New-York tribune., 1879-11-29
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
CONSPIRACY TO POISON AND ROB.

tion before Justice Duffy, in the Essex Market
Police Court. in which Joseph Yokmer and Mary
Volkmer who claim to be husband and wife, and
who live at No 1ll Essex-st., are charged with u
conspiracy and an attempt to poison Charles t.
Blair, of Chatham Four Corners. n. Y, manufac-
turer of wadding. Their object is alleged TO have
been to get possession of large sum of money
which they supposed their Intended victim
had. Mary Ann Connolly. who was In the
conspiracy and who appears to have be-
come frightened at the last moment, first
brought the matter to the attention of the police
On Thursday morning this woman went to Captain
Allaire. of the Tenth Precinct. and stated that
gentleman named Blair had been lured to the rooms
of the Volkmers. who had made preparations TO be-
come possessed of his money. At first they had IN
tended TO frighten HIM into giving it up by we'll
arranged blackmailing scheme. but had changed
this plan for what they considered more eiectual
one and which involved the use Of poison. Captain
AllaIre, with Detectives Hess and Wade, went to
the house in Essex-st where they found Blair lying
in bed in the room of the Volkmers. very sick.
They arrested yolkmer and his alleged wife. and
also took Blair into custody az a witness. After
short examination before Justice Duffy the entire
party were looked up in the Eldridge Street Police
Station until 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. when
they were again taken into court.
The story of Bair's acquaintance with Mrs. Vok-
ner, as told by Nrs Connolly, follows: BY her
own statement Mrs. Connolly is n cook. and was
last employed il that capacity at No. % Varck-st
About a year ago she was sent to the penItentary
for an assault and battery on another woman, and
while there made the acquaintance of Mrs. Volk-
mer who was serving a sentence for panel-thieving
In October last. upon being deserted by her hus-
band she went 10 live with the Volkmers. Hearing
,Ftn -ordfb bat her husboDi N no de-
ternined to go IN search OF him, aud on the Sd of
this month started for Boston by boat accom-
panied by Mrs. Volkmer On the boat they made
The acquaiutancr of Blair. who soon became Inti-
mate with Mrs. NOlkmer, and the intimacy con-
tnued after their arrival III Boston. Upon return
inc to Nev-YOrk Mrs NOlkmer who from some re-
marks which Blair had made about the large sums
of money he was IN the habit of carrying with him.
did not want 10 lose sight OF hlm. began a corre-
spondence in which she asked Blair TO call and see
her when IN New-York. On Monday last Mrs Yolk-
mer received a letter from Blair, saving that he
would he IN New-lork on Wednesday, and
woud call To her. Mrs. NOIkmer and
Mrs Connolly went TO meet hIm at the boat
but missed him. Upon returning TO the house they
found that Blair had called IN their absence and
tbrust n note under the door saving that he
would be back soiae hours later after attending TO
hnsness. II was then the NOkmers changed their
plan from that of blacknail 10 that of poison.
In was originally intended that Blair should be
found with the wife by the husband and an officer
the latter Of whom was 70 he summoned ar a pre-
concerted signal. They thought man in Blair's
pubiicity under such circumstances. Nokmer
however. didn't want to come in contact
with the police. Accordingly he went 10
n drugstore in DivislOn-st. and got a bottle
win a white powder. which he said would fix his
man. Taking II home he mixed II with warm water
and then tried lts effect on brandy and beer. Find
ING flat II would make change in the appear
once OF either he was satisfied. Putting the D0is
into two bottles, he gave one 10 Mrs. Connolly and
told her To Blair at dinner. She demurred. and
Vollxmer said lie had pad - for the staff and was
resolved 10 get his money out of t. Blair w0ud
have - 600 with him, ana they would divide it
share and share alike The money. n SAID. would
fix them nicely for the Winter. They woud
be all right, as BAR was a stranger and
nobody would knOw him. Mrs. N0lkmer
said She thought Blair had been to his Chatham
mill ior the last time. While they were talking
Rl1ir knocked at the kitchen door, and Nokmer,
who did not wish 20 be seen, crept under the bed.
