New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-12
THE MURDER OF AN IMMIGRANT
KNOCKED DOWN THE STEPS AND KILLED.
DRUNKEN swEDE INSULTS WOMEN AND SEEKS
FfGnT-rHE FATAL RESULT 49, SEARCHING FOR

| A DRUNKEN swEDE INSULTS WOMEN AND SEEKS
FfGHr-THE FATAL RESULT - SEARCHING FOR
THE MURDERER.
Johan Gustav Westergren, n Swede thirty-nine
years old, arrived here Friday on the steamer City
of Richmond and stayed during the night in Castle
Garden. Yesterday morning he left the building at
10 o'clock TO go to the Office Of the Inman Line TO
have a draft cashed He was accompanied by three
other immigrants, Wesn, Birkman and Andersen.
About o'clock Andersen returned and told Wes-
tergrens wife that her husband was quarrcling
with some men, and asked her to 90 and bring him
back. The woman made fruitless search. but soon
after Ncstergren was found lying on one of the
walks in the Battery Park. Blood was oozing from
wound over his night eye and his chin was badly
bruised. The wounded man was taken To Castle
Garden and died fifteen minutes later. Thocause OF
his death was declared by the physician 10 be frac-
tured skull.
Detective Grogan and detectives Of the Twenty
seventh Precinct Police at once took the case in
hand. II was ascertained that Westergren met his
death at Reinharls hotel at Greenwich-st and Bat
tery-pace. 4 crowd Of men and few women were
there. and Westergrcn, who was intoxicated. was
insulting the women and seeking a fight with sew
cral of the men. He attempted to ascend the soop
of the hotel. but kicked under the chin by q
man standing on the steps Westcrgon fell on tho
sidewalk striking the back of his head and bccom-
ing inscn,bc. The assailant disappeared through
the door of the hotel and could not be fo'ind.
Mrs Miller, whose husband. George Miller. owns
the hotel told detective that she saw Wcstergren
staggering along Grecnwichst. very much under tho
influence OF liquor. lie was insulting every woman
he passed. Ascending the stoop where She SIT
ting he attempted to hit her aud losing his balance
tumblcd down the stoop. Mrs. Miller said after
ward that Wesicrgrcn carried a dagger in hi- band
He yelled at the top Of his voice and struck several
young men with his fist In front Of ;he hotel ho.
stumbled and fcll on the sidewalk.
Coron,r Knox reached Castle Garlcn alout :
o'clock and with the aid of an interpreter examined
several witnesses secured by the police \ witness
of the aul, IsOdor Loeb, was at first reluctant 10
testify for fear of receiving some injury. He
told that hc N0nld hc protected and was ih, n rcas-
surcd. Loeb is q butcher by trade, and lives at No.
122 south Fift.-ayc. lie said he was standing out
side of Rcinhlnrs h.si on the Grcenwich-st. side.
There was a crowd assembled of two or three hun
drrd persons. He saw a SWcle. who ras intoxicated.
attempt 70 "a up tho ,to,p wh,n q Young man
kicked him under the chin and lc fell. striking his
head ou The sidewalk Loeb did not know the
sai'dut's name. He WAS about twenty-thrcc years
Old about i've feet six niche, ia height and hc wore
a heavy red musachc. The man was dressed in a
new suit Of bluc cloth with sack coat and straw
hat. The witness had sccn him rrryiou, occasions
around dthehotcls andnotic,l him taking immigrants
there. The man went inside after the assault A
Swcdc had prey iou,ly attempted 10 get W'>tergren
away from the hotel when he was assaulted by
Miller. For time there waS general lieh IN tho
crowd. Tie witness said Wc,tcrgIcn strl-k several
men who were passing. lie was cray drunk ,
and " looking for fight" but did nothing 10 his as
sailant.
August Dacn, Swctc. of 80. 49, Fulton-st.,
Brooklyn said he was passing the hotel ahout noon
and saw persons fighting in tho street with Wester-
grrn. Tie stopped to tell the Swcle 20 20 away from
the place. when man in n blue suit slapped hi-.
the witne,scs's face and told him lac ~ould gyc HIM
" some more Of the same kind If hc iii not mind
his own business Mrs Mlr told the witness no
could not pa, on the sidewalk which be- persisted
in dong and then hc .lw man strike Wc,torTen
under tlr chin with his ii,t, knocking him Oh tho
stoop. The ,;oop was crowded. The wt'o-- sawa
tall slim man strike W,stcrrr.n ou thc sidewalk
and then run up stars before the fatal assault
made by another man. nairn said Wr,'eryrcn
WAS intoxicated. but not qIauel,ome. Fritz
Iorbclman. cXprc,smun, Of No. 532 PeaIl-
ST.. from hi, WAGON. where h. was
sitting. SAW the Sveic kicked down the ,toop hya
young man and lie like one dead bat dduot seo
any night John ANDERSEN. fellow passenger
with Wcst.rgrrn on tine Steamer City If R.hwoni,
also SAW hc assault, bat could not describe 'e is-
saIlant. Another pa>scrs'r llJalnar Frederick An
d,r~.rn saw Wrstcrgr,u. ahoui twenty inmate, hr-
for. h heard of the assault out,ico of Castle Gar
den Seeing that BE- WAS intoxicated ie tIid " est
cr-r,u'- wife that she woull better lr.e him 10
(.,tlr Garden ~ hc was nifty fu,l. The woman
s,r,rl ONT but soon returned saving ,l,. ,cui not
find m ID. and requested Andersen aAd d., lrrnds
to 20 ift,r kim seeing crowd giih rd DO Battery
Pan, thr witness and his companions hurried 90 iho
spot ana found Wc,tcgpcn lying on tAt souAd III
,,.n,ibl, AMI bleeding.
The murdered m:m. with hi, wife aul c.il.fen,
two boys and two girls intended &" - 20 Buffalo
last night. Coroner kuoX gay, permit for fhe -
moyal ui the lodl to the Jrcile. AMI t"d the
Swr .i~h fellow PASSENGER, of West igpn iIai they
could bury him from there i they dc, Ird % make
up % purse for that purpose.
Drf,rtl,c Gro.ln va, coc.,cnt last might that
W,.t.r.r.li's i>~.iitut voulI ~1pg Zee rastur'd by
th,. Io icr He said hc was known ly tho name "
Barney