The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-11
THE PHILADELPHIA TRAGEDY.

WIFE AND CdlLDuLN-AE CONFESkES IN -
LzTTER-THE TRIPLE MURDERER HEARD
FROM AT ATLANTIC cIrY-HAs THE DEsPEr-
ATE NAN COMMITTED sUIcIDEY
PHiLA DgLPHIA June 10 1873.
or the Two theories regarding the horrible and
mysterious death OF Mrs. Geistlch aud her two
children, that OF suicide Implying that the mother
killed FIRST her lutte and then htrse) the
one most commonly accepted The HERALD this
morning the arst TO entertain the other theory,
that tho desperate father OF the family might have
committed this triple crime and then made away with
himself Tins revolving belief, II 10 now known from
tho revelations OF to-day Is tho correct one. Mr..
Geistch has written letter acknowledging the awful
deed act and the detectives now anxiousy
cndeavorng TO find him, II he still alive. Il Is quite
probable that he has already taken his own lie,
whole OF his letter his pastor breathing
that intention. The public excitement concerning
tho terrible Is at lever heat, having increased
rather than diminished since yesterday, especially
since II is known that Gcistich himself committed
tho murders having evidently returned for that pur.
pose during Friday night while the little family
sleeping.
THE sCExE THE CRIMR.
Tho house IN which tho tragedy occurred has been
confronted all day by acrowd OF curious sght-seerA
but It IS tightly closed and ID admitted In
the yard than ten feet square, the play.
things OF tho iittI6 ones, miniature express wagon
and toys OF several kinds beng scattered around In
one corner stands an improvsed closet. with butter,
lard aud dishes the shelves Tho back door
open when the officers made their entrance Sat-
urday night and board IL leaning against the fence
as " put there by tho who did the terrible deed
to effect his escape. There no back gale, but once
the fence any could make his way through
alley into back street The TACT that the
back door open eada to the belief that the muir.
derer effected hts escape In this way. the front
door was locked aud the key was lying on tho floor
rne bottle containing the cnl0roiorm. as we'll
several other bottles found the house, bear the
stamp Of drusgst at Second and Union streets. and
y may lead TO discovery ~ to who purchased the
drug.
Last night while Mrs. Dousherty, who lives next
door TO the Gestlichs, was siIti1g her steps
company with some other ladies, there approacned .
woman whose great height attracted attention. AZ
she approacnod some said, srhcre comes Geist-
lich.' As the person approached one OF tho iadies
OBSERVED that heavy boots were worn and
tho husband, drawn ny an irresistible fascpa-
ton TO tho scene OF the tragedy. Mrs.
out and before could be found the suspl-
cious looking person had disappeared rhisinoru!ng
a man passed along, dressed Ia military coat and
blue pauts He was abou, dity years OF age, and Mr.
Dougherty seeing him through window ran sud
hailed, but upon close inspection found lie mis-
taken, although those who gathered around said the
likeness was very striking
rHE BODIES on THE MURDERED.
The bodies vi Mrs. Geistiich anu her two children
dence OF Mr. Raon. the undertaken on ghth street,
near Dickinson, from when place they viii be buried
to-morrow afternoon They were placed In ics boxes
IN the place he usually keeps dead bodics.
Tho faces Of the Two children showed that dc.
composition had set IN, winnie that Of tho mother
much further gone, und u II not likely they will
be IN such condition AZ 70 DO seen tomorrow. The
long sickness OF Mrs. Geistich made her thin while
In lilo, and she lics in death she Is emaciatcd.
looking more like little gui tnan woman OF her
sgc.
This morning HIS Honor Mayor SlUkey received
the following note Ny post
DEAN Viii you Be 80 liad and so"l some Of your
es !. Ga VIE nn .a ay win W sa ID ss:
like poverty robbed, decsied
Shortly alter twelve O'Clock to-day the pos,man do
vercd letter ut tue house Of William Hoidcrness,
writing OF his sepfaher. tho husband aud father Of
the murdered ones. IL Was NJ foliows:-
TINS MURDERER ADMITS MS cKInE.
