The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-23

to his beard.
During the inquest and at the trial his
appearance added 10 the prejudice which
the evidence raised against him, He was
greatly emaciated, being little more than
a skeleton. His face had a wild and va
cant look; his features we're repulslvely
ugly; his hair and beard were unkept,
struggling and long, and being JET black
made hideous contrast to the llyid pal
lor of his skin. He was filthy 10 his per-
sopal habits, and being sick while he was
confined in jail that has again and again
been declared disgrace to Brook yn, he
had suffered himself to get into a loaih,,
some condition. Messrs Knitting and
Mott were retained for the defense by the
prisoners friends, but though Mr. Beach
was Joined with them they could do little
to clear such client when the prosecu
ton PLAYED their two trump cards. II
was shown that the knife that was found
had been boulh h by Rubers Elm short
" before the murder, and that his boots
fitted the tracks in the cornhed.
Nothing could break the force OF these
two circumstances, Had the issue turned
on the Identification by witnesses, IT would
have been different, for an dt'bl was set
I'D. and unless there was the hardest kind
of swearing there was not an hour OF Ru-
benslein's time on the day of the murder
unacounted fol, while it would have taken
him four or five hours at least to have
gone from his home in New York to the
scene of the murder, and to have return
ed. 1t was pointed out on the one SIDE
that the murderer must have been blood
stained, and that Rubenstein's clothing
were free from such marks; but on the
other side it was shown that on one OF
the boots there was something resemb.
ling blood. The jury disbelieved the att6I
and convicted the prisoner. A stay OF pro
ceedings was granted, but before a new
trial could be had the prisoner died, pro-
testing his innocence 10 the last
1t will be seen that the conviction real
lv turned on CirCumstantial evidence,and
the story told in the World shows that
there was at least one hypothesis on
which this evidence could have been ex-
pained consistently with Rubensteln's
innocence, and, therefore according to all
authorities, the conviction was a wrong
ful one.
1t seems that World reporter lately
learned that certain fast woman named
Blanche Milton, who lives in q noted
house of prostitution, at No. ll9 West
Thirty first street, had said that she knew
who the real murderer of Sara Alexander
was, and that it was not Rubenstein. He
went to the place and found her an intel
igent, handsome girl ofabout twenty, who
was at first reluctant to say any thing
further about the matter, and disposed to
regret having said as much as she had.
After some persuasion, however, she ac'
knOwledged that she knew the man who
said that be killed Sara Alexander, and
who had told her 80 under very peculiar
circumstances. She then told the story,
of which the following is the substance:
She was lying on sofa in the front par
lor of the house few nights previous,
and, supposing that she was alone, had
almost gone to sleep, when she was start
led by hearing mans voice, and more
startled by his words:
IL wish | had a good sharp knife"
She looked up and saw on the opposite
side of the room the Professor" whom
The landlady, Miss Gerty Brown, employ
ed to play the piano for the entertainment
Of her guests. He is a good specimen of
of that class of men who follow this call
ing. His name is said to be Won Nolken-
Ourgh, but no one excepting himself
knows if that is really his name. He
claims to come of good German family,
though since his arrival in this country,
be has done little to establish the proba-
Dility of such a story. He is given to
lrink, though not to the most excessive !
isseemingly content with |
lis four dollars week and his meals
which his music earns him. He is not
,ad- Hooking man. perhaps thirty years
lid, medium sized, with pleasant face,
nd brown eyes, a heavy, dark brown
pustache and dark hair. Reassured when
he saw who it was that spoke, the girl
sked halt with the purpose Of drawing
lim out and half idley, What lor?'
80 could cut your throat" said the
Professor with strange emphasis
Fairly startled now, more by his tone
han bis words, the girl looked keenly at
i'm, and saw that his eyes were cleaning
yildly, and bis attitude betokened great
xcitement. She resolved to talk to him,
nd see if he were really insane.
"Why do you want to cut my throatP"
he asked.
Because love to cut a beautiful wo-
nan to pieces" he said 81 love to play
nth them as a cat plays with mouse. l
1ve to see their great eyes get big with
ear and the great tears rolling out of
hem. And then l love to kill and cut
hem up"
did you ever kill womanP" she ask
d him, laughing, II don't believe you
onld do it."
"You don'tP" be said, greatly excited.
Hush speak low. killed woman be.
IRE was grown up. She was girl that
we'd near my fathers place. She was
lmost grown up, and was mere boy,
ut You don't know what good weapon
knife is when you know how to use it.
had been intimate with her, and one
ay | met her out in the fields long
-ay from the house. knew that was
" chance, for l had beautiful new
nife with me. After / had talked with
er for some time, l took out my knife
nd threatened to cut her She thought
was IN fun, and she laughed; then cut
er in the face. She was larger and
.ronger than l, but was afraid of the
nife. They are all afraid of knives. So
be ran, but tripped her, and jumped
p her and cut and cut. Oh, how delic.
JUS it wasl She begged and fought both
nd at last had hard work to finish her,
Or she was strong. But l did it, and
,hen the sport was over, went away
nd washed my hands and clothes, and
brew my knife into the river"
"And were you never found out2" ask
be girl.
mo; was only boy, and nobody
hought of me. And afterward killed
mother woman, and nobody thought /
id it, but was afraid. l thought, per-
APPS, it might be found out, so l left for
AMERICA"
"aave you killed anybody hereH" ask
d Miss Milton.
"Yes, l killed woman about a year