The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-19
THE MURDERED JEWEss.
The Detectives eun Buriiy Following Up
Clues 10 II ubepstein's Guilt.


The Brooklyn detectives, although hav-
ing completed the chain Of testimony fastening
tho murder of sarah Alexander, the young
Jewess- upon Peeaoh Rubenste4n, the iewelry
petldler are endeavoring 4 track Rubensteln on
his return from Eaat New York, and yesterday
men were busly questioning all Of the car CON
ductora and drivers on the different lines 10y
which he could have returned on Sunday night.
There was some little doubt about Ilubenstein's
familiarity with Fast New York, and this
urged in hls favor 10y his Hebrew relations, who
asserted that he was scarcely ever ont of New
York city. IL was ascertalned yesterday that his
mother was buried In East New York nve or ak
years ago and that he attended the funeral and
had Visited the grave INC H iI. , Eiti wa
to bury her bloody clothing with her body, but
the police refused to allow this:
Ruheustein's brother was sent to jail Yesterday
as a witness. lie expressed an earnest belief In
Pcsach's innocence. The accused prisoner yea
terday wrote to hls friend Esher lewall at 10
I,ayard street asking for his "twilln" for morn
ing prayers and his prayer book. In the letter
lac writes am clear OF the crime. huben-
stein every evening turns To the cast and mutters
his prayers. lie was I'm early life intenpcd for
the ministry, and in Russia was partly educated
In this direction. His Intense religious feeling
ia the argument used In his favor by his rea-
tives. who say with evident appreciation OF their
argument. that he would not stay alone In a
room with girl five minutes.
The Police Commissioners commend the de-
tective ability developed 10y Detective Iundt,
the German officer who WAS recently added to
the squad. and the credit Is given him Of tracing
the knife to Rubenstcn. The other detectives
have also done excellent work.
Rubcnstein's strange Contract with Fellow
Israe ite.
The religious Obscrvauces OF Rubenstein,
the alleged murderer Of the Jewish girl at East
| New York, have attracted some attention since
| his arrest. but, through Hebrew correspondent
| OF THE Sun, other religious notions and prac-
tees have come To light to which he was for
merly accustomed, which are OF more import
ancc and greater interest In connection with the
charges upon which he Is imprisoned. Several
weeks ago this man entered into a contract witt
IA poveity-strickcn fellow Isracliic, whereby the
latter. for consideration Of So, agreed to as
sumo all the sins committed 10y Rubenstelf
| since the last Day Of Atonemcnt dast fall, ant
To- bear punishment for them In the noxt world
The contract was formally drawn w ia Hebrew
/ signed. sealed. and witnessed. THIS move
| agreement WIS the subject Of much discussion
/ among the Polish lcNs all the way from liaNtc
| stVct to Essex. such "A thing ihuugh III hc
cord with Ialmudic law. would not he dreamt o
hN any class Of Jews save the m"-l ilhleii.le Una
come from Poland and Russia. aud even 10y very
few of those after then ttlrurut "a the hlt''
? States, and for that reason " caused great yea
at tal,. ltuhvn-feiu placed iull iaith IN the ell
cacy 81 the bargain, and stood 10y IT,.
When. however. the part Of the first part &
the contract. that Is. the party that assumed th
sins. reached home and told his wife, sh
wa4 So overwhelmed with horror and deSiti
and made such an ado about II that her husband
sought out ltubcustein again. and rendering
hacN the money. proposed to rescind the con
tract. Nuheustein refused to accept the none
or to return the instrument. The party of III
FIRST pant therrupon brought suit against him IL
the Beth llammidrlsh "a rahhinal tribunal, sup
ported 10y illiteratc Polish Jews, AT No. q, Lud
low street, the cause to Ice tried 10y Chicf ltahi
Abraham Joseph Ash, of M. II rurolS street
and his two assistants. The suit WAS decided !
7 favor uf the petitioner aud against kuhcnstcl
ON the grounds
l. Tnat there nre some sins Tor which not onl
I IN" trdu-gre--nr or the person assuming thei
suffer-. put also hi- wife and childrcn and II al
NOT appear that huhcu-tein had been guilty &
Wa therefore entitled to prohibit the cont ri1
ton.
=. There f. "A ralmudic law prohibiting tn
jew from oNrrrharciug fellow jew moro tina
one-siNth the amount involved In a bargain.
did not appear what liuhrnSiein- sins ha
been. and tn question whether he did not -
the better Of the other party To hi- contract To
greater extent than unc-siNth OF SO could n'
be determined. The contract therefore, couI
! not hc sustained
From this decision Ruhenstein appealed To n
Roth llammilrl-h. in llayard strDrt. Here n
suit WAS compromised hy resembling tile cul
tract, the party 81 the nrst part retaining Il
! money. but binding himself Tor the space OF ui
year To- rccite daily certain number 81 p-nlti
and prayers on kuhenSt'in's behalf. full a
count of this case, emitting the names OF u
persons Interested. was published In the Judtl
, tG~t'cii. "A paper published Ia this city In u
Puli-h-German Jar-un, the L-th of last NoN7