The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-04
KATIE RUPP'S GHOST
Murderer A1tenberger Says
1t Appeared In His Cell
Sunday Morning.
The WRETCH TREHBLED AND M0AEED
Pointed to the Word "Justice''
Written in Letters of Blood
and Disappeared.

Keeper Terwilliger last night was on duty
at the County Jail. While he was making a
tour of inspection of the cells on the first
floor he heard means and sebs. A moments
listening convinced him that they emanated
from the cell occupied by Bernard Alten-
berger the accused murderer of Katie Rupp.
TerwiiIiger approached the cell and noticed
that Altenberger was greatly agitated. He
was sobbing violently and trembled like an
aspen leaf A wild stare was in his eyes, and
as he crouched down in a corner of his stone
cell, he looked most pitiful object.
''What IS the matter,n asked Terwilhger,
when he saw how agitated Altenberger
was.
sFOh, 1 have seen her - Katie has been
here, "replied the murderer between his sobs,
and he drew further back into the corner
and turned an appealing face toward the
keeper.
SAW THE MURDERED WOMAN.
"Did you see Katieg" asked Terwilliger.
''Oh, yes, yes, yes" said Altenberger in
his broken English, and still trembling.
| ''She came right up to me, and oh, how sha
| looked There was blood on her neck and
| face and she put one hand on her breast as
| if in pain. Her face was pale and her eyes
| looked at me i'll a sorrowful manner. L
| did not say word, | could not, for my
tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of my
mouth, but [ watched every move she
made. How she got into the cell l don't
| know, but when | first saw her she was
| standing near by bunk, and was looking at me
with such sad and reproachful expression
| tried to say something but the effort failed.
| 1t seemed to me that Katie stood looking at
| me long time and when finally she did re-
move her gaze from my face, she glanced
about the cell and solemnly pointed her
finger toward the wall where | saw in let
ters of fire the word Justice tried to cry
out but couldn't, and Katie, with one more
reproachful look at me- faded from view. 1t
was then that l cried out"
The unfortunate ma II seemed to be COM
pletely unstrung at the dream he had, and
all the talking Of Terwilliger could not con-
| vince him that he had not seen a ghost. He
became very angry when told by the keeper
| that he had been dreaming, and demanded to
know of them If he did not know when he
| was awake.
| POSITIVE 1T WAS HER GHOST.
| ''It was her ghost" he said and shuddered.
| Altenberger was so much disturbed by the
| so-called apparition that he could not go to
| sleep again. Ee rolled and tossed on his
bunk the balauce of the night, and appeared
| to be much relieved when day approached
| and his fellow prisoners sought the corridor.
| For the first time since he has been locked
| 10 he evinced desire for the companion
! ship of his fellow prisoners. AL day he was
nervous and a hunted expression was In his
eyes He trenbled violently when anyone
suddenly spoke to him and apprehensiveiy
| glanced about.
/ When the Rev. Mr. Meury called
at the Jail today soon after noon
| and greeted Altenberger, the prisoner ap-
peared to be delighted to see him, and he
acted more cheerfully than he had all day.
| Mr. Meury gave him some good spiritual ad-
vice and went away. but before he departed
| Altenberger made him promise to return as
soon as possible.