Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-18
BILLY FLORENCE sNrH AWAY.
A Literary Vision Prematurely
Disclosed.

was waiting for the same barber
Florence had had an enormous hous,
Monday night, was bland and beam.
ing, and settled himself in Gus Lewis
chair at the Grand Pacific barber shoI
Tuesday morning. with the air of q
man truly satisfied with the comfort
and happiness the Almighty Dollar
can bring.
DO you know said Florence con-
fdentially to the barber, II never get
'nto a barber chair without thinking
IF Henry Jumpertz, and resolving to
write a barber story" Gus had, in
the meantime, provided Mr.. Florence
with plenty of leather and tatfy and
secured passes for two to McVicker's
that evening when he continued his
chatter:
al think it was in SO. was on my
way West from Detroit, and occupied
a seat with a quiet, intelligent gentle
man that / somehow got interested in
after awhile, but found it hard work
to draw out. [ tried to size him up,
but couldn't make out whether he was
a decent sort Of a preacher, a well be-
haved commercial traveller, or some
modest sort Of a newspaper mani
knew he wasn't an actor or he would
have commenced giving me hummer
wind right off. The fellow knew so
much, confOund it, | couldn't men
ton a subject but what he was up in.
| never enjoyed a mans company so
much in my life, but there was no use;
be wouldn't give up anything.
I'VE got to Chicago early in the
morning, and, as we actors all used to
stop at the old Matteson House, | in
my fellow-traveler up there to
get something warm. After we'd had
a drink, as we both needed a shave,
we started for the barber shop. He
got in ahead Of me and got my regular
BARRIERS chair, so | took a paper and
waited. Then | took my time and
to chatting with Henry-that
was his name, Henry Jumpertz-iust
as | always do to the old boys that
shave me at different places.
MY quiet friend, who had given
the name of Brown, e~Ourteously
waited for me until l was through,
and | says to him: Say, Brown, Henry
a man a mighty good shave,
he?' Yes he replied, hes a
workman. He keeDs sharn
.-aZorsl'
"Of course | didn't pay any atten-
ion to such a remark as that at the
When we got out into the
office, Mr.. Brown thanked me for the
pleasure he had had in my company;
md. just as he was about leaving me,
aid: Mr.. Florence, to be frank with
you, l I'm a detective. | have been
looking for a murderer; | have got
Good-day, Mr.. Florence
Il had some engagements farther
West, and after | had played them, |
back, went to the Matteson
as usual, started in to get
looked around for Henry.
find him, shouted to the boss
and asked him where he was. Why,
you know about Jumpertz?
Well, well, WE'LL Why, Jumpertz was
Irrested for murder not fifteen min
ties after he shaved you the last morn
ng you were in here, and the man who
had his shave ahead of you was the
who arrested hiul
"Of course | was perfectly paralyz
d, bat found on inquiry that Jumpertz
had been arrested for the murder Of
lis mistress. He was charged with
numbering her, cutting her in pieces.
packing her in a barrel and shipping
her East. never heard what be.
,ame of Jumpertz, but the whole bus
ness kept running in my head ever
lnce, and | never get into a barber
,hair without | wonder if the man
shaving me isn't another muir
Yes" said Florence rehectively, as
ne resigned his seat to your cores
oondent, Il really am going to write a
barber story and have it published in
5cribner's."
OF course all this was interesting,
but your correspondent thought it
would be a good idea to verify it. as
actors are rather inclined 10 fiction.
So | stepped over to Pinkerton's De-
Agency. and ascertained that
had told the exact truth in
the matter.
The facts are: Henry Jumpertz
had a mistress, named Sophie Werner.
Tir.d of her, as it was eonelusively
proven, be murdered her here in 1859.
cut her body in pieces and shipped
the remains to Troy n. Y. This was
under the police administration of
Superintendent G. p. Bradley. He
was arrested precisely as stated By Mr.
Florence, who will undoubtedly be
glad to get the additional facts 10
order to complete his story; tried and
convicted twice, but on the third trial
was acquitted. This came through
Tue friendship JumpertZ had formed
for another murderer then confined in
the Cook county Jail, who took an
oath that, we're he acquitted, he would
spend half his fortune-he wssR per.
son of wealth-in securing Jumpertz' 8
acquittal. Jumpertz's plea was that
the woman committed suicide, and
that fearing he would be charged
with her murder, he took this means
Of disposing of her remains and avert.
ing, for a time at least, suspicion
MIR. William A. Pinkerton, from
whom received the facts in the mat.
ter, informed me that he last saw
Jumpertz during the war in Vicks.
burg in 1862, where he was then Ser.
geant in a regiment belonging to The
regular army.
| am sure Mr.. Florence will BE-
obliged for the pains taken to secure
all the facts in a matter which hai
been resting on his mind for so long f,
time.
Consumption.