New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-19
day or two He left no other effects Man his manu-
script; his lawyer bills are not settled
TIE CRIMINAL AND HIS GRIMES.

OF ertmes He was born In 1919 At Hammond River, In
New. Brunswick His parents were Germans, who were
respected In the community where they resided During
his youth he was only remarkable for passion for de-
suory reading but does not appear that at this time
Of life he acquired any special branches Of knowledge
in this way. that any were taught him. AS ne grew
older however, he achieved local celebrity Iof ~"
variety of accomplishments which he developed
The lad studied pharmacy in drug shop at OF. 'oin
but the misiortunes OF his employer obliged po'
bnaush that business, and Rulof turned h' ~aa,.r
10 the study OF law, with q somewhat noo ,oa,h,o
barrister, Duncan Robertson. with an Law and
rapidty he mastered the details OF oo' . 49,, zane
| onal,Aea bimself for the highest pracuce az "no 80
dian bar In the beginning Of his suceee. xy,h
the first indication OF his lack OF io'"' go. nu,on,
| all things possible TO him. having 'no n ',s a. A.
oo,s before him. he deliberately turned aS'do 10 uo
-, 49,. INA NJ theft, and, when charged by MS
- onover who held the proofs ne fnsoeh.y To-
,,a ,ho otter of clemency, and was sentenced W 'ne
| 81 Johns Penitentiary for two years
or no VI appeared in NewYork City; but, unsuc-
and Disguised he shook the dust the Metropolis
tm his feet and penetrating inland, before the days
q, railroads. late in 1912, he halted in the little town
~ Drvdeu Tompkins County. Vastly superior In mind
aud body 10 the people hereabou he soon obtained
favorable reputation, and by specious ana welumed
tales he made himself the particular favorlte Vi TUG
honest country people. From an humble toner on the
canal he was promoted to remuneratiye clerksihp IN
temper and address DESERVING this uncongenal trade,
he became teacher OF High School, and, as usual,
acquitted himself with great credit Here he
Toll in 1--we with one OF his scholars, Harriet Schultz
girl of 16 years, of most exemplary conduct ana tne
daughter OF respectable parents The young man was
dstrusted by the relatives OF the girl and every etort
| was made to break off the engagement; but as the
young lady was determined oil opposition was finally
withdrawn, and the marriage ceremony was performed
Before month had passed. the young man was revealed
20 his new kinsmen o thief and coward he mace
slave OF his wife and he nsued and reyed her friends
When the place had grown too hot for nm, ne removed
TO Lansing within few miles OF Ithaca and practiced
| medicine After suspicion had been diSarmed, ne
| poisoned the babe of his wfe's kinSman, Mr.. W. H.
schutt Of Ithaca Then he tried the mother and She'
too died convulsOns-unmistakably the results OF
poison His learning great, and his character al
the time unsupported that no faint OF suspicion rSted
| 'F MURDERS HIS WIFE CHILD.
These were the events that preceded the most mex
pllcabe of his crimes On the 23d OF June, lsio kuo
attenpted to poison his child and when he was pre-
vented by the mother he insisted upon her taxing the
noton herself She consented, but suddenly changing
his mind he snatehed the stuff from her hands ana
threw ii in the This took place before aWhess
| who was called by Ruof himself. The next day inc
blinds of tho Doctors remained closed but curios
ity was for a time set at rest when Ruof at9oclocA
| came forth, and going to neighoor' MI
Robertson, whose daughter had witnessed lne
| alteration of the previous day, he borrowed
and wagon. His wfe's uncle. he explained, had
visited them late the previous evening" and had taken
the wife and child home with him whit The uncle
had been obliged however to leave behind him heavy
box and he ulof) now TO take IL over 10 Motifs
Corners where his wifes relative lived. The conhding
neighbor happy TO comply with the request ana
helped the husband TO lift the box which, no doubt con-
tanned the remains of his wife and child into the We
hce. Without the slightest remor the murderer went
through this ordeal and when Mr.. Robertson returned
10 his home he had suspicion OF wrong. Rnl0h got
lightly into the wagon, galy bade his neghbors good
by, and drove down the dusty turnpike hstne softly
as the horse moved along Meeting group of children
on the road he invited them TO take seats In his wagon
and passed the time with gay songs He drove during
the whole OF the day. and arrived at Ithaca evening
came on He calmly Embarrassed his horse, ana en-
ioyed himself at the inn.
At midnight this arose. and drove to the shore OF
Cayuga Lake and there unaided and alone transferred
the box from the wagon boat and cast the bodies
into center of the lake. Subsequently he boosted OF
having securely wrapped the bodies in untepered wire
so that they could become nfastened and that by
the aid OF heavy mortar and fat iron, they were both
securely anchored the bottom OF the lake Some how
ever doubted this mOnstrous story IL was and s0ny
maintained that the bodies Of the victims sold 10
the Geneva Medical College, and some circum-tauce
seemed TO attest the truth of the revolving charge
Ruloff returned home the next day and lifted the empty
box from the wagon, without the aid OF his somewhat
to the hnsmen OF his wife, braved the danger OF de-
lection. and invented a trivial tale account for
the absence of his wife. The matter soon became
the subject of common conversation. Yet Rulof
with that singular that has marked his whole
career calmly remained at the house OF his brotherin
law Finally he announced to the mother OF his wife
that her daughter was In Ohio. Suspicion had taken
hold Of the public, however, and the fiction which
quoted the mother did not impose upon the people at
large committee visited him and demanded that he
should produce his wife and child, or tell where they
were to he found He promised compliance, aud when
the party had left him he fled from the town and ran all
the way to Auburn distance Of As miles between sun
rise and sunset With feet bstered and swollen he got
abroad the train at that place. and came face to face with
his brothernlaw who had been sent on TO arrest the
fugitive master Of deceit Rulof removed the suspi-
cons OF his captor whom he actually induced TO accom-
pany him on pretended visit to his wife, At Buffalo he
gave the slip to his creduous relative, whom he left to
90 ON the steamer TO Cleveland while he, himself re-
manned at Buffalo until the next day.
TRIED AND SENTENCED
After journey TO the town i'll Ohio where the wife ana
child were alleged to be- the brOthernlaw returned TO
Cleveland and with the aid Of the police seized Rulon
in low the wharf He taken back TO Ithaca,
for the abduction Of his wife and child, and SEN
fenced to in the Auburn State Prison. This was
In No testimony could be produced TO convict him
OF the murder Of his family The lake was dragged for
weeks but the bodies never discovered In prison,
a phase OF character was developed 1De man or
blood became patient, amable book and pursued
with treless zeal all the volumes of science and art
that kindness OF his TALLER would allow him. and his
own limited means could procure. He was employed in
every department Of prison industry To every mechan
cal task, no matter how trivial he applied some new
principle. He finally became pattern designer, and
some beautiful specimens the result OF his
genius In 1856 his expired, and he released
upon society The people more bitter than ever
against the learned murderer, ami he confronted