The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-25
STABBED FROM BEHIND.
An Italian Murders a German Fell
low Workman.
A PETTY REVENGE THE MOTIVE.
Me kilIee Him. Now kilee Me. Too:
Me Ready to Die"

. A dead man lay the sidewalk yesterday after
noon at six o'clock close to the corner Fulton ant
Church Streets his life blood yelling out from
wound in the left side. and his CLASSY eyes turned
toward the bright, sunlit sky. 1t the hour
when the abors of the day at all the busy establish.
ments down town come to end and when
thoughts and steps are lovingly directed homeward
thoughts of the welcoming smile and the home cir
Gle of loved ones. which cause each TO forget a
the fatigues of the day the struggles mental OF
physical. for livelihood. From the confectionery
establishment of A. Slauson & Co.. at the corner OF
Church and Dey streets. issued crowd OF employees,
all seemingly happy that another day of labor
and that rest and recreation theirs at last
Among them Michael Bolander. good-natured
Alsatian. who had been nearly fifteen years in the
employ of the firm, and intrusted with the posi-
ton of foreman in of the most important de-
partnents. He fifty years Of age, and was
general favorite in the establishment. At his home
in Thompson street was his good German frau and
his six children awaiting his return from work. He
walked toward Fulton street, conversing with
Naething another foreman of the house, and
Robinson. one of his subordinates. They crossed
Fulton street aud stood at the corner opposite Tai
colts drug establishment. Suddenly man sprang
from place of concealment behind pillar of the
Metropolitan a. and struck at the unsuspecting
man. The blow was delivered from behind the
foreman rs left shoulder and ten inches and half of
steel were driven home to the heart with unerrinq
accuracy. Not cry nor a moan escaped the lips of
the stricken victim. He staggered up and along
iron steps of the store, urcted heavily toward the
sidewalk fell his face opposite the door of Hook
and Ladder Company No. 10, turned his
back. and, with one convulsive gasp, breathed his
last.
DESPERATION OF THE MURDERER.
cry of horror went up from the crowd, which
made rush for the murderer. But the desperate
man dashed up Fulton street, brandishing huge
butchers knife that drpped with blood and threat
ening instant destruction to any e who should
venture to stop him. Just then Ofncer Londrigan.
of the Twenty seventh precinct appeared among the
frightened crowd and came ZIP with the fugitive.
The turned quickly around and made desperate
lunge at the officer with the knife Officer John A.
Meaney reached his colleague in time to fell the
with his club. But he up again in instant.
one knee. holding the knife with determined
Another blow from club on the wrist caused him
to drop the knife, which was picked up by Rounds
man Muret. After q short contest the murderer
secured and taken to the station house, only three
blocks distant He proved to be an Italian, named
been formerly employed at slausons by the muir
Foreman Monroe. of, Hook and Ladder Com
pany No. 20. was sitting on the steps of Talcott's
when the tragedy took place. He says that the first
he knew of it was to see the wounded man stagger
and warm water and placed his hand over the heart
of the unfortunate German, but the blood spurted
up through his fingers and he saw at once that tho
stroke had been fatal He also called for ice water
with which to battle the mans forehead. Be-
brought the water to reach his side death
had taken possession of the victim. The body was
conveyed to the station house aud Coroner Woltman
photographed for by Sergeant willard. There was
no lack of witnesses and no danger Of mystery in
the statement of the terrible tragedy
EXTRAORDINARY BEHAVIOR.
On his way to the station the prisoner sang forth
Justify in Italian and in his cell he traialaed with
n exh II ancc OF a IN.
viction of mind that he had accomplished very
adaSs piece OF WORK ., He said to the S
die" Portfolio is about forty years of age. brawny
in build and swarthy in complexion His thick black
hair, bushy eyebrows and unshaven face. the lower
part of which had somewhat of the massiveness
of the bull dog gave him 2 most forbiddina
eyes that would not like to at night with
third person present. He showed signs of having
would make him crazy stupid. He said that ne
born near Genoa. that he came to this country
five ago. and was employed at one time on the
of the Street Cleaning Department. He refused
to explain the of his dreadful deed. but NUT
tered something about the deceased not fulfilling
his promise to give him work. 1t appears that
Portfolio was one of the supernumeraries employed
at times by the foreman and was never in the regu
lar service OF the Arm. As he staggered to the
carriage which conveyed him to the Tombs by
stander remarked that his appearance was like that
of the stage rufiian in Bowery melodrama. At the
City Prison he was locked up in of the most
liable cells, precautions having been first taken to
fasten his hands to belt around his waist The
mark of the club was shown in the congeaed blood
which covered the left side or his face.
In the breast pocket of the coat of the deceased
were some pieces OF rock candy. The first thrust OF
the knife was parried by these and necessitated a
repetition of the blow which proved effcctual The
wound was inch long, and was about three inches
above the left nipple The heart literally divided
in two The police that no one but an expert in
the use of the knife could strike such unerring
blow under such circumstances. Mr. slauson.
who at the station house when tho
Coroner arrived. said that the deceased ono Of
his most reliable and competent employees and that
he did not think that he could have enemy. He
On Monday ast he engaged two extra men in his de-
partuent and Portfolio was. perhaps, disappointed
in not being of them. The weapon is an old
butcher knife the blade and handle about fourteen
inches long which showed evident signs of having
been recently ground to degree OF razor like sharp
THE HOME or THE MURDERED MAN.
The neighborhood OF No. los Thompson street last
night in unwonted state of excitement. The
terrible news had becn quickly conveyed there The
poor widow. q large. kindly faced German. sat In q
rocking chair, with her youngest child asleep on her
shoulder The other children and the neghbors
were gathered around. She seemed TO be stunned
by the and hardly seemed to realize its dread
full import.
daughters comedy girl of sixteen, THAT this man
was waiting for him and had threatened him." She
said that Portable never came their house and
that the family knew nothing about him. A tall
Italian who was ia the room said that he out OF
work about the same time rs Portable. aud that he
always felt assured that he would besgain employed
by Bolander when there was anything for him to do
He heard Bolandcr promise Portable that he would .
look out for him whenever there chance for
work Three or four Italians. who were present and
who have been in the employ of the deceased for a
very long time. of and on, asserted positively that
they never heard word in anger between the two
men.
BaxrRR STREET.
In one of the most repulsive and dangerous look
ing tencments Of Baxter street mo. 3s lived tho
Italian Portable. IL is place where even the news
gatlerer would not to venture after dark with
out being assured of the proximity of a policeman.
Dark, ill-smeng and chiefly inhabited by those
foreign gentlemen who gifted with such fatal
skill with the knife. the tenement is not calcu-
lated to associate with the name OF home Inquiries
there elected the information that Frank Portable
left the house about five o'clock, after indulging
pretty freely during the day in the delectabe liquor
distilled in that neighborhood. His wife had been
arrested the day previous for begging or reddng
without u license, and was in Jail, with her child ot
six months. Portable bore far reputation among
his neghbors. He was not quarrelsome, nor very
much hard drinkor. He would come home
at night after he had been to work and would