The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23
Zeigenmeyer, the Chicago
Murderer.
The Crime - The Victim The Murderer
Drowned at Notwithstanding the
Dead-Adroit Forgeries-A Treles
Pursuit = Run to Earth and
Brought to Rights = For
Life One of Earth's
Greatest Criminals.


fred Zeigenmeyer guilty OF the death OF Michael
william Gumbieton. AS the case is one OF q most
SENSATIONAL character have thought that a review
some W hat more ample and intelligent than that fur
nished by the telegraph might be OF interest to the
NEW YORK HERALD, ana consequently proceed to
furnish II.
On the I'd OF January lastta man engine
which was passing along the track OF the Michigan
Central Railway, which Is built upon piling before
the city, saw noating IN an open space In the icy
waters the body OF a man. He fastened 1t 10 pile
and secured policeman, who examined it. The
body had apparently been in the water for some
weeks. Decomposition had already set In, ana the
chest and face were OF
CHASTITY PuRPLE-BLACK.
Round the head, passing through the mouth, was
tightly tied piece OF bell cord about four feet In
length, which at the free extremity was frayed as III
worn away from friction. The body was rigid with
frost and clamny icing covered the face. The body
that OF about thirtyefght years old, dark
haired and bearded and OF full habit On II were
found about twenty-six dollars In money and let
ter from Messrs. Blake Brothers Co., bankers OF
New York, addressed 10 N. William Gumbleton, Bal
tmore. Coroners inquest showed that death had
ensued from drowninr, water being found In the
stomach, ard TAT Il corps had been In the water
about three or our weeks. Beyond this all was
AN IMPENErRABLE MYSTERY.
No clue whatever was Afforded to the perpetrator OF
one OF the darkest tragedies recorded in the annals
OF city famous for Its sensational crimes.
few days after detective Joe Dixon discovered
that there was named Gumoleton who had
been boarding at 1l2-l14 Dearborn street, but that
he was German, much younger anu entirely DIFF
ferent IN appearance from that OF the drowned man.
This Gumbleton had, moreover, sailed for Germany.
There was a mystery here, and, with States Attor-
new n RI Rapb 10 SGT fO 4 a soil Tie
made such discoveries as convinced MIN that the
pseudo Gumbletons name was Alfred Zeigenmeyer.
RDatIve OF Brunswick, Germany, and having ured
Indictment against Ziegenmeyer by the Grand
Jury OF Cook county for murder he procured a war
rant OF extradit on and sailed for Prussia.
FOUND HIS MAN,
and about the LIST Of June had him lodged safely in
the jail awaiting his trial, which commenced on
Monday last, before Judge Booth, and terminated
on Friday night In a verdict OF guilty.
SO remarkable was the conviction OF this man
upon purely crcumstanual evidence, romantic
THE PARTICULARS HIS CRIME
and so fendish the deliberation which marked
every step or the stage rom covetousness TO MUIR
der and forgery, that consider brief synopsis Of
the facts as produced In evidence OF interest.
Mr.. Reed, states Attorney, prosecuted. assisted
by Mr.. Sidney Smith, while the defence was under.
taken by Mr.. John Mason and Mr. +. NJ. Evans.
Mr.. e. j. Assay, one OF the leading lawyers OF the
city, had been retained for the defence but quar-.
rel between himself and his client led 10 his with.
drawaL Slxty-two Jurors only had been called
TWELVE GOOD MEN AND TRUE
were selected. The prosecution from the outset
manifested desire TO finish the without undue
fencing and wasted no time in unnecessary chal-
longing or tormaity. The defence called wit
nesses, so mat summary of the evidence for the
prosecution fairly epitomizes the case
Alfred Zelgenm eyer is a young man oftwenty years
e 6eardess aud OF a pale hue from confinement.
Tile eyes are light O,ue and hair auburn, curling
slightly. He has rather a heavy countenance. pas
rive and lnoneDsve. and seems 10 be an ordinary
man with nothing about him peculiarly bad or pecu-
Harry brilliant. Gumbieton was the son Of some
what weil-to-do irish farmer, and one OF three
brothers. He was
GIVEN TO DRINK.
