New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-13
THE ASSASSIN ca UGHT.
CLEvERLY CAPTURED BY THE POLICE.
"MATr' JOHNSON, \ NEGRO, ARRESTED FOR THE
MURDER OF KUCHELHORN.


Matthew Johnson. the colorcd port'r supposed to
be the butcher OF Ernst Kuekehorn, is prisoner.
His speedy capture due to the Nineteenth Pre-
cinct police no less than to the headquarters de-
tectives Having got hold of Johnson, the officers
began the task Of rounding up certain STRIKING
features in the with the result that inside OF
two hours they had built up against the prisoner
what may be one Of the strongest circuHstantni
cases ever laid before a jury.
When the aid of superintendent Byrnes was called
In the superintendent In view OF the suspicion that
mad fallen on johnson. about him for man
whose experience should peculiarly fit him for case
OF this kind. The choice was Detective Sergeant
Armstrong. and he put In charge OF the
detectives at work on the case. Yesterday morning
Armstrong had learned that Johnson was st In New
York. and hiding somewhere In the big negro colony
west OF Sixth ave, and. comforting with Captain
O'Connor. he had presently cncrclcd the pre-
cinct with complete Gordon OF watchers.
Then Armstrong. with Detectives Burns, Lancy and
sullivan searched every negro haunt in the precinct;
but, although he repeatedly across the track OF
his man, he he had up 10 p m. failed TO land him.
II was just that time and while Armstrong. with his
assistants, standing at the southeast corner
Of Twcnty-slXth-st. and Sixth ave, that they faw
the man they looking for come slnklngly by
I'm the shadow Of the doorways along the avenue and
around the northwest corner opposite. and walk
quickly toward Scvcnthavc, lie had taken hardly
a dozen steps when Armstrong; hand was laid on his
shoulder and the next moment he being taken 10
the Thlrticth street station. As Armstrong touched
him he had wheeled round. and looking In the face
of the detective, slid. - know what you want me
for saw the story in the papers today, and was
on my way TO tie precinct TO give myself up lie
said no mor until detectives led him into Captain
O'COnnor's room.
The Captain sent dispatch TO superintendent
Byrnes, who arrived twenty minutes later. Tho first
thing that the detectives noticed that everything
zftf fplin cttlTs
boots hat and undcrclotling was bran new-cvcry
thing except the waistcoat, and that didn't fit him.
The prisoner flung Himself into an armchair and
waited the sgporujcadcnt's cross examination. Il
can account for every minute Of my time and prove
a complete alibl,7 he said.
go ahead slid Nh Byrncs. Then the prisoner
told an ingenious and connected story. Deputy Coroner
Donlln SAYS that Ernest Kuchlhorn murdered
time between 4 aud o'clock saturday evening,
but johnson began his story at . 80 p. N. Then,
he say, Cand part Of BIZ story is confirmed by his
landlady lie went To his room at Twenty sixtst ana
seventh ave. over Lynch's liquor store
From there he went 10 his regular
Iodrjnc at no 1lo West Twenty frh-st where he
passed the night. During that evening he says he
visited several houses Forty seventh. Forty hst.
Tv.auv-frst and Twcnty-fourth sts. md finally
went back to bed IN Tweuty-hith 81. lii' hndladys
story is that he reached his Twcnty-siXthSt room
at 80 D. n. saturday, torn and bcdraSslcd. and
II
H. and was seen thee 10 more.
The detectives searching his rooms AZ No. llD West
Fitecnth-st. found pair Of Guns. pair ol sS
penders and L towel covered with blood. Th'y have
also discovered pair Of trousers believed to be- the
same garments missed by Mr. Thomas from The Wyle
building late saturday afternoon. just before
midnight Johnson was taken Police IIeadquart'ss
and lockoi up. The watch stolen frUm kucheih"In
l. still missing II Is "A double casod gold Waltham
by Appleton & Tracy The number being l5"-0l'
vaiIe the works are marked 4"sO.lI5. siA m"h'hs
ago IL Is said johnson WIS arrested by Detecl'e
Charles Kemp for stealing gad watch. but The case
was dismissed.
snnorntendcnt Ryrnes Yesterday gave orders which
practically enlisted the entire police force In the
search for the murderer lie had been at The West
Thirtieth-st. police station at late hour on sunday
night. and had called Inspector Mclaughlin and some
OF the slrcwdest detective sofe'nis 10 work on the
case.
Tho Superintendent said that be had learned
enough 10 leave 10 doubt That 'ohn.'l h1l
committed the murder and that tie negro htd TWO
motives for tho crime malice and aVar.cc.
AlOIt Il year ago. johnson was employed 10y
Thomas a. Wylie. lie discharged at the request
Of the engineer. lie swOre to have ieVcnS' ht t"at
time. II was said that be- repeated the threat ana
lay in wait fJr Kuchchom more than once. lie
sncakcd into the basement whoro kuoAc,hcrn was at
work about two month. ago. and nd himself behind
some bags of waste paper. lie WAS armed Win
a pistol and piece Of lead pipe, and hc "'to "aiIh5
for cAance to as,as>nstc the engineer, when hc was
discovered by accident. \ blacs cat which belonged
in the basement, went no,lng among the bag, ana
mcwcd at the negro. kuchchon pulled two or three
bags from their places 10 what the cat was me"ns
| at, and saw johnson cropchlng the nOor. Iho
negro admitted tat he waiting there for chanc"
| TO attack the engineer when hl, back was turned
| kuckclhorn Gsarncd the negro and kicked him out
| of the basement As Johnson went away he said :
| Never mind III get even with You yct!'
Kuchehom spoke Of A, adventure later, and even
told his wife about IT, saying that he was afraid the
negro would do some harm 10 him. Ilc did not tell
the police however
Tie police think that Johnson hid himself again In
| the basement, where Kusholhorn at work, on
! Saturday afternoon and waited until he had OPP
| portunty 10 strike the engineer from behind. The
many wounds Kuchehom's Il. DIV whca II WIS found
Indicated tnat there had been long struggle after the
have been bloody after the bulCncry. He stole "A
silver witch and chain and OVER 80 from the pockets
OF the murdered He also stole pair OF trousers
belonging TO one tho woraincn I'm the building and
them. T. believed. when he left the building.
Some time later he Mas seen by nu Acquaintance.
| lie then had silver watch and chain In his pos
session.. and bore mark, Of fight II Is said. Tho
police vould not tell yesterday who the acquaintance
Of the negro was