New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-12
THE COURTROOM CROWDED ALL DAY.


MANY WOMEN IN TIE THRoNG-How THE CROSS
EXAMINATION WAS CoNDUcTED-MR.
BROOKE AND TIE JURY.
The measure Of interest taken by the pnohc III
the trial of Dr. Meyer marks the case as extraor.
binary. The courtroom yesterday was cro"ueu anu
with such throng as Ia rarely seen at any session
of a criminal court The greater part OF the au-
missions were secured by cards from some one
OF the attorneys in the case. Twenty or 'hir''
women were present generally under male escort
- and their handsome costumes gave welcome
coloring to the otherwise sombre picture presented
in the room. Their interested faces. too. showed
that the to them as strange as IL was
weirdy fascinating.
So soon Judge Barrett took his place on the
bench, Kirfel, the informer. was called. and MS
cross-examination began straightway. Mr.. Brooke
conducted 1t. Mr. Brooke is experienced crimi-
nal lawyer Criminal law Is not supposed to be
very broad or very profound but what there is of
1t Mr.. Brooke knows with mind that Is certain
subtle and ready He possesses also voice OF
marvellous power in information. He can commune
cate to it as large a variety Of emotions as he is
~ apt for in his line of business. That
certainly is great deal He is quite mindful OF
his advantage in this respect. and without abusing
- Il to produce the impression OF artihcaiity
and acting he sends 1t constantly into the Jury
errands of suggestion that cannot possibly
be reflected in cold type He has certain way OF
saying Him. rather great many ways or
saying 1t. Sometimes he will say 1t up sometimes
he will say 1t down. Sometimes 1t will be explosive
and abrupt sometimes it will be elongated and
neiluous But 1t always meant something which,
II expressed in words the Court would be compelled
to strike from the minutes. which shows the art Of
irresponsible and significant expression Mr.
Brookes "Hm never fail to produce response
in the faces of of the jurymon. Mr. Bunz.
the first juror; Mr.. Gray. the second. and Mr.
Hayden. the third, invariably smile frown in
suitable accord with the him. of Mr.. Brooke.
/ KIRFEL'S MEMORY WONDERFUL ONE. RI
: Kirfel has a remarkable memory. To be sure a
man who has story OF this kind to tell is apt
to get 1t by heart and to study how to keep
straight in telling it, but seeing that this witness Is
a foreigner and too skful in the of En-
gl!sh. he operated his mind with singular success.
The questions and answers that followed came one
after another with great rapdity from both client
and witness.
Q.-whcre were you born? Ain Germany
Q.-What was your fathers name? A-Peter
William Kirfel. ..,
Q.-How old were you when you left school? Al
sQ.-Up to that time you had done nothing to earn
Q.-What? Al had taught school,
- Q.-Had You ever lived in Cologne or in any town
o-Whsn did You leave Germany? AIN the lat
ter part of May, 1883.
Q.-Wny ola you go away rTOm nome! Al iOSl
my position as schoomaster.
Mr. Brooke said chin" Then he paused and
looked keenly at Krfel and said: You lost your
position about the time you were arrested. isn't
that so?" Krfe replied swiftly that II not
"Were you never arrested in Germany or never
imprisoned there? asked Mr.. Brooke. Il never
was" said Krfel.
q. Wasn't there charge made against you about
setting fire to a buding? "No. never" said Kirfel.
Wasn't there something about an assault on
o. No Lfrfaf
ing of the kind
81, Q.-How did you get the money to come to
ASers ny fsthsr Hssk before sS % cane
Q.-.Didn't you play the piano in Germany? A
not Tor MONEY; ,o No
houses In Germany? A-No
Then the witness told Of his peregrinatons after
his, arrival in New-York. He stayed at hotel
here for a few days Then he went to Philadelphia.
then to Newport. Ky, then to Kansas City. He be-
- came Ill and he went to Chicago and entered
hospital. He had the typhoid fever and he two
- months getting IT, After leaving the hospital
he made various efforts to earn an honest living;
now as a cake-balter, serving milk route.
But from the time Of his arrival until December.
his entire earnings $l2 and he had lived
,cfhe se3 which his father gave him when he left
5C Germany.
his FIRST SUCCESS AT MAKING LIVING.
His first successful attempt to pay his way was
made IN connection Win piano III
orderly houses and while thus engaged he entered
into a scheme with man named Poucher TO adver-
tlse representing himself as woman desiring to
get married. In the course Of month he conrlved
TO obtain from those who answered his advertise
ments about $3.50. The fraud discovered and he
was arrested In April $780, for criminal misuse Of
the mails and pending trial he committed to the
County Jail. Up to that time he had never met Dr.
Meyer or Brandt afterward the false Baum. or
Parker, the real Baum. He saw them all while in
the Cook County JAIL He got acquainted with
Parker first and they talked with one another
about their Later he met Parker walking
with Dr. Meyer and day or two after that Meyer
came to his cell and talked with him vaguely about
6 scheme 10 swindle insurance companies About
this time also re Brandt. though he did not
sk<ir his name recognize him Brandt Until AL
most q year later. when he again met him at
Movers house Kirfe told Of his trial and his
conviction. OF his confinement In Joliet, OF hts dis
charge In May. 1884, and Of his engagementssthere-
after in piano performances in disordery houses.
until he came to New-York on February "a, 1892
At this point Mr.. Brooke suddenly changed the
subject. r
when you came to America in 1884," he said.