from which he did not emerge until some time later
when Blair had gone out. Blair paid for a dinner Of
turkey and sausage. of which they all part0ok,
story having been made up 70 account for NOik-
mer's presence. as Mrs. NOkmer had told Blair that
she had been deserted op his account ana was ia
need of money. After dinner Mrs. Connolly took
the bottle Nolkmer had given her to Theo,
dOrc Bicdeniicld. at No. Second-gve., and
asked HIM what ~ contained. Tie told her
that the contents We're morphine, poison, and IT.
h.lled tl,e hottie 10 that effect in both English and
German. She did not return TO the house until
evening when she gave the bottle back 20 NOlk-
mer and told him what u contained. lie was angry,
and wanted 10 know why she had NOT gwen 1t to
Blair nj dinner. He said the man had 10 be d0sed I:
ne didn't care whether he died or not. Rooms had
been engaged for the party III SuifOlk-st. near De-
lau.ev under false names. They could throw Blair
into the street and move away. she did not see the
bottle again until she saw Mrs. Oikmer pour some
of It's contents into glass Oi beer which she gave
to BlaT and winch ne drank. lis glass was
marked by red flower there might
be no mistake. Blair drank live glasses of beer
three of which were "dOctOred.' About fifteen
minutes after drinking the beer Blair became viO-
ientlv III and vomited during the night. He
wanted TO 90 10 hotel but was unable 10 walk
ic passed the night with the Noikmers. Mrs. Con-
nellv told NoikIner that n a shame to treat the
man So and he replied that II was none of her bus
mess; that the premises We're his and he
would do as he pleased. Hearing Volk-.
mer and his wife agreeing that in of
fine worst they would lay the blame upon
her and fearing that the man would die
she made up her nInd To inform the police. and did
so next morning. BLAIR Oniv had about $40 with
him. and the Volkmers did not get any of that sun
In court yesterday Blair, who had recovered from
the effects ot the morphine, but was still suffering
from a loss OF appetite made affidavit that the
Volkmers had conspircd To administer deadly
poison to him in his drink, and Mrs Connolly sw0re
to her version of the story. Edward +. Iate,
druggist at No. 20 LudlOwst, testified that he had
sold a pound OF bromide Of potassium and drachm
of powdered morphine TO man resembling
Volkmer who had presented HIM with a
printed card bearing the name OF JOnn II.
Eberhardt. druggist, No. So Canai-st. THIS was
sufficient warrant he tnouglt 10 make the sale
On each bottle had been placed label stating the
nature of the drug il contained. William Lang aud
Francis Fisher clerks tor A. W. Niesman, drug
glst al Orchard aud BrO0lne-sts.. swore that they
had tested the contents of the bottle which Captain
AIlaire had found at Nolkmers and which Mrs. Con-
nelly identified as the one from which Mrs. Vol kmer
had poured into BaITs beer. They said the
hottie contained a solution Of morphine. Owing 10
the lateness of the hour. the examination was adj
iourned until this afternoon at o'clock Blair and
Mrs Connolly sent to the House OF Detention,
and the NOikmeTs Weie cOnhitteu lof luFtner near
ing. =.
Charles L. Blair Is apparently over fifty years of
age. with black halr and beard tnGed with gray.
a.. E.,4 f.. artII A. At Wrfl
County, Mass, but Is engaged in the manufacture OF
wadding at Chatham -Four Corners, \. y. together
with joseph W. smith. Mrs. Nokmer Is below the
average height il very swarthy. and Is not at all
prepOssessing III appearTuce. She ANA her husband
take the grave charge against them very lightly
They represented by counsel. vino VIII suIfer
90, fILll flrlIf fl1-lL MurN