The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-06-16
DEATH or pauss,As FAKE.
nls Biocsy Corpse IN Found Under q
Lumber pile on The Old Hatin.

| N'J, flcuyunes
About 10 o'clock Yesterday morning, q
Oscar Fredericks was reiaeviDg lumber from
the bank of the old basin, between Viller
and Robertson streets, he found the body o
a white man, apparently ab,ut 28 years o
age and of German extraction. From th,
appearance of tho body II was clear thai
death Lad overtsken its viclm several hours
beicr he discovery.
| TIE deceased was subse qiently identified
as r. iolph Sleffon, alias Phssian Jake.
" nen the crowd assembled about the
CORPSE many were Of the opinion that Jake
had been the victim of a foil deed, or that
he had committed self-muder. These con.
illusions were deducted, flrt, by the pool of
cloted blood about the bod, and secondly,
from confused wourd on he right side of
his head, just behind the terplo.
Finally Deputy Coroner Deyfus appeared
and msde an examination in the presence of
the Jury, after which he gave certificate of
death from hemorrhage of thelungs. ~
So far, 80 good. Jake is dead, and tho
coroner's jury have saved I'd unfortunate
the odium of having died by b own hands,
which may be fact but befle this story is
conc uded it will be plainly shown that if
Jake did not commit suicide Twas entirely
due to generous Providence that saved
him the trouble.
II is held. and as exempliasd by the death
of the Chinsmsn, which oaurred some
time since, there is no goipg behind the
coroner's certificate; yet q cir>
cumstance occurred scne time
ago which goes 10 show tot ceroners
are human, and are sometimes lible to make
mistakes like other folks.
A man was killed on the leve and after
most rigid examination no siguof violent
death could be found; yet twas proved
that the deceased had been bot in the
mouth, which was Only discovered by pay
ing attention to bystander, whi remarked,
Look in bis mouth"
Last November about $50 Germans,
among whom was Prussian iske, we're
brought to this city under contrct with
northern firm, and the firms promise that as
soon as they arrived they were TO btain EN-
ployment on the Texas Railroad.
While the emigrants were en- rnse to this
country a northern paper denounced the
northern firm who had contracted with
them as being wild cat affair, an{ the clip
plug was reproduced in the Germsi Gazette.
of this city. Jake and about foty of his
companions read the account and concluded
not to go to Texas, but make the Crescent
city their home, which they did.
Jake obtained work at Kaiser's brewery,
where be remained until Kaiser became his
debtor for two months work, wh,n he lett
and went to Harvey's canal. Hs worked
there on the Pacific road, and remained
around and about there for severa months.
He returned to the city some days ago and
obtained work at E. j. Gays sugar refinery;
On Monday he went to Mr.. Kaiser, asked
for work, which was promised him and then
asked to be loaned dime. Between and
10 o'clock the same night. somewhat under
the influence of liquor, he visited g. z. Gan
eop's grocery, at the corner OF Villlere and
st. Louis streets, and bought dimes worth
of bread and cheese and twenty-five cents
worth of whisky on credit. He then return
ed to the brewery, displayed pistol and lett.
This was the last time ne was seen alive
Shortly after his departure the report OF .
pistol, coming from the direction of the %
Basin, WAS heard but no attention was paic
to it. When the body was found yesterday
and searched by the coroner, the followint
letter, written 10 German, and directed TO MI
boarding house keeper, was found:
New ORLEANS, June 6. 1881 =
Mr. Herman Dreese, Toulouse street.:
When you receive this letter l beg you
to send at once letter to Germany to th'
person who has my power Of s,tcrney-Mrr
Wilhelm Schroeder, Bierunen street. Wesel
Germany. Also notify him of nv death sn'
send him the certificate and notice of m.
death.
II he wants my effects he can have then
sent by you upon paying S25.
Tell him also that it is my wish that a
soon as the Indebtedness is settled to send ]
to my wife, nee Martha Viola Porter, II
Fairview, Guernsy county, OHIO, the amour
OF his inheritance on the interest on tn
capital. also beg of you to notify m,
brother, whose address is Mr.. Hugo Stetler
Gravesend. Coney Island, Kings county, Ne'
York, of my oesth, but not until two Q
three weeks have elspsed. Tell him IN
cause was / was tired of life.
Excuse all the trouble | give you, but r.
imburse yourself by sending to Germany it
payment. / notice tast the address OF Il
person WHO holds my power of attorney
not distinct; It should be Wilhelm Sorrel
Der, cabinet maker, Begrunen strasse, Wes'
Germany.
n. b. Write also to Germany that oV
you that money, without sending my 9
fects.
| RupoLPH STEFFEN.