The sun., 1872-05-06
A COMPLICATED MYSTERY.
HELD 4 PRISONER ron 4 WEEK
AND THEN " DERED.


identity this Pi-tOls
Thcurcumstances attending the strange
disappearance from his home In this city of Mr..
Marcus c. Rich aud the subsequent accidental
discovery ~ his dead body in an out of the way
piece VI woods near Elizabeth, NJ j., as hereto
fore detailed In THE SUN, embody one OF the
most profound mysteries Of the day Was Mr..
Rich dccpyod away and brutally murdered or
wa he seized with sudden loss of mental
strength, and, under some strange hallucinalion
wander away and finally put AN eud to his
existence 10y his own hands
These questions now seem difficult Of sou-
ton, but under the stimulus Of the liberal re-
ward that has been offered, there can be little
doubt that the whole mystery will sooner or
later be explained, and II a desperate crime has
been committed, the murderer will ere long be
brought to justice. If 1t be a murder the list
of possible assassins Il very short one. and
their movements during the days Of Mr.. Rich's
disappearance from sight can be readily traced.
That he was murdered is now generally believed
at Elizabeth was so found by the Coroncrs
jury and Is tho firm conviction of his family
b., whom the following formal offer Of reward
f,r the discovery Of the murderer has been
made;
,;t ONO gEwARD Is offered for the detection
drr,o 70 .rru. e. tlc, who was found In the woods
- Nrs. NJ {. iuCn. as Esst 5ith It.
ur- fmPrtoN OF ruE DEAD MAN.
Mr. Rich WIS middlc-aged gentleman Of Ger
man origin, though 80 thoroughly Amoricanizcd
us G, speak the English language with scarcely
per.cpuble foreign accent. lie was in good
c.r.gu stances, dressed well, though not nashily,
appeared as a perfect gentleman at all times,
WIS uuassuming in his manners quiet and re-
served in his address, regular and temperate
In his habits, very much attached to his
nd Nyit IA known I'm all his
circle Of acquantances. lie was rather above
the medium height, very stoutly built, cpproach-
ing corpulency. had a full round face, and wore
no beard but mou-tache lie resided with
his family IN u thrce-story brown stone house,
as East fifty-seventh street, htted and iur-
nished as became the home of prosperous
merchant. His family consisted Of his wife,
three sons, and a daughter The elder son was
married, and lived in another part of the city.
The rest of the family all lived together. Be
ancc. the hOusehold contained a young mun
named TuskeN; who was employed as q book;
hi. brother Aaron Richcnbaum, OF Mad on,
Wis. who was making a short visit In the city.
RGcH, LATB RiCnENBAUM
u mas be proper TO explain here that Mr.
VIVA changed to Rich twenty years ago 10y spp-
cial act ot the legislature Mr. Rich mad three
places and kinds of business. which he had es-
tsn-hed in order to give each Of his sons start
iulric. At"l Murray street he had an establish.
Incnt frr manufacturing fans, perfumcry, and
fancy articles; az l6 College place he sold har-
bcrs supplies and Ierfmcty; and ON Broad.
WAY. between Houston aud Prince streets, hc
sold iewelry. Each OF these bran 'hes Of bust
Ncb'S dsappcarance there were no obligations
maturing, nor has there been since any financial
strait In mis- affairs that could have caused him
GLy unea>iness.
LosGING FoR THE COUNTRY
On SUNDAY the Ifla of April, Mr.. Rich was
home with his family, and during the dgy long
conversation was had, In which all participated,
on the question e purchasing a place IN the
Mr.. Ken atNprutpu moving To the
country and ufted that a place could be pro
reached In half an lours time from his busi-
ness, and where he could have a Garden, keep a
horse an enjoy other ltxufie, ~ rural life. Of
which hr was very fond. In the course of the
conversation Bergen Point orange, and Eliza
beth were ment.uned os desirable and conye-
nicnt localities. The conversation was not de-
terminate IN any sense, and the subject was
hnnly dropped without any conclusion. on
usual. and In the evening visited with his faul,
a. hW-uh.. 5 house. lie Appeared as well as
LEAVING HOME.
