoner was then committed to
the Tombs to await the action Of the
Grand Jury.