The New York herald., 1873-07-12
The Story Of a Dis
carded Woman.
ASSASSINATION RATHER THAN DESERTl0N
The Causes that Led to the
r93 g Tragedy.
Tho Murderess in the Midst Of tho Police for
Three Months-Finally Caught by wo-
Us man-Reoovery Of the Murdered
Mans Property-The Inquest To
~ Be Continued To-Day

% NJ Be Continued To-Day ~
The axiom, 'Murder viii out" was never more
fully verified than In the present instance, when
the press scalled upon to chronicle the confession
Of the woman who took the Life OF Charles Good
rich, who found lying cold in death, with three
balls through his head, in the basement OF his
residence No. 6Sl Degraw street, South Brooklyn,
on the morning OF March q. Almost four months
have elapsed since the crime, which was envelopsd
In mystery, was perpetrated by unknown hands,
and the case, which for few weeks attracted
such universal attention, was beginning to fade
from the public mind as other heinous crimes
passed In panoramic succession upon the stage Of
events when chance aids the lends of Justice"
and the murderees, "Kate Stoddard," is suddenly
brought within the clutches Of the law. The veil
Of secrecy with which the police authorities have
endeavored to shield their movements has at last
been raised. and yesterday tho President OF the
Board Of Commissioners. General Jourdan, re-
quested the members OF the press to take down his
statement Of the mysterious case.
STATEMENT OF TUE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF
AI a4-fi3 ~ POLICE.
The General gave the subjoined narrative Of the
police work in the matter and OF the finding OF the
murdered mans effects In Miss Stoddard's trunk
GENTLEMEN-Since the murder OF Charles Good
rich In March last, on Degraw street. near Filth
avenue, the police Of Brooklyn have continued
steady aud unremittng in their search for the per-
petrator OF the crime. With what result up until
within the last few days the public know
with what skill the press has from time
to time decided Amid discouragemsnts and
disappointments however, the work has gone
persIstentlH forward, no effort being spared
Not only has Brooklyn been searched. but New
York, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Washington
and q countless number Of other smaller places,
which need not now be mentioned. In every drec-
tion men and women have been sent out following
clews that were sometimes slight and at others
promising. Many OF the ntimatione acted upon
promised little, but feeling as we did the necessity
of procuring even the slightest information touch
ing the case, nothing promising anything at all
was neglected. There were times, am free to say,
when the department seemed to be left completely
IN tho dark, ana there were others when IL
appeared to be ON the brink Of important dis
coveries. That we employed secret agents is well
known, as is the fact that all police departments
are under the necessity Of doing that at times.
The primary object of our search was this woman,
Kate StOddard; but so little was known about her
personally, and 30 totally ignorant were we Of her
habits and surroundings. that at the commence.
ment there was next to nothing to work upon.
There we're people who hal seen her and others
who imagined they had seen hers but the descrip.
tions obtained not of kind always calculated
to facilitate capture. Finally, however, we OBJ.
tanned defnite Information concerning her Of O
descriptive nature, but how vague even the best
instruction OF that nature is may be judged OF by
the fact that although had been given every fea-
ture Of her face and body dozen times over, to-
gether with the fher voice. her pecularites Of
walk, &C.. and, in addition to ali that, got photo
graph could not identity her even in the station
house. The photograph obtained was, to be sure,
an exceedingly poor one, but we made the most Of
It, and had duplicates placed In the hands Of all the
ofncers engaged in the case. Here the General
exhibited the photograph which represents Kate
as peasantlo0king blonde OF thirty with moder-
ately full face sparkling eyes, lightsome express
sion and buoyant manner.l That photograph In
dicates woman in good condition, while Kate
Stoddard as arrested was about as thin and
smaciated as anybody you ever saw. In
this connection let me say that
think the press has been exceedingly unfair
to the police In this matter. They have expected
more Of rs than men could reasonably be ex-
pected to perform, and, 80 far as Kate Stoddard
was concerned, we only succeeded, after patient
search In finding one person who knew her posi-
lively but for more than six weeks after the
murder that person was laid up in bed sick. Until
the termination Of that period, therefore, her
knowledge was Of no service to rs. That person
was Miss Mary Handley, and immediately upon her
recovery we employed her on the search. TO make
o long story Short however. Kate Stoddard-the
name she is now generally known by-was met by
Miss Handley in the street on Tuesday
last, Miss Hsndley was going to New
YORK and Kate Stoddard was evidently coming
from It, when the meeting by accident took place.
As soon 20 she met her Miss Handley recognized
her and followed her until she met police oficer
whom sne inouced TO make the arrest ! have
been told that our agent cried, "Kate, Kate" upon
seeing her, but whether that is 90 or not don't
know, Iony know she followed her until she met Q
police fAcer whom she asked TO make the arrest.
At hrst he objected, but upon learning who the
taken to the second precinct station house. aud
from there the Chief was teegrspned ior. He @ at
once c enS course ss" OF
Ssst Ss importance nss C. ' TO learn where she had
come from Ths sne nsTse1 isan 1ecnneo 70 revea.
the more enectuaIly work out this point Kates ar.
onnon oss1 %ns cf p the on The Importance Of
the arrest kept back. Finally, BY device adopted
ton We obtained 1t In this way THE entire city
was searched for house whence woman had
Ssog snes ssa
been missing: We had the woman who kept
there sr she identined Kate a. ner boardef.
Upon hearing her voice, without seeing her, she
Identified our prisoner. From this woman We |
learned that Kate had been since last April living
In furnished rooms ct the place mentioned. After
discovering the house We obtained locksnith and
went 10 It. We opened her trunks and In them |
discovered the property OF Goodrich, including Q |
watch, chain, nnger ring, . seal and pocket !
Identical money taken nom the murdered man.
In addition to these articles revolver was found
In the trunk with the watch, three OF the cham |
There were three bullets found In Goodrich's |
headl Now that is In general way, the case az
II stands to-day in the hands OF the police Il need
only be added that Kate u prepared TO 20 upon the
stand before the Coroner and make o fuh and COM