The New York herald., 1878-01-19
JACQUES AND HIS VICTIM.
Mrs. Surman'S Remains 10 Be Inferred
in Williamsburg.
THE DIAMOND ROBBERY.
What the Detectives and Others Know
About Il.

The startling crime committed the Orchard street
tenement house with all tho circumstances leading
up tot constnuts chapter in human life that
cannot be easily forgotten The nood OF nsht
thrown upon tie anteccdents OF the helpless pair
who met in the impulses OF an unholy at
tachment and separated in sanguiuary death
affords enough moralist dranatist Tor forcble
warning ana effective Illustration. The man jacques,
from all that be CLEANED concerning him. was once
well TO do and, perhaps, happy, IN the city OF
Chicago. The woman Surman, who lived ia the
same place, not illprovided for. Both were
married and had children growing up around them.
The one quit his wife and offspring, and the other
her husband and little ones, and agreed to IN
unlawful alliance that each must havo foresecn would
lead In the long run to trouble. While Jacques had
money, health and strength the nature OF tho union
weighed, 1t is TO be supposed very lightly on his
conscience, but day when he was lett
penniless and starving In the bleak streets Of
New York; left in his old age without tho hope
Of ever regaining his former prosperity,
devoured by the demon Of jealousy and stung
by the pangs OF poverty while she. for whom no sup
posed he had sacrificed all, had, he thought de-
serted him for another. Then, with every window or
hope In his soul closed up, darkness and despair
in around him, and 1t Is charitable suppose adness
supervcned, and In that dread paroxysn reason
and feeling had both fed no killed with remerscless
mar-all OF his existence
LONELY coRPsE.
The body OF Jacques lay in the dead house OF tho
Morgue all OF yesterday, ana while hundreds OF peo
pie called lew were admitted. No friends
quaintances came and word was received
his sister Illinois. In case she
should entirely refuse TO have anything
to do with his burial, 1t Is supposed that one or two
persons who knew him intimately Will subscribe $40
$12 to SEQ him buried in tho Lutheran Cemetery,
only where tho body OF a suicide is received.
The remains OF Mrs. Surman were quietly
laid away on the upper floor OF Mr..
Waldos house, No 2l3 Bowery, and nobody
was permitted to view them Thence they Will
be taken on Sunday at two O'Clock TO licdcn Gene
terry, Williamsburg. Mrs. Surman's son James was
present, ana his chief anxiety was that the press
should distinctly state that the boarder whom
his mother had IN her house. AIR. Kemp.
who works Loeser Il Bunker's, No. %
jealousy OF him. Ho had seen jacques
only once aud then had conversation with MIN.
AS or his acquaintance with Mrs. Surman, 1t WAS sUi-
ply and solely Vat oI an ordinary odgcr III boarding
house, and the woman never extended him any other
notice or favor than what she would have bestowed on
any other boarder. he was In the house on Forty
sixth street one year, aud he had never been moro
than kind to Mrs. Surman's children.
WHAT uSHINGED JACQUES MIND
AS Jacques, alias johnson, had curious experience
In looking after the Diamonds OF which he was rob-
bed. and as the robbery, u is thought, roay made
him, the extraordinary letter suoJoined will show,
unhappy in his rotations with his so-cailed
wie, !. may Do wel TO give tho par'icu-
letter published yesterday in The HERALD
addressed by Johnson TO the District Attorney 1t win
be seen that no went methodcaiy to work and put
his the hands OF the detectives departme
the Central ONCE without delay. Captain Jaraes
Irving then in charge OF tho department, and
gave tho hunting OF Johnson's diamonds TO detectives
James Tilley aud Charles Heideocrg. They
seen yesterday by "A HERALD reporter, and told the
following story :-'Johnson or jacques said they,
came over here from England In the early part oil
1873, and woman he called his wiie lived Tor IA time
back room ~ No. 206 Mulberry street, where they
had two chairs and table ior furniture. The bed
lay the floor. They had little glrl with them
whom they claimed was their child. One day Mr..
