The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-06
PRICE TWO CENTS.
MRS. SElFKE UNDER ARREST.
1IIE CUfRGE THAT r. ROPKE MADE
AGAINST mrs SISTER.
Potcheese Filled with Arsenic-A Williams
burah Family Poisoned-Litiention and n
Ritter Quarrel and the Terrible Sequel.

Po,chee.e Filled with Ar.en,c-A Williams
burah Family Observation-Disclosures aud n
Ritter Quarrel and the Terrible Sequel.
Mrs Caroline Seifke, wife OF MIR. Henry
Seifkc. Jr.. real estate agent. Of Sixth avenue
and Amity street. this city. was arrested last
evening by acting Capt. George Bunce and
Detective Martin Short Of the Fourth street
police. Williamsburgh. on complaint OF her
brother John p. Ropke. of SO Ross street. Will
llamsburgh. Mr. Ropke accuses his sister OF
having attempted to poison his mother. his
brother. and himself.
Mr.. Ropkc Is a member OF the law firm OF
Ropke Morris To n reporter for THE Sun
he said u and my sister ore the children OF
my mothers first husband. She was married
again to a Mr.. Pope, whoelied few years ago.
Prior TO the death Of my father Mr.. SeiflSo
became acquainted with my sister. We
then lived in Broadway. near Second street.
Shortly after the marriage. Mr.. Seifke sought
to have suit instituted for partition Of tho
property. He was not successful. Finally. my
mother had all the mortgages she held fore
closed. The amount of money involved. includ-
ing the expenses Of the litigation attending tho
foreclosures. was over $4,000. This act of my
mother So enraged these people that we have
not had ono peaceful day since. owing to the
trouble they have brought upon us. We are
now in Inv.
our family, can proceed straight with my
story and have II intelligise. Last Saturday
Of any supper Mother and brother already had
suppcd. Toward dusk a small hoy came to tho
house. We We're seated on the stoop. The hoy
he had u potchecse for her Mother inquired
whore he had got IT,. He replied that Mr.. Cook
Of Ems, New York had given II 10 him to deliver.
Now this Mr.. Cook il an old friend Of our fam
ilv. md is in the habit Of sending potohee to
us, so mother took the parcel. thanking the boy,
could not como down The cheese was placed
IN the ice chest. Sunday evening. mother be-
went out for a stroll. had hardly walked a
block befor" hccnme sick, vOmited. reeled and
fell on the sidewalk Getting up went home;
me TO tho door. whore ! agnn fell
DR.. Hashrouck attended me. He declared
that my symptoms showed poison. and treated
me accordingly. He informed Police Surgeon
Edward Malone. DR.. Malone visited me and
| took the cheese away for analysis. He reported
that II was full crnmmcd with arsenic. We then
SGT about 10 find out who sent us tho cheese.
Ascertaining that Mr.; Cook had not sent 1t.
mother, knowing that besides ourselves no one
except Mrs. Scifkc knew that he was accustomed
to furnish us cheese. accused Mrs. Seifke OF
poisoning me-
Acting Captain Bunce md his detective we're
informed. and on Wednesday evening they
found tho lad who brought the cheese. John
q law office 81 Nassau and Cedar streets. Tho
little fellow lives in Wythe avenue. He told the
officers thata woman gave him ten cents for de-
livering the cheese. lie described the woman.
| The description answered that OF my sister.
Yesterday afternoon the officers and the hoy
went to my sisters house. As soon as she
! opened tho door the boy said: That's the wo-
| man who gave me the cheese
Mrs. Seitke, when arraigned in the police sta
ton. said she WIS "a yenrs OF age. She is fine
| looking and OF light complexion. She was
! richly dressed. She denied that she gave the
| boy the cheese. or that she was in Williams
| burgh at all on that night. The boy. however.
| WIS positive MS 10 her identity. saying. " Oh,
yes, YOU re the woman. You walked couple
| OF blocks with me. telling me what | should
say I'd know YOU. think by your voice. II I'd
| never see your face. "
| When ordered by tho Sergeant TO take off her
| lewery and give up other articles she burst
| into tears. Her husband had TO support her as
! she passed through the corridor to the cells
| Mr. John Ropki. after she had been locked
| up. entered n formal complaint against her.