The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-27
MADAME S0lILKlE'S STORIES.
THE PLIGHT ~ WHICH SHE WAS FOUND
ny A Police OFFICER.
Two Trnmps. She said, Gagged her and
Threw her Into n Bath Tub-Cnpt. Byrnes
aud the Physicians View II ne uy.teria.


Madame Augusta Sohlkie keeps board
Ing and lodging house at iS University place.
most OF her patronage coming from the thcatri-
cal profession. to which she formerly belonged.
She is n comely and plump woman of about 35
years Of age. and has lived in the neghborhood
only short time. An officer who was passing
In front OF her house yesterday morning heard
cries OF Murdcrl" and "Policel" Running
up the steps and into the front door, which was
partly open he saw a naked woman who was
almost faintinR. II was after IL o'clock and
tho street was IA lively as usual at that hour
The woman was Madame Sohlkie. who told him
that she had boen assaulted by two unknown
men who had either entered the house by false
keys or had been admitted by servant. The
officer made his report at tho Mercer street
police station. and Capt. Byrnes and two detec-
tives went into the house. According to Capt.
Byrnes's subsequent report they discovered no
signs OF a struggle. and were unable to elicit
from Madame Sohlkie any facts leading
them to the belief that an assault such
as she described had been committed
In the excitement Of the moment she told them
two distinct stories First she said that she was
making up bed in the second story back
room when she was assaulted. and then she
named the adjoining bathroom ns the locality
Another fact tina, led Capt. Byrncs to doubt her
story WIS that she had told him she was thrown
bodily into the bathtub. without having men.
toned that before this was done her assailants
had stripped her of all except one garment
The police found her outer clothing dry. and
naturally detrusted her story as ~ the ducking
in the bathtub. The undergarmcnt was. how
ever. found IN the bathroom wet through
After the assault the men escaped.
Nine. SOhlkie was lying on sofa in a
AnNl ftsrs. u. ~. - q.
looked weak and worn. and betrayed consider
able excitement in talking of the assault She
was born I'm France. and has been danseuse in
several OF the American theatres.
she said. because believed thai she was rseb
bng me. She went away at about 10 o'clock
lust about the hour that most OF the gentlemen
go TO their business. My housekcepcr. the only
other servant in the house. went out afterward
and went up stairs to make up bed In the
stairs, but as the dodgers all have latchkeys.
thought probably one Of them had come home
to get s2mething he had forgotten went on
with my bedmAk ing. paying no attention TO the
sheet Ms felt = heavy hand pressed upon the
back OF my head Before | could utter q sound
] wgs forced down upon the bed. face down
ward. Al hrst thought that some OF the gen
,iemen lodgers were PLAYING Joke upon me;
but when ] was hauled 10 nv feet saw that
was in the hands of two strangers shabby. des-
perate looking men. like tramps or common
drunkards. tried to scream. hut before could
do so one Of the men tied red silk scarf around
my neck pulling IT tight. and had no voice
dragging, half carrying me. The tub had some
water In II. They stripped me or near y strip
ped M, and then was lifted into the hathtub.
head was plunged into the water, IbelicyeA
hope Although / sm strong ' s woman. man Y am a
nothing IN the hands Of two men such as they
AFT was they Sossnsd the scarf
mer No. answered the smaller man. who
had pushed me under the water, We only wnnt
grasp and screamed. but he and his comrade
seized me- before could raise general alarm.
:, Did tho men steal anything from you.
" Yes. They took three diamond rings and
pair OF diamond earrings. What else they
| took don't know. rs have been too weak TO 20
about the house 70 examine; | tainted in the
fore | came To-. Whom / did I crawiei down
stairs, opened the door and called for the 20.
Capt. .Byrnes said. Tho woman is crazy.
She told mo two different stories inside Of ten
| into bethtuo. Well. l looked at her dress and
| felt t. 1t wac as dry as bone Then she said
she had kept her senses all through the alleged
assault, while 10 others she spoke OF fainting
| When / first saw her. she held her hands on
| her head and cried out: Look at my head and
face They're as black as inkl, Her face was
| tub, from which she told me the black came
and the water was perfectly clean. She s out
4
DR.. Dorm. Surgeon OF the Mercer Street
| Police. visited Madame Sohlkie Ave hours after
| the assault. She had on a morning wrapper
" found no marks OF violence about Ter body" :"
Or. Dorm said. but on her left leg there were
black and blue spots that appeared to have
been made 10y the pressure Of a strong hand
judged however, that these had been nade
many days before the assault although in this
! may be mistaken, These were the only marks
found, and am inclined to believe that IL she
had resisted as she says she did there would
have been more. especially about the arms,
The officers tell me they fail 10 lind
any traces OF a struggle In the bathroom /
saw an undergarment which had evidently been
recently soaked with water. think she is a vie
tim OF hysteria. found no signs OF the assault
that she says was committed. although II is pos
sl6le that the assault might have been commit
ted Hystercal women frequently have strange
notions; and | think this is a case In which
hysteria plays prominent part. learned from
physician who attended her previous to this
affair that she IL subject 10 hysterical spasms
as well as To delusions. One OF these was that
physician who was paying attentions to her
wanted Ia poison her because she would not ac-
cept him."