Johnson tJacques) came to tho Detective Office ana
reported the. loss OF $GO0Y worth OF diamonds
loon. Notice made OF the TACT aud u lew days
alter he and his wife produced likeness OF Charles
H. Taylor, who, II was alleged, stole the diamonds Ia
a place at tho corner Of Mercer aud Fourth streets
We recognized IL at once MS that oi man who
formerly in the employ Of Matthews, the jeweiler.
corner OF Broadway and Fourth street, and
Matthews. His lkenoss the Roeues' Cal
ery, had copies OF sent all country.
Ho arrested In Philadelphia by Detective josh
Taggart, Of the Philadelphia Detective Bureau and
brUugh ht to New York ana delivered over us. Mr..
and Mrs. Johnson we're sent for, Identified him, and
wan tod compromise with HIM IN back room.
He said ''You can't scare me noanything III make
no settlement, and I've got no money know
where the diamonds are and the second thief Is
the best You dare not prosecute me, for
know how you came by them d.anonis' Wo took
Tay or to tho Tombs and johnson and his wife re-
fused make complaint he discharged by Judge
Morgan Oct ober IL, 1873. As johnson going out
of the Toubs he was arrested by James T. Porter
United States detective on the charge OF smuggling.
lie was taken before colonel whitley ut his Office IN
Beecker street, but the Colonel, falling to 1na any
evidence OF smuggling. discharged him. subsequently
they gave Forter <ll5, on representation he
thein he would IND their diamonds but he never
did ana tncy charged him with being a hwibdIer.
THIS Is all We know of the case. We never received
cent from Johnson. On the contrary II cost us for
printing cartes aud circulars and other expenses
attenaing the discovery OF Taylor over $loo-hat
are out OF pocket"
supEaISrESDgSr wALLSG's REcoLLEciroSs.
superintendent Walling SAID his only recollection OF
the diamond robbery was the application by woman,
whose name no had forgotten ior warrant II arrest
had received $50 from herself ana her Lus.
band on the representation that he would
recover their lost diamonds. Tnc supernten-
dent sopt Tor Porter and had HIM taken before
a Magistrate, who could see grounds tor charging
him with criminal offence, and he was discharged
told her had control over the man as he was
United States aeIeclve and that was the last heard
Of hiul or hor.'
ISrKRAsrIsc coRRzspoSpEScs.
There upon the scene man named Blavllc.
who appeared TO take deep interest ih the loss o:
Johnson's diamonds. He was trunkmaker, at tho
corner OF Bieecker street aud Bowery, and no sue
ceedtd In making johnson believe that one Mrs.
Mary sheppard Iayior's partucr- Taylor
who stole ms diamonus--ind put him up
10 tho act Tho woman arrested
and aiterward discharged, and then she took action
against johnson Tor malicious prosecution which re-
suited IN the latter being held In 900 bail, which he
was unable to iurnisn, aod was thrown into Ludlow
spondcnce The letter referred to In Mrs Sheppard's
note was obtained or tho HERALD yesterday, aud tho
handwriting IS identified by Mr.. h. L.. Wilder
Tor Mr.. Sheppard as that OF Jonnson:--
To rilE EpiIoR liFRALp:--
NJ your paper published iiur sday
about my self la connection with the al
legged stealing oi Johnsons diamonds. which been
agan brought into PUZZLE notice by his shocking DEATH
l presume will have objections
the friends pub
fishing the facts they In the rst place
that Charles d. Taylor stole diamonds what
IRON the murderer johnson. lilo and John
belonged 4
they did johnson. Next, IL Is true that
concealed aided abetted Taylor In way
r.ceived of his diamonds. Tny.ot
lodgcr my aOHse and Johnson, have doubt. sup.
posci harborng him. But Johnson found his
mistake to his Or 10 of all hts aud that
OF his suborncd Witnesses the jury a. tho toart o General
Sessions. whore tried, declared nog guilty.
ana johnson had 10 20 to jail Tor many
mouths his malicious prosecution Of me-
While there no pitiiul letter. which you
publish u you hke, and whcn shows how Of bis
underwent regards myself Ot
s needless add that the ntmatvn my own fvi,-
ona Nlih TAyor IS wLol Ia.se aud trMsL VIII gi.e