The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-28
WAS He POISONED?
Arrest Of P8dlsr and His Wife, Charged
with a MurderOus Attempt
BETRAYED BY A CONFEDERATE.
owe Must Get Some Stuff to
Dose Him!'

-
while she gasped for breath, that murder had been
committed. or ut least attempted, ut No. ia Essex
street. In questions she further said that
Joseph and Mary Volkmer, living there i'll apart
ments. had on the previous night poisoned guest
OF theirs named Charles Blair. business man well
known and doing an extensive business in Chatham
-Four Corners this State. Cross-exanned by Captain
Alaire. the did not in her statements
and Detectives Wade and Hess instructed to
company her at once to the house and investigate
the story. The woman led them into the apartments
of the Volkmers. which consist Of bedroom and
kitchen. The man and woman whom Mrs. Con-
molly accused of the attempt at murder were in the
kitchen. Pointing at them she reiterated her
charge. Tho Volkmers looked astonished and said
that there was truth at all in her charges. They
were put under arrest and search made for
Blair. While they looked for him he entered. The
story Of the Irish woman told him to his
amazement. and he then admitted that on the pre-
vous day and night he had drunk beer in the house
and soon after experienced pains in the head be-
came sick at the stomach and had been vomiting
violently all through the night. He searched his
pockets to see il any m honey had been stolen from
them. but found that all his bills safe in his
pocketbook. He said that he still felt quite weak at
the stomach and in the knees. He, the Volk-
mers and Mrs. Connolly taken to
the station house and thence to the Essex
Market Court. On the way to- the latter. well
while in the station house. Blair not at all
ious to prosecute the parties. the ground that,
even il an attempt had been made poison him, it
had not succeeded and he did not wish to have the
affair made public. The prisoners were arraigned
before Justice Duffy, who. at the request of the
police, remanded them for further examination and
put Blair and Mrs. Connolly also in charge Of the
detectives The statements made In were to
<l,aa Of had lunv Vol
five weeks. that he visited her Wednesday at her
rooms and given several powerful doses Of NOR
phino with the intention OF poisoning him to get
possession Of o large amount Of money which he
was supposed to have about him.
MRS. CoNNoLLY's STORY.
When asked their ages the man said that he
forty and the woman that she was thirty five. Mrs.
Connolly is hearty and talkative. A large scar is
prominent on her forehead. from which the hair is
brushed back and worn in the plainest manner. In
o loud. quick, nervous tone she told the following
story:-I have no family. Some little time ago
separated from my husband, who is u glazier. Mary
volkmer and myself have been acquainted about five
weeks. She came to my house and occasionally
went to hers. When my husband left me. owing to
quarrel. went to live with the volkmers I have
been with them for four weeks. In October last
Mary and took o steamboat to Boston, where we
intended to call on o friend. Blair Of the
passengers Mary and he became acquainted and
she introduced to him. They were quito in
innate. kept at distance generally, though
sometimes 1 would go into his aud
sit there talking for little while with
them. Before she parted from him she gave him
her address and he gave her his. He promised to
call on US when he came to New York. and quite
free Ia spending money. Mary told volkmer OF what
had occurred. He said that Blair called on him few
days after meeting the boat and spoke of hav-
ing large sum Of money about him. About 1000.
think. Volkmer and Mary then agreed that whom
The volk mers are only nominally man and wife. He
has wife and children in Europe and a certificate
here Of the marriage He has been living with Mary
teller. and in the summer time goes to
stains his face and together with his wife passes
himself off as gypsy and makes good deal Of
Mary yolkmer was to send word to Blair to nav her
o visit. She continue her intimacy with him.
volkmer would find them out and pretend to be
very angry, but the matter was to BIO made mp by
my appearance with the certificate showing that
volkmers wife. Blair would be made to pay
heavily 10 keep the matter quiet. We expected to
make good share out OF the old man and to
divide the money in three equal parts. We heard
word Wednesday that Blair would arrive that
morning. We all went to meet him, but waited at
the landing place of the Albany instead of the Bos
ton boat.
Later in the day he came to the house in Essex
street. Vokmer, as soon as he heard him coming,
went under the bed. Blair spent some time i'll the
him outside until Joseph can escape 1 did so. We
then persuaded Blair that volkmer had deserted his
wife. Is air was very sorry he said to hear that.
Mary then told him of numerous acts of cruelty
Volkmer bad been guilty Of. The arrangement
nnu m s roo hv Vaser snd % os
was thep TO be wrung from the visitor. When all
ready Mary was to put piece OF coal outside
u signal. volkmer would tell Blair that he would
bring officer and have him arrested
"But the plan did not work. vokmer told me so.
He said, We must get some stuff to dose him. 1
as
OF cotton when in this city last. He must have
plenty of money about him now We will have to
get il from him one way or another He then gave
me-although l strongly opposed his doing so-a
five dollar bill and written directions for mixture.
/ went to q druggists in Division street ana OBJ
tanned the stuff. which l was told was morphine.
When came back volkmer said to me. You do it,.
I cried out, Good God no; I'll not agree to that.
He sad You put it in anything answered
that would not do SO. I hurried around with the
street. and asked him If it was strong? He
looked at me. and said, What do you want with
itY told him had bought 1t for myself. why.
he said, there's enough there to kill two or three
men.' volkmer was very angry at me. He said.
I've spent IS for the morphine, and now you re,
throw him out in the and let the police find
him there said, Before my God never cam I
swear I'll not have hand in this Then he said
We'll. by God. he don't go away from here. volkmer
then showed himself to Blair. His wife spoke to him
as IL he had been absent some time and asked where
his money was. He SAID he had 500 in his pocket
to buy beer. He made believe that he
lager beer saloon keeper Then some beer was
was to be poured. smaller glass than the others,
with red mark around the bottom, was put aside
for Bfar's use. Nobody else touched it, Blair drank
about Ave glasses of beer The last three
heavily dosed. When he swallowed two he COM
planned of feeling weak and sick at his stomach Ho
only tasted the third glass. 1t then haif-past
nine. Wednesday night Fifteen minutes afterward
he was quite sick. He and voikmer and Mary thon
came very drowsy. heard Mary say to volkmer. in
German, that Blair died they would lay the blame
on ne thought over this all night. Blair spoke
of having awful headache. He seemed to suffer
intense pain. He threw up number OF times. In
the belief that he was poisoned and would do
arose early aud told tho police all about it,
Mary volkmer was arrested on the 4th of last
April by Detective Hess, OF the Tenth precinct,
shoplitting in Ridleys store in Grand street. She
given six months. She then said that her name
was Mary Miller. Joseph volkmer, the police say
has been arrested o number of times. He was ar
rested short time since charge of burglary,
but 1t could not be proved against him. He owns
fortune telling machine In Essex Market place.
BLA1R's sUFFRRINos.
Blair felt much better about twelve O'Clock yes