In April, 1870, he came TO New York with about
eight thousand dollars Ia the shape OF a draft on
Blake Brothers n Co. He drew few hundred dol
lars OF this and went TO Baltimore where he studied
Biography. Here he met Zegenmeyer VINO q so
studying 1T They became friends, and were
stanty together hunting aud fishing. ON the 10th u
November Leigenmeyer told his landlord that lie was
gong 10 Richmond and lett the house. He met
Gumbeton. one eXpressman conveyed their luggage
they had icseIs Tor Chicago. On the the
l.th they arrived here ana took room together al
Mr.. Nickers' boarding house 10 West Randolph
street There they remained unlil saturday nlpnt.
Gumbleton being unwell and confined 10 his room.
On SATURDAY night they went out. Gunbleton was
NEVER AGAIN SEEN ALIVE.
On Monday morning Zeigenmeyer returned and
SAID that his partner nad gone 10 New YORK, whittier
he hlnself was also gong. He paid the Doaru bills
OF both. removed their luggage and lett.
On tue afternoon OF the same day he went TO a
Mrs Hickson, liz Dearborn street. and took "A room
under the name OF Gumoleton. Here he remained
some days he went To The freight Office OF the
Chi, ago, Burlington and QUINCY hallway ana OBJ
tai1ed dup bill for some boxes OF freight
which Gumoieton had shipped for Manhattan, Kan.,
he HAD CHANGED HIS MIND,
took the boxes ana sold their contents, Gumol e.
ton: To secondhand dealer He had meanwhile,
q draft for $500, which he presented at the bank,
stating that his partner was at New YORK. the bank
clerk, informing INN that the draft must be en-
dorsed, on the 10th he produced H. endorsed "Pay
10 Alfred Zeigenmeyer or order, NJ. W. Gumbleton.'
lie also wrote TO Bake Brothers, OF New York, a.
Gumbleton, asking them 70 forward him check foi
$500 was forwarded 10 MIN at Dearborn street.
II being necessary that he should be Identified at
the bank 10 obtain this money, he introduced hiIn-
self 10 a Mr.. Mills Gumbleton and py him was
introduced TO gentleman VINO had farm 10 sell,
ana which Ze2euneyer-I beg his pardon, Gumble-
ton-eXpressed desire 10 buy. But before lie could
90
lie MUST DRAW HIS MONEY,
and consequently he asked the real estate owner to
Introduce him az the bank. This was done, and he
obtained a certificate OF deposit promising TO 20
ana The farm in the morning. Leaving his friend
he went and drew the money, signing the name OF
Gumbleton. An hour later lie went to Greenebaum s
bank and purchased exchange on Brunswick and "A
passaee ticket as Zelgenmeyer. Siill another hour
later ne Went 10 his landady aud said he was g0lug
10 ST. Louis When next heard OF he was IN Ger.
many, where he had soothed the declining years Of
his 1ather win a pension ana mad bought astarcn
factory aud was IN a far way ~ become landed
proprietor and count.
The facts against Zelgenmeyer were these:-
HIS REPEAiBD fALsEHooDs,
ms assumption OF GumOletons name soon as
Gumpleton disappeared; MS forgeres, executed win
delibeTation betoSeDing no anxiety tnat CumDle-
ton would reappear, aud his possessing himself
OF GumUletons goods. more complete
chain of clrcumstantal evidence was never
forged and there was not single man IN Chicago
hut what was formally convinced morally, OF the
prisoners guilt. 1nis Was shown signally IN the
examination oil the jurors. Mr.. Reed, lor the prose-
cution dwelt upon these facts very BREEZY claiming
that the case hau been made out and that none
other but the prisoner mad been the murdered.
MT. John Mason, Of counsel lor the defence, made
n long and somewhat ilI-JudRed speech. lie accused
the prosecution and detective Dixon Of
HoUNDiNG THE PRISONER TO DHATH,
abused Mr.. Reed as youpg liinD OF the Jaw, &C
cused Mr. Assay OF selling ouf his client and genef-
ally sacrificed people and things. HIS defence wa
that the prosecution had moi established the iden
uy or the corpus deiici; that the forgeres proved
nothing about the murder and that IN all probablu
the Two men had gone out together for walk