The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-24

A sequel OF the Goss Life Insurance
Case.

HIS AcCoMPLICE IN PLOT TO DEFRAUD |
THE INSURANCE COMPANY ACCUSED OF
THE MURDER.
BALTIMORE, July IS.
The mystery which at first accompanied
the finding on July IL of a dismcmbered
human body in the woods near the Gap
turnpike, few miles from Jeuncrville,
Pa, is being rapidly dispellcd. The body
has been identified as that of w. $. Goss
by Messrs, M. Il. PARROT and w. w.
Loughton, representatives of two life in
surance companies, and by Louis Engel, a
friend of Goss. This Identification will
probably cause two important results, for
on the night of Feb. 9, 1872, the laboratory
of w. =. Goss was burned on the York
road, Baltimore county, and human re-
mains found in the embers were identified
as those of Goss by his brother-in-law,
William Il. Undertook. This Undertook
is under arrest for numbering man this
month, whose death he swore to in February
1872. The Identification will therefore re-
leve the insurance companies from the pay
ment of S2j, 900, and be strong testimony
against the alleged murderer.
The facts, as far as known, are as fol.
lows In the early part of last year Goss
and Undertook were partners in business,
working up various remarkable Inventions.
the latest of which was cheap substitute
for India rubber.
While trying to perfect this, their lab
aratory was burned, as above stated on the
I'd of February. Undertook notified var
ious insurance companies in which Goss's
life was insured that
Goss WAS BURNED TO DEATH
in the fire. One of the policies was for
OnQ in tl,n TravalIoru, no;dopt Incur
ance Company, and could not of course be
collected except in case of death by acct.
dent. human body was actually found
in the ruins very much Jiisfgured and
charred, but Mrs. Goss and her brother,
Undertook, positively identified it as being
that fGoss. This not being entirely salts
factory to the companies, payment was re-
fused. and suit was instituted for the re-
covery of the amount of one policy. The
case came to trial in the United States Cir
cut Court in Baltimore on May 2S, 1878,
and resulted in Mrs. Gosss favor, princi-
patty through Uddcrzook's testimony. lie
sworc that &c and Goss had gone to the
laboratory, and Goss had entered with u
can of coal oil in his hand, while he (Ud-
derzook) had gone elsewhere for u light.
In the meantime the place was found to be
On fire. Undertook did not raise an alarm
ISLANDERS that probably there was man
burned. Aftcrward he accounted for not
giving the alarm by saying that he suppos-
ed Goss had escaped, as it now seems he
did. The company maintained, although
Offering no evidence on the point, that
THE noDY WAS A DUMMY,
and it was said in private that Goss had
gone to New York several days before the
tire and procured a corpse from hospital
there, which was boxed up and brought here
to represent his own body.
The remaining facts shall tell in the or
der suggested by the theory generally adopt
cd here, which is that Goss was kent in
seclusion, carefully guarded by Undertook /;
that he acquired in his solitude the habit of
drinking to excess; that Undertook, fearing
lest in a drunken fit he should reveal him
self and spoil the plan, conceived the plan
of killing him, thus rendering his success in
the original plot certain and at the same
time make his own share of the money
greater; and that in pursuance of this plan
he (Udderzook) did actually kill his accom-
plice on the LIST of July.
few days before Christmas, 1872, some
ten months after the fire, the following let
ter was received by Samuel w. Rhodes,
Udderzook's brotlier-in- law, who lives near
fenningtonville, Ia.
SEEKING A PARTNER IN CRIME
FRIEND SAM have something of much
interest that wish to communicate TO YOU
it must be done by word of mouth, please
don't let any one know of our communca.
tiOns, but as soon as you read this, mount
your horses and come to Oxford, take tho
morning train to Baltimore when you gel
to Baltimore inquire for Duker & Brothers
planning and saw mill, this mill is right
across the street from where you get of
the cars. am employed in said mill and
am there every day. You will arrive al
one o'clock, you must, take the next train
for Oxford which is at half past two, that
will give us one hour and a half, which
will be sufficient for us to arrange one OF
the finest plans that you have heard of
there is cool one thousand dollars in it ant
there is nothing to prevent us getting it.
this is without doubt, do not buy ticket
at Oxford but pay your fare on the cars, dc
not let sole know where you 90. can.
not explain further till l see you, do moi
fail to come drop everything at once. you
can make the trip in a few hours.
have no person else in confidence will
me and now propose to take you-you
will find that it is the best days work YOU
ever did. will give you the full explana.
ton when see you (bring this letter with
YOU your expenses will only be four doll
airs or little else.
Very Respt Yours,
WM. L. UNDERTOOK.
(Be firm Be true)
Upon the back of the last page is written
the following: "If you decline to come
write me line to l57 Conway street Balti.
more, Nd"
These proposals Rhodes declined. II
was not known positively what the plar
was, but subsequent occurrences !seem tC
throw light upon it.
THE PLOT TO MURDER GOss.
About Q p. NJ. on the 30th of June two
men applied for lodging at the tavern il
Jennerville. Mr.. Jefferis was reluctant t.
admit them, not knowing who they were
nor whence they came. Finally, however
he did so. The men were well dressed ant
and evidently did not lack money. They
gave no names, but it now appears thai
Undertook was one of them and Goss the
other. Undertook was the spokesman
and referred to Goss as "my partner ;
After going to their room, GOss was moi
again seen until he left with Undertook
the latter taking his meals to him and de-
clining the landlords offer to send up a ser.
want.
While at the hotel Undertook, although
he was born and grew up in the neighbor-
hood, was recognized by only one man, d
Mr. John Wallace, and seemed annoyed
at meeting him, refusing his hand and re-
plying to his greeting only with nod Or
the morning Of July l Undertook, afteI
providing for Goss's needs for the day
hired a horse and rode away, saying he was
going to Penningtonville to see his brother.
in-law, Mr.. Samuel Rhodes. ~
Mr.. Rhodes testified at the inquest thai
Undertook did come to see him, and pro.
posed that they return to Jennervile to.
gcther and murder man there,
WHOSE DEATH WAS WORTH 200.
He thought they might do it easily by ad
mnistering an opiate Rhodes says that liz
Indignantly refused, and that Udderzool
said, ''Then l will do it myself He ther