The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-03
PREY TO EVIL PEOPLE.
Demented Frederick Steger
Robbed of a Fortune by
False Friends.

Fred Stegsr, sixsy-seven years OF age,
who, according to several medical dag
noses, is dem ented, and whose peculiar
actions at times have caused consterna-
tion among those who lived in the neigh
borhood OF the house in which he lived,
No. Al Paterson street. was taken to the
City Hospital late yesterday afternoon.
About four O'clock yesterday afternoon a
man approached the Sergeant's desk at
the Sixth Precinct Station House. on
Webster avenue. and told Sergeant Wade
that Steger was alone in the house, and
that he was making such a din, pound
ing on the walls, and shouting, that the
people in the neighborhooo were
afraid of their lives. for fear that
he would run out and try to
kill them all. The man, whose name is
not known, says he climbed to the roof
of the back STOOD and saw Steger inside,
Invested Of clothing, hammering at the
walls with an in n croWbar. He re-
mained on the roof for about three min
utes. for Steger in casual glance around
the room, Spied the man peekiDg into The
window. SIeger made IL furious dash
towards the window, at the same time
droppping the crowbar on the floor. The
man waited no longer, but ran TO the
station house and told what was going
on.
He returned with Sergeant Coffin and
Patrolman Waylan, who forced the front
door open.
Steger heard them coming and barri-
caded the door of the room, on The third
floor where he was located. with C hair.
MET A HORRIBLE SIGHT.
\, nd n, daaw
In one corner of The room Steger was
cronched, with his hands franticaliy
grasping the iron crowbar. The stencil
in the room WAS such as to almost over
come the policemen. dirt aud
and filth being conspicuous When Ste ger
saw that the policemen had got inside, he
prepared to fight them with the iron.
He made II jab at The Sergeant, but the
latter wresteu the crowbar from Steger's
hands, and made an endeavor to over
power his aesailaat. Steger. however.
was up to the emergency, and dashed out
of the door, the policemen after him.
Steger opened a side window of the
first floor. but was caught by the Ser
geant in time to prevent his crawling
out.
The Sergeant held Steger down by all
his available force, and Patrolman Way
Ian summoned an ambulance.
In the meantime Steger's wife, who
lives in Hobokeen, appeared on the
scene, and after hunting around the
old trunk, and dressed Steger. who re-
monstrated througnout the operation.
It ia probable that Steger will be trans
ferred 80 lunatic asylum. He is noe
torious character, having figured in cases
in the Second District aud Second Grim
inal Courts. He has also served short
sentences.
sTEGER's BAD RECORD.
A year ago he made an arrangement
with Mr.. Whittig to. board with the lat
Ter at No. Al Paterson street. throughout
Steger's earthly existence 10 COM
pensation Steger advanced S3,400
Instead of keeping the agreement, WHIT
tig removed TO Bsooklyn the day before
yesterday. Neighbors SAY that the wagon
left at five o'ciocx, and that Whittig
said that he was coming back again in u
day or so; that he was sonly going TO sell
his old furniture and get in a ne W stock.
Steger was married three times and
each time got rid of his wife in so me
Way.
QUEER Mr.. STEGER.
A NEWS reporter was told this morn
ing that SIeger had few peculiaritles
and idiosyncrocies of his own W hich were
amusing. On every rainy NOR ming about
8 O'Clock Steger, they say, mad it Il habit
togo out in the rear yard and shout lire. "a
dozen or more times. On every holiday
Steger was accustomed to purchasing
four or five dozen bottles of soda water.
and would either smash them on the side
walk in the back yard or would drink a
few of them up aud distribute the rest
among the children of the neghbor hood.
Last. Christmas morning he tied pa ir
of old socks, with large holes worn in
them, from his window and filled them
with COAL As some ladies were passing
a.. %yo urf
attention by throwing the coal at them.
He was fond of picnics and was tor
ment around the picnic grounds near the
elevator.
sTEGER ONCE WEALTHY.
Steger, fifteen years ago, was one OF
the most prominent aud we ATHEIST citl-
zens in Hoboken. He owne real estate
died. and Steger installed u Mrs. Boss
latte as his housekeeper. Steger lived
with this woman for five years, an d she
had q child. a girl, which sne alleg ed
Steger was the father of. After living to-
gether for five years the couple separated.
At that time Steger was acting queerly.
FL settled handsome sum on Mrs. Boss
la tie ard the illegitimate child.
Then the childish old man got into the
tolls of q Mrs Hample. Mrs. Hample
installed George Brillman in the house,
hold, and the manner in which piece
after piece of the old mans property dis
appeared was surprising. Finally Mrs.
Hample induced Steger to marry her,
and the ceremony was performed by JUS
tice busch Between JusGlce Rusch,
the notorious ex-lawyer, Jakes Bretzfeid,
aud another lawyer. the old man was in
duced to sign almost all OF his prope rty
over to Mrs. Hample. Finally the old
man began to act SO queerly that he fell
into the hands OF the police, and
WAS committed to the County Jail.
There County Physician Converse ad-
Judged him insane. AS he was about to
De committed to the Asylum, Mr.. and
Mrs Wittig called at the County Jail
aud said that they would take charge OF
Steger. There WAS some arrangemen5
cooked up by which DIR. Converse re-
leased the old man aud Steger paid the
the Wittigs S3. 400 to take charge of him
until he died Now the Wi ttigs have de-
serted him. and he IS liable to be charge
ON the county.
The police say that the Wittigs have
gone to Brooklyn.
MAYOR WANSER In HARNESS AGAIN.
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