The New York herald., 1876-08-22
LITTLE MAGGIE BAUER
The Coroner's Inquest Commenced
as to the Murder.
HUNTING FOR THE ASSASSIN.
The Chain of Circumstances Closing
Around Catharine Hoffman.

week ago at Fosters Meadow !. l. District Attorney
Downing was present, and questioned the witnesses,
several OF whom spoke ana understood English I'M
perfectly as 10 render It necessary TO have inter-
prefer Some thirteen witnesses examined,
whose testimony, Will be scen although nos directly
terminating the woman Kate Hoffman, tends strongly
TO confirm tho impression of her guilt
Mrs. Bauer, tho mother OF the murdered girl,
the first witness called. Her daughters
Eva Aargarctta Bauer and sho eight years and
nine months old on the morning OF the murder Cath
Hoffman TO the house about O'Clock and
sen, word by Mrs. Urlla that she wanted to SEQ her
the road, but the boy had gone the city with
Mr. Bauer witness afterward Ca;harine on the
road and her husband with her. Caharne said sho had
to see her husband and boy and going
Rockaway; wiDcss asked her to to the house
and she did so Maggie and the two other children
were playing behind the house; Catharines husband
came IN for change, which he gave her.
Maggie nlierward and said Catharine
wanted her TO show the way to Valley Stream; this
about one O'Clock: thought Catharine know the
way well as Maggie. but allowed Maggie TO go, she
said she not afraid Catharinc had srcdin
go;c'' overskirt; Maggie barefoot and had
striped caiico dress bonnet when the body
tho next morning tho clothes appeared to b,
''musscd,' but could rot tell whether they were
torn; belt ribbon tied around The
had words OF unpleasant ,hn' together;
Catharine had been there subsequently, but witness
had not her; Catharine and her husband had no
qnarrcl that witness knew Of they had made five or
six Efforts to keep house. but had not succeeded; wit
ness thought that Catharne knew the way through tho
woods as well as her daughter; Maggie was tall Of her
age, but very slim witness good terms with her
neishb@rs, far she knew; two brothers named
Rhodes lived near by. one OF whom had been IN State
Prison Witness described the direction of the roads,
said that Catharne and Maggie must have gone
past the Rhodes house; the body must have been
ricd the spot whore found Witness described
the measures taken 10 discover Maggie after she
missed, her account being corroDoratve of the pub
lished accounts Mr.. Hummel's family and the
Bauers intimate, and Maggie would
have been AFRAID OF him had she
him, related by Catharne Witness knew very
little about the Collins who had been arrested.
Witness described the appearance OF The body and tho
nature Of the injuries. rhe right arm looked as
though had been violently gri risped and it seemed
dslocuted at tho shoulder; kate Hoffman the
house the next morning and made great lament
the hody; pulled one oi tho stockings of and kissed
the foot saying, ''My God, my Godl 1t that
caused your dcathl" and making other oucrcs.
that at last the officers requested TO ask her to
deslst il caused witness and her husband to feel
badly. Witness SAID that on the same day, when she
foand that Kate had not been to Rockaway, she told
her (Kate) that she had he'd TO her Wltn,
sidcraDy Affected during the delivery OF her evlence
Leonard Hoffman, kaie's husband, testified that he
Catherine Francis; they did bot live happily to-
gether though tney had made several efforts do so;
he had said that she would do better he would live
with her again. this in Nav last, and they pro-
posed to so TO housekeeping; he gave his wife
some money and she aud another Irish woman
got drunk, so hc refused 10 so 10 Housekeeping
with her, OF to live with her. witness saw no more OF
her until Monday last when they had brici convcrsa
ton; she said she wanted TO 20 to Far Rockaway and
nskei Tor money, which he gave her she asked HIM
to SHOW her the way, but he said he could not,
suggested Maggie could go; Kate druukard,
also had bad temper and once threatened him with
an axe; witness said there was ..no truth IN her.
and '.Whcn she good she's very good and when she's
bad she's very bad;" Wednesday ms wife called
HIM into the room where the body was: SAID Maggie
had been killed. and began to cry on the night Maggie
missed witness was out until midnight hunting for
her; he sure his wife knew Tho way through the
woods she left the Bauers' house little before ono
o'clock and she and Maggie walked slowly; she some
times treated her children very roughly swinging
them around by the hair; she was oil spciui nature,
md arrested for using pad language.
