The New York herald., 1876-11-18
THE HILDEBRAND SUICIDE.

l.
THE REASON WHY WILLIAM uILpEERAND SHOT
HIMSELF NOT YET AscEErAINED BY coEo-
NER caoKER-FUnTHER DEVELOPMENTS Ex-
pEcTEp TODAY
Coroner Croker yesterday began inquest in the
case Of William Hldcbrand, aged sixty. formerly or
Chicago and late OF brooklyn, who committed suicide
on tho 9th inst. by shooting himself In
tho right temple ScdgwicK avenue, near
Jerome avenue IN Morrisania The testimony taken
bore little on Tho proper subject matter of the IN
qnes--o why William iI,ldcrbrand shot him
sell, and to uuravel Tho mystery attending his DEATH
Another peculiary of the nQucs. was the number OF
cooners who took charge had hand in the diiler-
stages OF the proceedings Tho suicide occurred in
the district supcrintenici by Coroner Ein.cr. and
very important papers, containing the suicides own
declaration to tho motive OF tho deed, taken
charge OF by Deputy Coroner Goldschmidt Tho reia-
tvcs OF the deceased, living at NO. 7SS Third
avenue, Brooklyn, next madc an application to Coro-
ncr EickhoG for permit to bury tho body. 1t had
been sent to the Morsuc Coroner Eickhon gave the
permit Of removal, and 1t was taken FIRST TO the under
takers, Crosby & Thorne, at No. 378 Bowcry, and
thence TO deceascds late residence Previous 10 Its
removal from this city Deputy Coroner MacWhinnic,
acting for Coroner Croker, who was on duty at the
time the suicide occurred, found the body at No. 3S
Buwcry and madc an examination OF the remains, thus
taking final charge oi the Deputy Coroner Gold
schmidt therefore obliged to surrender the papers
OF the deceased to Coroner Croker.
These papers contain the statements of tho deceased
written just previous his DEATH which, II his death
had not been immediate, would be considered as pro-
sumptive evidence. The most important OF these
papers the following declaration found in tho do
csascds hat
Please sall W% y Ogden alias M .n, Tompkin. High
fault suisde. He keeps OF money
Mronfuly
| On The same paper is a sentence written in German
praying God for mercy. Then the following words in
En2ish-
Papers left my house will tell the motive ofthis.
In envelope his person was found a slip cut
from the New York San OF September q, ISL II con-
tanned the account OF suit brought before Justice
| Barnard, In which Counsellor Joannes appeared for
William HlidcDrand and wife against William B. Og
den rhe case was claimed BY plaintiffs counsel 10
| illceitima,e child ana alleged published hbcls. 1t was
compromised thereon for s.J.COo; $4,000 paid on
various tines from October, 1870, TO July 5, 1871.
The following account was also iound:-
William iiiidcorand and vile against W. b. Ogden
Simple interest 10 August q, ls76............ $500
ia,ores; on bonds al seven per cent annually. oSoo
Total amount. $40 600
Mr. William b. Ogden, to whom Mr. Hidcbrand
alleged tha, owed the destruction OF his family aud
allegations be true, the indirect OF ihc
mans suicide, lives at high Bridge and has
office at No 2l4 Broadway He IS repused TO DO very
wealthy
| The following testimony was taken in tho caso:-
Edwin A. Simons, being sworn, sad-I am an OIL
Ger OF the mounted squad OF poce and reside in l2sth
street between Sixth ana Seventh avenues on tho
4th OF November about two O'Clock in the afternoon
riding down Jerome avenue, and when near Scdg-
wick avenue heard the report OF pistol; paid no
attention TO the report OF the pistol Tor Is common
10 hear SUCH but when got 10 Sedgwick avenue l
saw nau lying on Scdgwick avenue about
200 feet from Jerome avenue; immediately
went to him, and found him lying on
ms back and quite dead he had pistol grasped IN his
right hand, the pistol now presented there shown
wItncss) the pistol iound in his hand; there
him the time, not nearer than jerome
nue.; did not know the deceased; HIM before
seeing him dead, 10 my knowledge; / Immediately
called another ol our and, leaving him charge
OF the body, reported tho facts a. the Thirtythir
precinct station house leaving the affair in charge OF
Captain Hcddcn; IRON the position Of the body and
from the surroundings thereof am full satisfied that
the man committed suicide by blowing tho top of his
head OIL.
Henry Hedden, being sworn said IL am captain Of
police, and attached to the Thirty-third precinct;
The 4th OF November, shortly alter two O'Clock the
afternoon officer Smons, of the mounted squad, re-
ported that man had committed suicide
Scdgwick avenue near jerome avenue, aud delivered
The pistol which now presented, also some papcrs
which he stated he had found on the person OF the de-
ceased immediately drove 10 the place and found
the body OF wherc he told me II was placed
AN officer ia charge OF the body aud sent
for the dead wagon 10 remove tho body
TO the Morgue; the wagon not coming for some time
got a conveyance and sent the body to the Morguo
dead at the place already ndicated have made dill
gent inquiry and have been unable 10 find any who
saw hilu IN that neighborhood that day.
William b. Ogden, the alleged seducer OF Hide
brands wife and the alleged indirect cause OF the
fortunate mans suicide, next called TO the witness
stand He Is stout man. about five iect ten inches
high. and has gray hair aud whisKcrs lie was accom-
panicd by his counsel. W. W. Niles.
WiIliam b. ogden testified AZ follows:-I reside at
High Bridge, New York; knew William Hide
brandt presume the deccased-iormcry OF Chicago
nrst him alive several years ngo; l 10 know
a fnsta
heard o his death tue aay us body discovered;
was told by a policeman OF the fact; don't know
whether no was at my place the day OF tho
suicide or not; whcn | know him he was o!
relation whatever; knew him as n leather and
buckskin mitten maker some twenty years ago III
Chicago, but have seen him IN Brooklyn some 1--WE
years ago. co not know anything about the crcun-
stances attending the death OF William Hiicbrand.
DIR. J. w. MacWhnnic. Coroner Crokcrs deputy
Hidebrand, lying at No. S's Bowery; found
the whole right side of the head. The
bones broken ani brain tissue laccratcd and
exposed view. with absence of considerable
portion OF BRAIN tue point OF entrance OF missile was
about inch above and little In front OF top OF right
ear the ball passing in direction upward forward and
To icr and found about inch TO the left OF
sasita sulurc. Undecided Ia the skull, which was frac
turcd Ia my opinion the OF death shock. due
to pistol shot wound OF brasn producing compound
coninucd fracture OF skui and acera;on and loss OF
Ii wi! be seen from the above testimony that the
evidence OF suicide conclusive; but all reference TO
the of the suicide rs carefully avoided Captain
Hedden tcstiiies that he unable TO nnd any one
who me deceased in tho ncighborhood on that
day II is stated, however, that the captain on pre-
OCCASION had asserted that the servants al Mr.
0eden's house had informed him oil the suicdos
presence there on several previous occasions.
Mr. ogden madc no reference to hs previous reia-
tions with the deceased and not questioned IN re-
gard to the possible meaning oil the papers lound IN
the deceased s pockets.
Mr. Hildebrand once said 10 have been very
well on but had lost large amount OF money by the
Chicago IRE.
Counsellor Niles, who appears for Nr. Ogden, is
said 10 have threatened yesterday that George the
Count Joanncs, when he appears on The witness stand
to-day should open the old scandal and not
stopped by tho Coroner, he would imm ediateiy take
v,..s. I.yo thc G.p