Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-06-24
MIR. GUTERMUTH,s DEATH.
A Mystery for the Police and a Puz-
zle for the Public.
From the New York Herald I

From the New York Herald
No crime since the murder OF Mrs.
Hull has seemed so mysterious, and
none since the murder of DIR. Burdeli
has involved so much of the element of
intrigue which marks this one as social
sensation, entirely aside from its crimi-
nal nature.
The circum stances of the case, SO far
as they are known, present suggestions
of more than one romance. while the
real nature of the crime intended it is
absolutely impossible to fix. Whether
Mr.. Gutermuth was attacked by one
man or by two, whether he was attacked
with murderous intent or not. and what
the motive of the crime was, are all in
doubt.
One thing is certain, if medical
science can make it so, that he died
from the effects of injuries received at
the hands of q ruffianly assailant in the
streets of New York on the morning of
May "a. Beyond the point when he was
first assailed there is disagreement in
the narrative of the occurrence. Mr..
Gutermuth said to his friends that he
was dazei by the blow, and after Keeling
fell to the sidewalk. There he Law
for what seemed to him to be some min
utes, endeavoring to collect his senses.
At length he rose and advanced toward
the man who had struck him, only to
receive another blow, from which he
fell again. After this he had only a very
confused recollection.
Mrs. Hawkes. story differs essential
ly from this, though the difference ia
easily explained. She says that when
he fell the first time it was on the un.
paved part of the sidewalk; then he
rose almost Immediately (sbe having ex-
claimed in horror, MY Godi what
does this mean ?'') and advanced toward
his assailant perhaps a dozen feet. Sud.
denly another man appeared whom she
had not seen before. Where he came
from she was unable to say. This man
stepped up quickly, exclaiming, "What
is lt-"hat's all this noise about?" and
struck Mr.. Gutermuth in the face with
q short, black weapon (what it was she
cannot telD so terrible a blow that he
fell again. After Mr.. Gutermuth fell
he stepped up to him and struck him
IN the face as he lay PROSTATE. Mrs.
Hawkes. screamed for help and for the
police, but no one came to the rescue.
She stepped up to the two men. who
stood for moment close together al.
most directly under a lamppost. and
said, excitedly, "You scoundrels, if
see you again l shall know YOU" Then
she shrieked again for the police and
the two men ran down Seventh avenue
on the west side. Help was summoned
and two messengers were employed to
look for policeman. After some time
two of these functionaries were found
and came leisurely upon the scene. A
messenger was sent for an ambulance
to the Roosevelt Hospital and Mr..
Gutermuth was taken thither. The po-
lice took a statement of the assault from
Mrs. Hawkes. and reported it to the sta
ton at quarter past two o'clock, when
the sergeant entered it upon the blotter.
On arriving at the hospital Mr.. Gutter
muth was placed in the reception room,
where he lay for the rest of the night.
The next morning his friend, DIR. Clapp.
went to see him and he reused up and
spoke intelligently but sank back in a
stupor almost Immediately. The nurse
and the surgeon in charge both said.
''He is drunk. When he sleeps it off he
will be all right" DIR. Clapp was GER
tain that he was not drunk, but that he
had received some severe injury. The
case was not in his hands, however,
professionally, and he could not inter
fere. The patient afterward asked to
be taken home, to No. IA West Forty
seventh street, where he lived. This
was accordingly done. After that time
he was in charge professionally of DIR.
Baner, of Madison avenue, q homeo-
pathic physician.
He fingered for eighteen days in ILL
ness, suffering great pain, being de-
lirious part of the time and probably not
entirely clear in his mind until he died.
During this time his physician believed
him to be improving, as he was able to
be about the house for a number of
days, and even went to his Office once or
twice, besides calling on at least one
friend, woman with whom he was in
tImately acquainted. During this time
he made, as has been said, a number of
statements to bis friends of the circum-
stances of the assault, but to none of
them did he tell complete story, nor
did he say definitely whether or not he
knew his assailant or whether he could
identify him.