Char cs Hummel, who saw Kate pass the we'll where
he Monday afternoon, testified that he
intimate with the Bauer lamiy; he Kate, but not
Maggie near two o'clock Kate was up by the well
when he first saw her; he did no, know in what dircc
she came. and II true, Kate said, that
he her and Maggie together; Kate asked
the ncarcst way TO the Valley Stream depot; she
did not ask Tor drink she looked red in the face,
warm and sweaiy: she must have come from The
Bauers way 1t would not take more ;han ten minutes
to walk to Bauer's house.
Angcl,nc Van wicKlen, another resident at the
Poorhousc testified that she bad known Kate Holman
four or i've years; she saw her on Monday evening
abou, O'Clock; left the thursday previous
times Kate exhibited bad temper, and witness
thought that in her fits OF bad temper "she would as
Kill anybody AS look at them" at one time she
threw meat chopper at wncss and 1t stuck in the
door; she had number Of times undertaken to clear
the house; on the Monday evening Kate sad Wule
hal gwen her 50; she went 10 Bauers, but
did her husband or son, they were COVE
the mcadows Maggie Bauer came through the woods
with hor. and she gave her ten cents and kissed her
goodby at Hnmmcls barn. witness hat heard Kate
a.G OF The Bagers and she WISHED the curse oil SOD
might ali them aud they might never have days
luck in the world Ind heard her use similar lam
guage repeatedly she was very volen, at times; when
she returned TO the Poorhousc the Monday evening
she complained Of beng tired and foosorc aud carried
her shoes Va her hand
Sarah j. Archer, another inmate OF the poorhouse,
testified thai Kate Monday night. appeared strange
more quiet than usual. and taking snui very ire
quen,ly she said she had got some money from
SON Willie Kate camc rome barclooted CARVING her
shoes when witness went into the room whore Kate
was the latter rushed out suddenly, out returned soon
afcrwari
Lizzie Nolan who was matc OF the Poorhousc
week ago, testified that she knew Kate Hoffman and
had heard her give Mrs. Bauer her curse and Gods
curse her end her whole family had heard 1t re-
pca,cdy: the reason gwen was that her husband
worked there AT $40 month. and IL was too cheap;
Kate had frequent hls OF violent temper and had
struck witness three tmes had seen her strike other
people.
Waite T. Rider. Oversecr OF the Poor OF the town OF
Hempstead testified as to his knowledge of Kate Hof
man He understood that her temper very
lent nj one time he was forced 10 send her 10 the
County jan; she violent, both drunk and SOBER and
very much disturbed The peace OF The house.
Mrs. Margrctta Cash said that her little son was
ou; inindng The cows that afternoon, but her
daughter at home. The witness related that, in
the evening alter i've O'Clock, looking after her cow
she something peculiar in the cOrnleld. whore the
muraer is supposed to have been committcd--some-
thing white which Suddenly disappeared THE same
appearance understood TO havo been observed by
Mrs. HummcL
The inquest was here adjourned until eight O'Clock
this mornug-thc jurors beng cautioned TO hold no
communication with any one mea,iinc IN relation to
the
Some Of the testimony TO be introduced tomorrow,
" is expected, VIII prove Interesting and important
Mrs. lice. II IS understood, VINO saw Kate Hofm,n
when she arrived at Valley Stream her return from
Fosters Meadow, saws that she acted IN peculiar
manner, frequently looking behind her as though lear
iu OF being pursued, and there VIII be iurther tcst
mony as 10 the declaration made by Kate herself a
close exclamation OF the clothing by her the
OF the murder has resulted the discovery Of two
kinds OF bair-onc doubtless her own, but the other
resembling that OF little Maggie light and curly Tney
Will be placed under a microscope Tor nation.
L Ii. ..lE- Il. u .-.-I I-. a-xx.ax