The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-26
TIE LATE GERMAN POISONING CASE.
trial of Frederick Heggi, Charged with the Muir
der Of Frederick siegfried by Poisoning
Interesting Testimony for the Prosecu-
tion-The Case To Be Finished To-Day.

Interesting IesumonY Ior tho ffosecu-
tion-The Case To Be Finished To-Day.
The trial OF Frederick Heggi, an aged German,
charged with murder In the first degree, was COM
menced yesterday in the General Sessions, Re
corder Hackett presiding, and Assistant District
Attorney Stewart prosecuting. There was no delay
In obtaining jury, as the occurrence had passed
out OF the minds OF the jurors.
OPENING FOR THE PROSECUTION.
Mr. Stewart proceeded to open the case, stating
that the accused was charged with causing the
death of Frederick J. Siegfried by administering
poison to him In August, 1869. 1t appeared from
the statement OF the prosecuting officer that the
deceased not living on amicable terms with his
family, and that Hegg protesting great friendship
for the old man, took Of him at q house in New
ark where he was quite sick, and that during his
Illness the prisoner induced him to make a will
giving all his property to Hegg, although he had
expressed his intention to leave 1t to his little
grandchid; that Heggi removed the deceased from
Newark to mis- house In New York, and during the
few days he lived administered medicine to him.
Soon alter the old mans death the will was pro-
doced, which caused suspicion resulting in steps be-
Ing taken to exhume the body. This was DONE and
chemical analysis Of portions of the remains
showed the presence OF large quantity of arsenic.
TILE TESTIMONY
Frederick Siegfred, the son Of the deceased, was
the first witness for the prosecution He said that
he lived In Harlem; was harness maker; was
thirty-six years old; that his father, Frederick
Joseph Siegfred, died the 10th goth OF August,
1862 in Heggi's 1.-THE prisoners) house. No. 2o3 East
Houston street; witness was not present
when he died; the deceased had been at
the prisoners house nearly week before he
died; witness saw him twice, and on one occasion
he complained of q pain In the belly while lying
on lounge; that was Tuesday, the day he came
from Newark; witness saw the deceased on Satur-
day morning, the day he died; he was lying ON q
bed; he could not speak, but held out his hand for
him to shake it; his mouth was open and all black;
for four five years before his death the deceased
would complain once in while of cramps, but
never kept his bed long; deceased kept a lager
beer saloon in Harlem, and shortly before his
death kept saloon at lie First avenue; when he
lived in Harlem the deceased sold house, which
Of hts ds rS Knew the @
ss &c s S s: lived with @
but they had no children; witness had "a
II ns ed little
with his second wife about fifteen years. but was
not living with her at the time Of his death; they
died, and he (the deceased came from Harlem to
First avenue and subsequently went to Ridge street;
up to the time he was removed from Newark
to New York; he learned from friend the where
over to show her the place; the witness remained
In saloon across the street from where his iather
was staying during the time that his wife was In
there; she remained about two hours and then
Heggi carried his father out on his shoulders and
the wagon; Heggi went oil and md TOOK a chair
that his father had been using into house; when
the Wagon, opened the door and told the Witness
wife to 60 ont; she got out ana Heggi entered;
they crossed the ferry TO New f3rk ana saw no
house and found that the prisoner and the deceased
had already arrived there; the witness attended
etery, where the deceased was buried; witness
learned two or three days aerward that his father
ofice in september, ana learned that Heggi was
made executor; two years after his fathers death
the body was taken out Of the grave by Coroner
The witness was cross-examined by Mr.. Porter,
the counsel for the accused, but nothing material
MEDICAL TESTIMONY.
the order Of proof and testiaed that on the 5th Of
February last he went to the Lutheran Cemetery IN
company " tn siegfred, the last witness, and that
6iegfried identified to be his ather; the body was
taken to the Morgue, and alter an examination
handed to the chemist; on the 9Th of March other
parts OF the body were removed and some OF the
DIRECT TESTIMONY CONTINUED.
Rosina Siegfried, the wife of Frederick Siegfried,
10 West street, Newark, on the 10th of August,
1863, and saw her father-in-law, and half an hour
that Fred Gneaning her husband) would have
acted toward his father as he did; Hegg walked
up and down the room and said to her little girl,
"Your grandfather has done everything right for
yon and for ySu too" pointing MS finger to the wit,
much; he had his head down and felt bad; when
Heggi went out the old man said to her that he
made Will This was ruled out as lncempe5entl
was there out OF bottle, which had dark brown
look; Heggi told the deceased to get ready to
20 to New York, and carried him down and put
him in a carriages 'the old man" (the deceased)
told her 1.-THE wltness) to sit by him; she rode two
or three blocks when the prisoner spoke roughly to
her two three times, and told her to go out the
deceased cried and said she should stay 10y him;
phc was afraid and got out and her husband joined
her on the sidewalk; they went to Heggis house,
In New York, and when they got there saw Heggi
lounge; the witness called the next morning and
the deceased was sitting up dressed she went the
down with his mouth wide open, and he could
hardly speak; the witness went there on Friday
sns sA all 'n black s;' he asked the witness
TO her nU to to the hsss ssd
tnst he was as too weak after while the winess
went into the bedroom again and Heggi's wife was
q e Oh sne sad
the bedroom door, going In at the time, and she
guessed the prisoner was sufficiently near to hear
back; told her to 70 and let the deceased alone;
then the prisoner gave him some medicine out of
cup; the mouth OF the deceased was wide open,
and she heard rafting noise In his throat Heggi
told the witness that the deceased did not make q
tsee P came In and said the
Dl ana he the
left and saw the death OF her father-in-aw in the
paper and the funeral announced for Sunday at
one O'Clock: she went to the Lutheran Cemetery
and Heggi was at the funeral, too. In reply to
S R%s and the we're so re
lated; that the medicine which the prisoner gave
was In cup and that she never saw a doctor there
This witness was cioss-examined at great length