The Republican journal., 1875-06-10
The Carl Voght Romance

NEW 1ORK, June ,. The long-delayed
eNtradition of Carl Noght who sailed for
europe yesterday in the Switzerland with
a detective who had him in charge, as
previously stated, terminates the Ameri-
can chapter Of one OF the most remarka-
bic romances of crime on record. The
story begins rs far back as October. 1871,
when Noght, whose real name he now ad-
mits to be Joseph Stupp, left Brussels for
i.ngland. On the night previous to his
departure the chateau of Chevalier du
Bols dc Blanco, a Belgian nobleman Of
great wealth, was burned and sacked, and
me ilhdng of the chamed remains of
the Chevalier in the blackening ruins of
me chateau threw all Brussels into fever
OF excitement. Suspicion at once pointed
TO Noght as the probable perpetrator of
the triple crime of robbery, arson and
murder on account Of his quitting the
country, and the discovery of the fact that
the burned nobleman had given him NOR
tai offence by inducing him, while he was
employed as gardener, to marry a dis
carded mistress. Noght was traced to
London, and there it was learned that he
met young woman from his native town
IN Prussia, and sailed with her to the Uni
ted States. In December of the same
wear eN-Detective Farley arrested him in
the Continental Hotel in Philadelphia,
where he was lavishly spending the pro-
ceeds Of stocks, bonds and securities.
known to have been the property OF his
former employer. Noght was brought to
New York without warrant, and to pre-
vent his release upon a writ of habeas cor
pus General Sessions Grand jury was
induced to indict him Tor bringing into
the State property stolen elsewhere. The
trial OF this Indictment was conveniently
delayed pending an application to Gov.
Hoffman to eNtradte him. While this
business was in progress. the woman who
accompanied Noght retained LAWYERS for
HIM, and turned over to- them "A large lot
OF securities worth 500. 900 OF more, by
way OF guaranteeing their fees. These
tWyerS, how ever, rendered their client
no Important service Coy. Hoffman de
cided to deliver the prisoner to the Bel
glan authorities, and Noghl's half frantic
female companion, deprived by this time
OF means to employ other counsel. appli-
ed to Mr. VIM +. kintzing for assistance.
lie sued out n writ OF habeas corpus from
the Superior Court, which was served at
the door of the rombs lust in time to pre-
= European steamer on the point Of sail
ING. Judge Curtis decided the law upon
which GOV. Hoffman acted to be in con
tlict with the Constitution OF the United
States, and therefore imperative, and
ordered Noght's discharge from cllsto-
dy a. there was no eXtradition treaty be-
tween this country and GERMANY This
decision was affirmed by the Cour. OF
Appeals, but the liberation which it fl
hally worked did moi avail the prisoner
II even halt an hour. lie was reincar-
cerated upon Il bench warrant based upon
le General Sessions Indictment, and de-
tuners OF civil orders Of arrest were piled
mp on him freely, although it was well
Il lderStood that neither the Indictment
nor the civil suits would ever be brought
t trial. The object was to gain time for
i further effort in the eXtradition line
Tins was made by inducing the PIussian
Government 70 demand the surrender Of
Noght on the ground that he was Il Prus-
san subject, and under law of that
kingdom was amenable to trial in Prussia
f)r any crime committed anywhere on the
globe. The local courts did not negative
this extraordinary claim of jurisdiction.
but the Acknowledgement and Secretary
ol Ntdlt III washington neld that such Il
clam on the part of a foreign Govern
mcnt could not be recognized 1t was
necessary for the pursucrs OF Voght to
resort again to the device Of OBTAINING
him by means OF civil orders OF arrest
Meanwhile, a treaty between the Belgian
Government and the United States was
negotiated and ratified 1t contains Il
retroactive clause obviously framed es-
pecially to fit the case of Noght Under
it new proceedings were instituted. They
dragged along for months and have ended
with the embarkation Of yesterday Noght
had been in the Tombs and Ludlow street
Jail four Years and q half. When first ar
rested he was linc-looking robust young
man. He goes away gray and wrinkled,
with 4 tar prospect OF ending his days in
prison, because the Belgian penalty for
his crime, if he is guilty, is Imprisonment
tor life His mistress, with babe now
two wears Old, is left destitute, and has
subsisted for a long time mainly upon the
charity OF her coUnrymen. The stocks
and bonds are left tor the lawyers to quar-