The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-06
ON TRIAL FOR BLACKMAIL.
LAWYER EIcHLER,s Dealings WITH
DRUGGIST OTTO DOEPFNER

LAWYER EICHLER'S DEALINGS WITH
DRUGGIST OTTO DOEPENER.
| Tho Druggist Tells Dramatically or the
Demand On Him for oney Undrr Threat
| of Prosceution-opening OF the Defence.
John Eichler lawyer of 113 st. Marks place.
| was on trial yesterday In tho General Sessions.
before Judge Fitzgerald. on an indictment for
blackmail. The complainant was Otto Doepf-
| nor. druggist, of 037 Third avenue. Doepf-
| ncr's pharmacy became famous In March,
| 1880. as the scene OF tho murder OF one OF his
| clerks. Guenther Wechsung. Wechsuny was
| found breathing and unconscious behind tho
| prescription counter carly one morning. Will
| liam Krulish. the l4-year-old errand boy
in the pharmacy. was arrested and
charged with tho murder. His trial re.
suited in nm acpuittal. and the murderer re-
mains unpublished Doerincr is large. pow
erful man. about 55 years Of age His black
beard and outstanding black hnir bristle like
so much stubble. He is cxcitable and choleric
| He has been druggist thirty years. ten years
| In Germany and Switzerland and twenty years
In this city. and is reputed to be rich. Echer
| is a mild hammered. middle-agcd lawyer who
| has had q reputation as n convcyancer among
| German operators in real estate on the east
side. In his opening for tho prosecution As.
| sistant District Attorney Weeks said that 1t
|
| cute for so heinous m offence brother law
yer who had unqucstionably borne good
| reputation.
| Druggist Doerfner testified that on the
| morning Of April last George Meyer whom
| he did not then know except by sight. entered
his pharmacy and bought some German snufr.
| After he had received the snuff ana his change
he stepped to the door, When he had the latch
| OF tho door in his hand he turned and shouted
that Doepfner rad assaulted his U-year- old
daughter Ella Meyer. Then Meyer ran out,
and Docpfncr hurried to the door and shouted
after Meyer that ho must be crazy
Doepiner Inns naturally dramatic way OF
| talking. and ho initiated not only tho tones.
but the actions. OF Meyer and himself in tho
| scene that he said occurred in HIS pharmacy.
| lie testified that on the morning Of April o a
man who. he had since learned. was named
Schultz came to tho door of his pharmacy and
repeated the charge that Meyer had made.
Tint afternoon. ut about 90. n man who was
! stranger to him called and handed him this
MARX. , Lew S Srs ys ., ' S",
ere I III rrsc. to o e'o % 1n
ial. "tsrws: shallhe obliged 10 proceed aya,ns, You
Es.-ihtorm bearer whether yon will cal ''''"-'"'
Doepiner sent for his counsel. Henry r. Will
lis Of ~, Broadway. and they went together at
:. O'Clock that evening 10 Eichlcrs house.
Eiosr sss% pto RS ryate ess
Mr.. vi Iis asked Eichlcr why ,he, had written
Il" NOTE to Mr. D"snineF and Leher said TINT
ierred to the Meyer matter. willis then asked
Either what chH9Ir E, no b had to make against
f Mss sSa Mi sad Sa a
tichicr believed that Doertner was guilty Of
writin: the note. 10 prefer q charge before
poice magistrate, against Doenfner., Then
s.r rape E"SS tut he wntsd S9h
put this case out of the world"
6 nnS Hee bnsn up and ss
ttGwar E n Me yer or any other I'd child and
door locked. BE asked Eichler to open the
door; and lichler did. Then he again a E cd
wanted to understand him fully, Elchlcr said
that he wanted money to settle the Meyer
matter, because Doep'ner was reputable and
against him would ruin him. poeptner said
ne kI thst wo%d out sat he inns
long as he lived. aud would never pay u penny
for any settlement
n'rinmn hant wave Of his arms. 81 introduced
Mr. Wills Wills rs my counsel and hurried out of
In ,cross-examin1tion by William F. Howe.
Eiehler,s connSeI lenfner testified that on
| superior Court tor damages for tho assault.
| uut the sun was ulSMl sSeu recently. On tho
day that he II ceived the summons in the suit
he had Eichler arrested on n charge Of black
| mail: On the !th Of April. before going to
Elchlcr's Office with Lawyer v Ills he went to
the Police teutra! Once and asked for advice
| as to how le should rroceed.
c!st DGepfner's account Of his interview with
, Eichler. Then Mr.. Weeks rested the peoples
| case
In his opening for the defence. lawyer Howe
said that he would show that Eichlcr had borne
father OF Ella Meyer. consulted Eichler pro-
| fcSsiunaily. because lie wished to obtain dam
| ages from Doepiner for the assault upon his
| child. Acting upon the Information furnished
! uy Never MS any other lawyer would. Eichler
| call and sec whether the matter could be set
| tied eiorc suit. Not only did Eichlcr act with
| out any evil intent nnI without the slightest
idea OF matchmaking Doerfnor. hut the charge
Tho child; Ella Meyer. would testify to Doelf-
Dr. Henry Krohlprcirer of s St. Marks Mace
testified that h" exam med Ella Meyer on
| Arrit IL last. and that he found evidence of
violence. but he would not say positively what
the nature OF the violence was He made the
| examination ut the request OF Ei"hler. who
took the child to his Office. He had known
| Eirhlcr for n number of years. and knew that
his character was good.
| krohlnfeiTer if no had not recently said to Dr.
| 10th at the LicdcrNrnnz that no had advised
| Eichler not to proceed with tho cRse against
| Doepfner upon the unsatisfactory results OF
he had advised Eichlcr not to proceed with tho
case. hu! he gave the advice upon the ground
! that Firhlcr was Il real estate lawyer aud not
| u practitioner in criminal cases, Tho trial was
adjourned until to-day.