The sun., 1893-12-08
RUHMAN AND WIFE DEPART.
WAS Ir BELLA NICoLAUs VINO HAS
VANISHED FROM THE ST. JAMEsp

At A.y Rats t was Guardian Wuhnsn.
and AGr. Hunn,eI Guaranteed the Coupis's
Bill George Gould Retains Bourks
Cookr.n TO DEFEND th. womsn's suit.
"a Ruhmsn and WIFE," the wife bearing
q considerable semblsncs to Mrs. Zella
Nicolaus. who. with the aid Of Howe 4 Hum
m mel. is suing Mr.. George J. Gould for $4,000.
we're put out OF the St James Hotel yesterday
afternoon. bag and baggage, By order OF Pro-
prietor DorvaL
1t will be remembered that in the beginning q
OF this very interesting suit Mr. Hummel went
to the Superior Court and told Judge McAdam
that Mrs. Nicolaus was only 1SH years old
and had no guardian. He thought Mr..
Albert Ruhman Of the city and county
OF New York was a proper person to
assume that relationship. and the judge made
the appointment and Mr.. Ruhman brought the
suit The lawyers kept the address Of both
the client and the guardian secret as they
sought also TO keep the record Of their client
secret The Sun reporters investigation on
Wednesday night OF the Now York career Of
the woman left her in juno last when
she departed from the Sturtevant House
without paying her board bill and
without her baggage, which Proprietor
Bang retained as security. No trace Of
her was found after that until she
DOnDNu uD III OluCo WIN
friend. Mr.. Ruhman. and had suit begun
against Mr.. Gould.
1t was In continuing the investigation yes
terday that It was learned that on Nov. % Mr..
A. Ruhman and wife" wont to the ST. James
Hotel and registered. They were assigned to
room 0D. the price OF which was So day with
out board. They had two trunks. They were
unknown to the clerk, Frank simp-
son. He made some inquiries OF MIR.
Ruhman regarding his ability to pay
the rent OF the room. Mr.. Ruhman told tho
clerk that he and his wife would take their
meals outside OF the hotel. and that Mr. Hum
mel had sent them there and would guaran-
tee payment for the room. Mr.. Hummel 10 .
friend OF the proprietor. and that statement
was satisfactory. but an inquiry was made By
the lawyer just the same
One story is that MIR. Hummel put up 500
as q guarantee. and said he would guarantee
them to the extent OF $3.50. But Proprietor
Doryal says that no money was put up 1t was
merely n verbal guarantee, which was per-
Mr. Ruhman was q we'll built young man.
H's; ali over Sr' the W world. He dressed Well wore
ton Si t talIiss lie with Mr. Hummeis description Of
A, HUFFMAN, guardian.
Mrs" Ruhman was blonde and and wa. vas
with white veil. This descriptiop recalls the
sSfn y Mr. and 9hs
The couple lived at the hotel right along un-
I'll yesterday They attracted no attention un:
the story. Of the suit Mr. HUFFMAN had begun
against Mr.. Gould. Clerk simpson read II and
or two questions Of men who keep informed
sSt the Tona 10
make certain Of things to-day.
In the mean time Mr.. Doryal got lnforma-
ton that the guests Ters idsntifai wit with ths
we were REQ out to Of the hotel within hall an hour M '
them oa brRs 'h' wSIS PSd
they were married when they came here; They
and Of course thought it ives all right. Why
Mr., Hummel was, up here last Friday night
and t0Sk part in Mrs dLSI Lensassrs min
about 1t then. He didn't mention the couple.
l was surprised when Learned about them;'
Nlcolaus. Have you any proof Of Z"
Mr.. Doryal shut one eve and extended both
thorty that sGs IS a fnoW very lts about
them here. for you see don't trouble myself
r.. sSoqs that par. d shs business Hook after
Another informant said that Mr.. ,Dorval got
his Information about the identity OF the
great deal last winter. and who was well ae-
Ir. ". A. Nlcoiaqs. the Joliet husband of
Mrs Aella Nicolaus. Il at present employed as
ABOUT @ "a W Years m old, He has been employed By
the firm since last July. and at the store res,
terdaY II was said he was one OF the ablest
men in the employ Of the firm,
: His Chicago address IL l95 Wabash avenue.
Yesterday he was in Logan. Ind. To-day he
smployses w % IS that they ID doubted % whether he chad had
ever really married the woman,
Mr. George Gould retained Congressman
the suit OF Mrs, .Nicolaus Mr.. Cochran
saw Mr.. Gould at his oflce In the morning.
He went from there to Washington without
making any statement regarding the case. He
formal notice served on Howe Hummel that
he had been retained. and that papers here
after must be served on him.
Mr.. Gould himself seemed considerably
pleased at the telegraphed stories OF the wo;
mans record in Chicago WHICH were printed
IN the papers here yesterday. He was asked II
he had any further statement to make he
answered.:
tell you frankly that everything know
regarding the woman or the suit has already
been made public. Further than that she
called at my otilce year ago, ana tnRt upon
her representations to me gave her the money
necessary to return to her h9ms In Chiesgo.
and that she did not go. but callod at my otlce
once or twice after that, know absolutely
nothing The papers in the suit have tesn
served on me; They were very briei. The
allegations In the complaint are no fuller than
are the al legations in the complaint that has |
been printed. There Is nothing In the papers |
to throw any additional ight on the case"
Mr.. Gould said that, the statement thst he
had visited the Grand jury ana had taken |
steps TO have Mrs. Nlcoaus indicted for at |
mpted blAekmgil Was not true.
THE WIFE STOOD AWAITING DEATH |
Her Husband Lighted = Bottle oT Kerosene
= ana Threw the Flaming FInId Upon Her.