The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-30
CUT HIS THROAT.
Arrest of a Guilty Wife
and Lover.
TRACED FROM WISCONSIN
A Wife and Hired Man Attempt to
Murder the Husband and
Then Escape.

Detective Anthony and Officer Gibson
arrested man aud woman at the Excel
sior House, $40 Sixth street, last evening
and placed them in the tanks at the old
City Hall. The prisoners are wanted in
Wisconsion for assault to murder, the
crime with which they are charged being
most brutal one.
On the night of July 10 last an attempt
was made to murder Peter johnson, a car
Denter living in the little town of Cudahy,
a few miles from Milwaukee, Wis John
son was discovered the next morning lying
in pool of his own blood. his throat hav-
ing been cut from ear to ear. Arsenic had
also been placed in his mouth. but as the
muscles of the throat were paralyzed by
the terrible wound he had forum ately been
unable to swallow 1t.
Johnson's wife and two children, aged
respectively and years, were missing,
as was also Richard Westrick, hired man
who had been in the employ Of Johnson
fcr some time. Johnson recovered suffi-
clently In day or so to tell that his wife
ana the hired man had attempted to muir
DER him; that they had taken with them
all OF the furniture in the house and left
no trace behind them.
Chief of Police Jansen of Milwaukee
traced the guilty couple tn Chicago, and
the detectives Of that city finally succeeded
III locating Westrick. He had shaved off
his beard and was dressed as a preacher
While the detectives were shadoWing him
Tor the purpose of locating the woman
Westrick succeeded in giving them tho slip
and that was the last seen of him by the
Chicago police
On Wednesday morning Chief Crowley
received description of the man and the
woman and also of the furniture. with a
request from the Milwaukee authorities
that he should institute a search for the
guilty coaDle. Accordingly Detective
Anthony and Officer Gibson were detailed
to work on the case. With the assistance
OF Detective Hickey of the Southern Pacific
Com pany they aseertained that a lot of
furniture OF the same description as that
taken from Johnson's house in Cudaby
had arrived here from Chicago during
the early part OF August. With the furni-
turo had come man and his wife and two
children, who gave the name Of Newman.
The Newman family were traced to Hack
meier's hotel on Ellis street. where they
had stayed but few days. 1t was
h!ally aSceTtained that Newman and his
vile secured positions through an employ
ment Office as cooks in the Mocha les Hotel
on BTannan street near Fourth. Through
the talk OF the children she people living
ut the hotel began TO suspect that the
couple were not man and wife. 1t was
hutiCou THAT NoWmdn nau severe cut In
one OF his fingers which seriously inter-
Tered with the rapid discharge of his duties.
This talk reached the ears of the couple.
and they left the hotel one night, taxing
their effects with them.
After long searcn the officer found the
eXpressman who had moved the furniture
OF the Newmans from the Mechanics
H0tel. He said the things had been taken
TO the Excelsior Hotel on Sixth street,
There the couple had stated that they had
Just come from the country and wers very
poor and needed work. They were put to
work In the kitchen and there they were
preparing supper when the officers arrived
and arrested them.
When seen at the City Prison last night
Westrick refused TO make any statement.
Dut the woman acknowledged her identity
and expressed wish to be taken back to
her husband If be were still alive. The
TACT OF the arrest was telegraphed to Mil
Wsukee. and an officer with requisition
papers is now on his way 10 this city to
take charge of the prisoners.