The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-07
TRAGEDY In FOR7IE7H STREET,
A Supposed Case Of Murder Which
Proves To Be Suicide.
Charles Aering and Then Puty Bull
let Through His Own Brain.

ABOUT ten O'Clock yesterday morning man
named Nimrod Flad came running into the Twen-
tleth precinct station house. on West Thirty
seventh street, and informed the sergeant at the
desk that there was man lying dead In an upper
room ut 426 West Fortieth street. Captain
McElwain at once proceeded to the number
named, and, on going up stairs, CHASTITY spec
tacle met his view. stretched upon the moor was
the still warm body Of q powerful man, the head
and face covered with clothed blood On making
inquiries Me Captain learned that the deceased
was q German, thirty-two years old, named
Charles Grum. From the appearance of the body
the Captain thought that brutal murder had
been committed, and from Information he re-,
ceived suspicion was fastened upon another Gers
man, named Charles Mering, who had been seen In
Grum's apartment Immediately before
.r-l-- THE FATAL OCCURRENCE. r,r M
The reason why suspicion was directed towards
Mering was that Grum was Financial Secretary of
the Bricklayers' Protective Association, Of which
Mering was President. Mering had fallen into
arrears to the association, and owed 1t about
twelve hundred dollars, and Grum was also in ar
rears about six hundred dollars. Several disputes,
unaccompanied by blows however, have recently
taken place between the two men, and it was
known to their acquaintances that the relations
between the pair were not very cordial. There
which went far to justify the suspicion that
MERING WAS THE MURDERER.
About q month since the wife OF Grum. or HIS
Mistress as the Information given by his slster-ln-
law proves her to have been, deserted her para
mour, whose temper, 1t Is alleged, Is very viOlents
this had been on friendly terms with Grum and
the woman. particularly the latter, and Grum
when she deserted him, blamed Mering as the
When these facts were communicated to Captain
McEwain he left nn officer in charge OF the house,
and started to Thirty second street. between. Sec
ond and Third avenues where he was informed
Mering lived On arriving at the house he was in
formed that since the departure of his wife and
Thrty-second street. The Captain began to be
somewhat doubtful Of his man, and,
returned to the station house. At ten
minutes to one O'Clock man came UP to the desk
Mertng, and that he wanted to surrender himself
He was at once taken into the Captains room, and
on being questioned emphatically denied that he
upon by the deceased in the house on FOrtieth
street In the morning, two shots taxing effect. As
the man had bullet In his back while he was max
ing this statement his story seemed very probable,
and the Captain made him give detailed narrative
OF the transaction. The following is the story he
tells:-- iN rHr9yr
Mering had been on friendly relations with the
mad not been on very good terms with him. The
differences grew out OF business transactions con-
nected with the Bricklayers Association, OF which
they were both members. On Wednesday they
were to meet to have q settlement, but 0rum
failed to DO So and the appointment was renewed
Mering arrived at the house on FOrtieth street
and found Grun waiting to receive him. They sat
down to tax IN the ros en- Of the latter when Msf-
add Grum said he would make Q IRE Il
Mering would remain: Mering said TO him,
are not At to transact any business; have
the moral courage to refrain from liauor one DAY
he had been drinking, and MeriR, seeing that the
man was not in very sane condition, prepared to
leave him. He came out Of the room into tho cor.
rtdor, and while he was going down stairs pistol
was fred behind him twice, one ball entering the
back and the other glancing on it. He ran f0r his
refuge In lager beer saloon near.
4. .s.. THE s.s STRANGE fART OF THE STORY
hs not So to the stations S"use o.
apprise the police, but went down town
t. ask s the aaylce e sad The friend "a
brothers o. Gram on the corner Of Tensa avenue
brother r shot me this morning twice. "My
brother IL dead" sati one Of the brothers in
reply" and you have killed him. This was the nrst
intimatiOn Mering had received Of the death of
Grum, and ne fastened 70 the station house.
while he was talking with the two . policeman
occurrence BY any Of the parties Msr,ns denied
that he had any criminal relations with the wife OF
Grum he admitted that he had been
by both herself and her paramount. "V
This story seemed plausible enough. and as the
pistol with which the shooting had been COM
additional probability to the account. Mer-
ing was, however, detained and locked mp
Keenan, and his deputy, DR.. Wooster
Beach, arrived at the scene ofthe tragedy, and the
latter at once proceeded to make p0st-mOrtem
examination OF the remains. The man when living
must have been q magnificent specimen Of human
ity. He was fully six feet nigh and OF large and
ain The blOOd waahpd from
the face, but trace OF the ball could be found,
and the Doctor proceeded to open the skull, when
entered at the mouth, and case OF suicide was at
once established, no one but the deceased could
have fired the ball In the direction which II had
taken. The truth OF Mering's story was at once
believed aud he was released from custody By
Coroner keenan,. An inquest viii be held on Sat
urday. ,.tr