Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-08-11
Supposed Clew to the Nathan Murder.

ne testimony OF eX-pollcemen Sid
ney II. Conklin, before the Legisla.
tive committee in this city last week,
is to-day the all-absorbing topic of con
versation. There seems to be no dis
cussion, and what men dare but breathe
a lew days ago; they now openly assert.
1t is just five years and two days since
Benjamin Nathan the Hebrew mil
lionare, was murdered in his own man
sion. The house was situated in the
most populous and aristocratic part of
the city, and directly opposite the
never darkened and always active
Fifth Avenue Hotel The crime was
the most audacious ever committed,
even in this city, and created a pro-
found impression upon all classes of
the community That the deed was
! perpetrated for gain. no one ever
questioned. Rewards were offered
both by the authorities and the family
of the deceased, but Without avail, till
Bill Forester, who is now serving out
his sentence in Joliet, in our State.
came to the front and proclaimed that
ne would "give away" the murderer
on the condition that pardon would
be obtained for him from the Cover
nor of Illinois FORESTER is a known
desperate character, and there really
was no reason to question his sincerity
by the people at large; but the then
Superintendent of Police, Jourdan,
knew that Forester was lying IN his
own interest and 1t would now appear
from Conklln's testimony that he not
only knew this, but really did know
who the real murderer was,
! At the inquest Washington Nathan,
the son of the murdered man, felt it
to be his duty to prove that he had no
hand in the crime, and this he proved
by the word Of harlot, who swore
that at at about the time the murder
was committed he was revellng with
her. 1t is well-knowu fact that old
man Nathan provided that his sou
should only become the inheritor of
the portion of his property which was
afterwards conveyed to him by will On
the condition that he should marry
(if marry at all) a lady of the Jewish
faith Washington Nathan never
lived up to or observed any of the rites
of his ancestral creed. His aft, ,at;oos
associations aud proclaimed amb,tion,
were antagonlst,c to bis father $ and
his famlly's orthodoxy He was wha,
is termed here a fast young man
"a blood,' aud fellow that didn't
care a button what it cost, tor pa was
rich"
The very fact of his anxiety to
prove his guiltlessness in the murder
only lent an additional significance to
the opinion already formed by those
who had suspected him of being par
rlcide. At that time, his nearest rel
; alive, Cardoza, was Judge of the Sn-
preme Court of this State, Barnard
was his associate on the bench Tweed
and Fisk owned them both, and the
Police Superintendent was an officer
they made and could unmake. Cardo-
"a was even getting into bad repute
Barnard was in the pay of Fisk, and
Tweed was Fisk's partner If Wash
ington Nathan were convicted, or even
prosecuted for the murder OF his fa-
ther, the disgrace Of the family escut-
cheon would be indehble 1t was
Cardoza's first interest to save his
nephew and his family's name, and
it was but natural he should do what
lay in his power to that end.
All this has been believed during
the past five years, but no one could
mold it into shape until Conklin told
his gbastly story the other day. That
the man Michael Ryan was the mur-
derer of Benjamin Nathan, and that
he was employed to do the bloody deed
and possibly assisted By Washington
Nathan, is generally believed here to-
day. Young Nathan says that he does
not remember ever meeting Conklin,
but the latter cites facts and circum-
stances which are indisputable.
An effort must now be made to find
the man Ryan, because former en-
ployer of his describes the 'dog" with
which the murder was committed, SO
accurately as to leave little doubt but
that it was the article stolen from him
by Ryan when he was in his employ
short time previous to the commission
Of the crime.
The Nathan and CORDOBA families
are among the most prominent, wealthy
and influential of this city, and they,
with their extensive circle Of acquaint-
ances, are inexpresibly mortified by
Conklin's declaration that he believes
Washington Nathan to be party to
the murder of his father.-Cor. CHI
cago Post and Mail.
A fire at Sun Prairie, Monday even
ing destroyed Mr.. Birds house togeth-
er with several large barns of hay and