The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-13
TIE ROCHESTER TRAGEDY.
Vile Attempt to Blacken the Vic
TINS Character.
The Citizens Determined to Ferret Out the
Miscrsants Singular Apathy Of the
Authorities-Incidents in the Life
Of the Murdered child a. Told
by Her Companions.

ROCHESTER. August IL, ISL
The feeling here IN regard 70 the death Of Viola
Kaishner, full reports In relation to which have ap
peared in the HERALD Is growing TO be intense and
threatens serious consequences to those who directly
or Indirectly caused 1t. and To those who have
allotted them, Or as II is believed have fOully
slandered the unfortunate chiu. l have during
the day visited many parties In different parts OF
the city who possessed OF threads OF inforna-
tion concerning her and of what occurred on the
night OF the tragedy at the Falls Field and onioht
have talked with many OF the neighbors and well
known and influential men IN tue ward. The follow
ing arc
THE FACTS DEVELOPED.
The first person interviewed was Mr.. John H. @.
Karshner, who was found at his place Of business
in Smiths Arcade. Mr.. Karshner IL o gentleman OF
Scotch descent, was born In this country. Is well
educated and IS the father OF the victim Of the
tragedy. From his lips was obtained the following
sketch OF such circumstan as connected with
the life, habits, character and death OF the
unfortunate chid:-The father was, some years ago.
well TO DO. and had nourshng tailoring business
In 81. Catharines, In Canada West At that time
Viola being but thirteen years old, so quiet, me.
thodical, ana 40 thoroughly acquainted with the
business was she that she was often sent
by her father to Toronto and Hamilton
where he bought his goOds-to make pur-
chases OF from $50 TO $500 In amount and also
received and paid money to customers ana Others
ana at the bank. Karshner failed, however, in 1859.
and went East with his family. He came to ROches.
tor In the spring OF 1870, when. being unable TO
open business for himself. he engaged rooms IN the
upper story OF Smiths Arcade. where he maniac
tured custom work for the firm Of GARRISON STAGE.
Viola Susannah Kar sinner, who
NET THIS HORRIBLE DEATH,
hands or runlans, Notwithstanding the Infamous
sneers oil q paper here, called the Uni1n from
which extracts showing its character have been
published by the HERALD, was, az far as the evi-
dence or all who knew her Ia concerned, vrtu-
ous good and quiet CHILD. Sne was porn ut Bata
via, In Genesee county, IN this State. on
the Gath day Of May, 1856. She was unas-
Stunning and retiring in her manner, performing the
work. burdensome to one of her age, which the mis-
fortunes OF her father forced hun to ask OF her. with
unvarying good temper and alacrty She deprived
herself OF many articles OF dress rather than draw
Winter Clothing TIL three weeks ago, When accord
ing to promise made her by her father, ne pur
chased her the suit In which she was Killed Her uI
derclothes, which were very neat. were made by
herself on the machine IN the shop, ana these
were torn to fragments by the persons who violated
or attempted to violate her person before her death
The poor child worked hard with her needle ana
won the respect and love OF all about the shops IN
the building by her modesiy and sweet disposition.
She attended the Sabbath school OF the First Baptist
church, and IS warmly spoken OF by her teachers.
at ' i aHe or '' h sf i've O'Clock in '" the
morning during the last thirteen months
II was her custom TO sweep OUT anu cea sne LIABLE
girls worked for her father, and they would both
take turns in bringing the water for spOngny. As
she was only child her father would at intervals
send her to run about the hall for few moments
at o time during the day, calling her in when he
their dinner In the shop, and at night she invariably
went home with her father when WORK was finished,
at from SIX TO nine O'Clock.
Mary Bowman, employed in Smiths Arcade.
where Viola worked with her father, says she saw
e r gr not e more p 'a mar an Sup pre-
taIOress. was sitting at u table IN company with
two other Young ladies sisters at the festival Of the
tween the sisters ana Viola came 10 her aud spoke
TO her. She was alone and moment after walked
slowly away. She saw no one with her, and that
was the last time she saw her till she was brought
In dead about hali-past eleven though she heard OF
the accident soon after Viola left.
Mary Jane Hudson, q tailorcss employed at the
workshop of Mr. Kolnetz, No. ~ Nam street. states
to the HERALD reporter that knew Viola
Karsnner with whom she had worged IN the shop
OF latter's father and that she had met her in
the Falls Field on the night OF her death. she
accompanied 10y the brother OF one OF them.
Ds ss on 3 of e aS u
reached the place and sat down for moment
At this time Viola passed us. laughing ana with
two gentlemen, one OH each side OF her The gen
tlcmcn were OF medium height, one slim and the
other stout They were both dressed In dark
crowns. did not see their faces as they had
passed me before noticed them. l noticed Viola.
ss 'i'q ns Sp Us Ma sss 'an
We got No rom our seat on The
u IN we're there amer then a
and we passed on into the hall. We sat down at
table as soon as We went In aud were sitting there
at the time when the news came that some one mad
gone over tho preclpice and been Killed IL was not
more than fifteen minutes after We saw her. am
sure 1t was not We were not I'm the field
more than five minutes. walked out from the
hall, and strOled along 10 the fence. where We sat
not more than three minutes. aud when Viola
passed us we were on the point OF returning to the
hail. We stopped not more tnan minute perhaps
nall. we had not been there but moment or two
before u number OF boys ran In calling out that
WOMAN HAD FALLEN OVER THE BANK.
3 She was brought In some time later. tbut there
was such a crowd we could not get near enough 10
see who II was, and OF course we never thought 1t
in her conduct, and never heard any
thing said against her character In any
girl. heard her speak sometimes Of a gentleman
with whom she was acquainted named Jacob Van
Roe she SAID once tnS s sne walked on East ave.
with him Mt any other time or IN any other place,
nor did ever see or hear VI her behg with HIM or
amy one else nom her or any Others at any other
timen
AT a house on Magne street, at seven o clock tins
evening some dozen persons present, a gentleman
stated that he was member of the Citizens COM
initiee which called on the Police Commissioners
90 ask 9r ,nev ss nrs.eh o sne
Mr.. George Cooper, one OF the Commissioners
and an editor of the u,aon' told them the
the better. He Gid not the report to out OF
the city that decent girl had been taken out OF the
streets OF Rochester and murdered. One or the
gentlemen OF the committee replied that he wanted
the report TO go out or the city that an innocent gr
could not be murdered In Rochester ana the
GUILTY ONE ESCAPE.
The members OF the committee then protested 70
him personally against the articles which had oeeu
published In his paper, claiming they were slandel
ons, indecent and untrue. Mr.. Cooper reSponded
that the editors OF the paper nad not olo al tney
knew. Here one OF the gentlemen present suggested
that II they trusted In God To give them new SET
OF brains and did eXude ali they knew tney
wouldn't have 70 issue supplement- sheet 70 con-
tain IT, -. - .x,.
The doctor whom the paper quotes as authority
for tho statements rejecting on the girls chastity,
by which 10 attempted TO intlmtlate all who urged
an investigation. now denies that he ever made any
such statement as that assembled 10 him. Doctors
Montgomery and hovey are making examlna-
tion OF portions OF the girls body which have been
exhumcd Tor that purpose. | visited the
Office OF the former this afternoon and
st.a,, Hath To- pzan a.