WILLIAM moLpMnsIss.Lsrror WI, have struck you
naa,Ss isit yosr mosssr aa shirea only d God nas
tn Sy Ss one @'y IL n Hs
respectable appearance. but iaiinrs the desii. and
ss1d family IN hs9 psss ana
Keep as a ap standing amoas rpsaSo
We gave ny afh.ns any lsns, oS Sas sss..nse oss
and the children should tAy alone the
raised tenaer aad honest and would oDy have fallen
prey to ns s,r .,, i,rsn re i, IN.
OF finding yo rharea dead in The house. md
.s as my 90.
10 mistake but shs would listen would
make good deal ns,e .e.aaS sosse. % other wes
could get wors AID mad hardly enough work 10
Will soodsy, and .hanks 20 al folks frendy toward
suited ~ great keep Ourselves distant
Nov ~. has ended some win PITY as others rejoice;
xaa sISn 'A' ''''' w. ~'aa MOI 'A' 70 % :" '''
soc tia, your mother and children DO put dccenty In
the earth, there Is plenty lott sold 10 funeral
penscs
The letter has nctthcr signature nor date but the
envelope poslmarksd "Juno y, 2 r. ~"
inorc seems To be no doubt nov taag Geistlich re-.
turned to aus nome some iimo FRIDAY night after
his lamiiy was asleep, ana then committed the
ribc deed A lRbt was seen In tue hous. carly
saturday morning. and Disappeared on the hrst aoor
The back door VAS found open, and the snpposon -
that Goistich, aticr committing Tho MURDER nude
his escape that way.
Rev DR.. Johnson was at the Mayors oiiice this
morning, and compared tho letters received oy hun
aua The Mayor, and was thoroughly satisfied that
both written by tho ssns hand lie WIS also
fully convinced thai Mrs. Gaistlich ad not commit
tho icariui tragedy, bot that snc ana ncr cridren
murdered. 10 says that she had rexsoa 70
commit the suicide. The rent OF the house pad
aud there was 40 scarsl.y OF eaiabos the house
he told her 10 ind her husband snl 10 would then
present tasm with piece Of land IN Florida whore
they could no doubt make living. iu referring TO
GcIsilich Mr.. Johnson saiu that ne was u pruycriuL
deyout man, ana the oaly way the murder DO
counted Tor 10 that he became derangcd.
ARRgsr or WITNESS
woman namod Bridget Murray, domestic ser.
want, living ~ West Philadelphia, nss been ON intA
mate terms with the fanny, AUD was al the house
name, ana there was mucn excitement over The sup
positon that she was In some way involved 10 the
my stcry.
ThIs morning, however, she put IN an appearance.
She tnat was al Gcisiiich's house Thurs
uay evening last; tnst Ars GeIsiion then good
spirits aud exhibited not the siantcst niic itoa Of
any desire 20 tsko her lie. snc has been
rested, aud Will held she give clear 40.
count vi hcr past Intercourse VITA the family.
TnB MuRpnKEK HEARD IRON.
During the aituruvou The following telegram
received by tho local press frou, Atlantic Guy -
"Charlcs Gcistch, whose family were found
dead IN Pniladcpnia on Saturday, In this
place Saturday evening aud SUNDAY, having
walked here from Philadelphia lie lott his satchcl
OF tools AZ tue house where he stepped night
iesoay morning ana has not beca since lie en-
gagged Two rooms also for his family aud stated that
he was going back alter thsm.p
GLisrLcn's DESCRIPTION rELkGRApnKp.
On Thursday last the ChIo OF Pv.ce tlss follow
ing notice 10 the different station houses IN tho city:
~. ". johnson, OF NO. 3i6 Reed street, says that ~
man named Chures Geistiicn, rcsiling al No. 1881