on Tue -duy morning he rose as usual between
sauli u'ylu,%. lie breaNi4sted al Z, and lelt
unmed'atey mterward for down town, preyi-
ut-lS asking the servant II Mr.. Tuskey, the
b1ukkeeper, had gone. Mr.. Tuskey had gone
and he did not see him. The family imagine
counting room, and asked for Sir. Tuskey In
order 10 give him directions in case anybody
should inquire for him during the day; but rs
be intended only running out Of town for a few
b 'ur,, 90 be back later In the day, he did not
t'tt q" ne family. Mrs. Rich goes further and
ftu' es that on the previous day, as a result Of
Sundays conversation he had seen some real
estate operator, and had made an appointment
n 20 that day with him to see some place IN the
Saturday night his vile saw Ia his possession
LARGE ROLL OF BILLS.
This money he did not spend on sunday, nor
was j. q polte' en- Monday; 1t t. therefore,
supposed that he had It with him when ne went
away Tuesday. tie left the house Tuesday
m9rhuE, 10 ~ o'clock IN his usual health aud
spirlt-. lie wore a dark coat and vest, hight
pant-. black silk hat, and callskin boots. Ih
Is the last that any member Of the family saw OI
htn, He wa Wa oDIerNe9a bH nteiShb95r Elg Ehiag
avenue, and few minutes later was
.tgn .n,nr TO- return lie did did not re- re-
house, casually seen by neish'or. is sim uueX-
planned. \ little later he was seen passing across
second Avenue ana along fllty-oeNenth street
toward Third avenue by some persons in the
grocery store Of John D. Watien, at the corner
Rich well acquainted at That store. His
family traded there, and he frequently stopped
When passing there this particular morning he
NN walking.
IN COMPANY WITH ANOTHER MAN,
taller than himself, wearing black side whiskers,
Hight oyercoat and black silk hat This mtn
"aa a stranger In the neghbuIhoo lie hds not
since been seen, nor was Mr.. itich aiterwUd
seen alive Ia this city. lie visited none Of his
places Of business in the city that day, or ever
iterward. No trace of him beyond tat corner
ErrYer found until his body was discovered
y ng ia The woods AT Elizabeth.
4r.Ja.ou II. Swick is a laboring farmer, em-
rl"r"d To- cultivate "A small farm lying about
uu. and "a quarter west ot the city Of Elizabeth,
;. y. uu the Morris turnpike, lie lives iu nD at
4ilr cottage on the farm, which stands close
lc-d. The Highway. lie is plain man, with
lt.!r OF no education, but with "a good stock II
mWu1n sense and gd.nary intelligence. on
AHL..y. April -, he was sowing oats IN "a Held
some lance back from his house. just bee
i.ir u.. usual mid day dinner hour he had uc,a-
aoh tp 20 90 his house 10 get some seed oats.
lHE STRANGER SEEN ny MIR swiCK.
Mile there gentlruauly looking stranger
a1Hr icheu the gate and hailed him. The -iIun-
..r ue dssrrlhrs as OF about ordin ary h,,sIt,
r'Aer heavily built, with "a fun round face, dark
uH,-tacue, but no side Whi,hcr-, wearing gene
irHi dlrN-Culore coat and vest light pants. Il -ht
h1pts, and a uHch silk hat. The stranger dd NOT
look IKE laburn- man, but rather ike mcr-
fh1ut. He spoke with slight foreign accent,
winch Mr, SWick didn't particularly notice, but
upu viii. b lac got an impression that the man
was ~ Irish descent. The stranger spoke as
follows.
,frrud, is this the road to Morrstown ?"
Nj. ~Utr.. Yes.
Stronger How Tar do you call III
~. NNNk About fifteen or sixteen miles IL
may 'c more IL may be less 4; don't know eX-
Strmgcr L. this the Morris turnpikeY
Nj. SH l.N 4u17 b. tur regular turupike lead
about here.
This was all that passed between them. The
Tt.