Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-17
THE OUTER NUTH ,rRAGEpy IN
NEW YORK
Ehe Mystery Surrounding it not vet
Cleared Up Statements Of Mrs.
Hawkes.,

AhO sttaISc WHICH IN new
York city on the night of May 23d. and which re-
suited In the death few days since of Louis w.
Gutermuth from wounds inflicted on him in the
street by two unknown assailants, Is envelOped
with more than ordinary interest on account of
the mystery both TO the identity of the assail-
ants and the motive of the crime The facts
as given by the telegraphic dispatches are that
Mr.. Gutermuth was escortng Mrs d. s. Hawkes.
to her home, and when On 18th avenue and
9th street he was assaulted by two men. and
died from the injuries received. The ladys
recollection of the men was very imperfect, and
the theory adopted by the police was that
GUTERMCTH WAS MISTAKEN FOR DIR. MORTIMER
CLAPP,
and that the murder was prompted BY his
brother. DIR. Mortimer Clapp, at time when
Gutermuth was appare ntly recovering from his
injuries, declared emphatically that the assault
grew out OF the enmity of his brother, Robert c.
Clapp. toward him, and that Mr. Gutermuth had
been mistaken for him. The two brothers were
engaged in litigation in respect to the estate of
their father in the Rossmore hotel, which is in
the hands of receiver. Robert is charged with
overdrawing his account. $4,000, and had i'm
connection with j. X. lmey (alsO under arrest,
been fined for assaulting man in the street.
Robert had also had his wife at the hotel, and
lmley is now the principal witness in suit for
divorce
THE STATEMENT MADE BY MRS HAWKES.
to the coroner was as follows: ''At $50 o'clock
on the evening of May % met Mr. Gutermuth
on Broadway car. had known him before,
he having called on me in company with Dr.
Clapp. rode to the corner of SD street. where
left the car and took 6th-ayenue car, he and
another gentleman assisting me. asked him
to call on me with DR.. Clapp, and he called that
same evening. Miss Ciapp and Mr. Russell
were in my room when he called. Mr. Russell
was introduced to me some time ago. but he had
never called on me before that evening We
then went together four of U.S. to the ROssmore
hote, to call on Mrs Clapp, the mother of Miss
Ciapp. We remained at the Rossmore hotel
until IL o'clock, when Mr.. Russell, Mr.. Gutter
muth, Miss Clapp, and myself left. From the
Rossmore we walked up 18th avenue to 47th
street, and on the suggestion of deceased we
went into Ahren's beer garden, in 47th street,
near 9th avenue, and remained until / O'Clock
in the morning. We drank only lager beer
From the garden we all went toward 18th ave-
nue.. At the corner Of 47th street Miss Nellie
Clapp and Mr.. Russell took q car. Mr. Gutter
muth and myself walked directly up 7th avenue
toward my residence. We were walking SLOWLY
When we reached the middle of the block, be-
tween 56th and 57th streets, we being on the
east side of the avenue, man passed and stood
near the curbstone, leaning against a wagon,
his back toward the sidewalk. AS we were
about passing him he turned around facing us.
He said nothing and we walked quietly along
The man followed US, close to my shoulder,
about two feet distant from me- / remarked to
Mr.. Gutermuth. We are followed to which he
replied. Let US turn at the corner, SO as to be
sure of it, We did so, and at that moment the
man who had followed US up to the corner of
57th street stopped opposite the blacksmith
shop and said, Were you laughing at me?'
Mr. Gutermuth dropped my arm. and turning
around said, What did you say?' The man
made no reply, but struck him. think, in the
face. Mr.. Gutermuth reeled and fell on the soft
ground and lay there for some time. The as
sailant seemed to be about feet 8 inches
In height, thick-set, rather pale-faced. with
and dark clothes called out, MY God! what
does this mean! By that time Mr.. Gutermuth
had risen to his feet and walked a distance of
IL or Is feet toward the man who had struck
him. Before the former had any chance to saw
anything another man came up to him and
asked what the noise was about. and before
any answer could be made he struck Mr. Gutter
muth blow in the face with a short black
weapon, saying, You take that As he uttered
the words MIR. Gutermuth held both of his
hands to the back of his head, staggered back
and fell on the pavement directly in front of
the door OF shanty. This man followed him,
and. leaning over, struck him again in the
face, saying. And take that This was not the
man who had struck the first blow. The latter
remained near the corner. The second man
then walked toward the first assalart, who
was standing SO that the light of the lamp
fell full on his face. The second assail-
ant wore cap similar to those worn by con-
ductors on the Broadway cars. The cap was
pulled down SO as to conceal his features /
could not recognize the second one but believe
that | might be able to recognize the first one
The former was taller, and sli.lmer in build /
SAID. in an excited tone, You scOundrels; l
THINK would know you again wherever might
meet YOU They walked slowly to the lamp
md rnY nUn1 fhnrn 7
muth's head, and the blood rushing out fright
ened me. The men still remained on the cor
ner. called for help, but none came. The
men crossed 7th-avenue and ran down, the first
assaiiant leading. went back to where Mr.
Gutermuth was lying, screaming all the while
for help and police. 1 believed him to be dying.
i crossed over diagOnaliy and went to my resi-
dence, looking back all Of the while for
fear the men might return. rang the
bell, and my friend, Miss Nellie Clapp,
answered it. l informed her that Mr.. Louis
had been knocked down and murdered Mr..
Russell, Miss Clapp and myself returned to the
corner. 1t took me about half minute to reach
my residence. Mr. Russell and Miss Clapp re-
manned with Mr.. Gutermuth while ran to Mas
tersons stable across the way and called his
night Waterman, Charlie Neville, who went to
the corner with me. Another Waterman was
already there. Neville, with the other mans
club, gave an alarm rap, but without avail. The
second man wore Prince Albert coat, closely
out<VHea q HiaTTleU woman. NV husband
is ID. s. Hawkes., and is at present in Canada on
fishing expedition. He left here on May g. /
have been married four years. My husband is a
gentleman Of leisure. My fathers name is
William Webb, and he resides in Brooklyn. He
is in the employ of the city,
Mrs. Hawkes. became quite excited and indg-
nant at times over certain questions asked her
by the coroner. She resented being asked
whether she was married, and grew very angry
when she was asked who paid her bills. "Why,
my husband pays my bills, of counsel" she en-
phatically replied. Mrs. Hawkes. appeared like
a person under the influence of opiates and her
nerves were either very much shattered or she
was feigning illness.
SOMETHING MORE ABOUT MRS. HAWKES.
Mrs. Hawkes. has involved herself in suspi-
cion by her unwillingness to testify before the
coroner, and her endeavor to screen the perpe-
traitors of the assault. She is the daughter of
VIM. Webb. of New York, an inspector of the
croton water bureau. and several years ago
went to California as Mrs. Stage. the wife of
gambler. who Is said to have deserted her. She
says that ID. ShaftOn Hawkes., her present hus-
band, is an English gentleman OF leisure. and
that he is now absent on a fishing excursion in
Canada. John X. Imley, the friend and COM
panion of Robert c. Clapp, fully answers the de-
scrption given by Mrs. Hawkes. of the first
assailant of Gutermuth, but when confronted