The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-09
ALTEkbERGEA's TRIAL BEGUN.
Murderer Of Katie Rupp Hears
the Story of His Crime.
Ills Counsel viii Try to Prove that
He is Insane.

The trial of Bernard Altenberger
charged with the murder of Katie Rupp,
on the night OF May IL, was begun in the
Hudson County Court OF oyer and Ter
miner in Jersey City, this morning.
When the court was opened Ivy Judge
Lippincott every seat IN the room was
taken and much interest was manifested
in the proceedings.
After considerable time the prisoner
was brought in. lie showed the same
cool demeanor that characterized. his
conduct at the time of his arrest and all
the time that he has been in jail. He
was given n scat beside his counsel,
Assemblyman Sallinger and Norman l..
Rowe. Prosecutor Winfield appeared for
the prosecution.
After the Jury had been secured As
semblyman Saiiinger asked that the trial
be postponed, on the ground that eN-
pected evidence from, GefrniHy hal not
arrived. lie wished to prove 10y this evil
dence thai ther: was hereditery insanity
In the family Of Al!enberGer,, aud that
he was insane.
Judge I.ippincott denied the motion,
and Prosecutor Winfield then oi'ened the
case for the state. -
lie told in detail the history Of tho ter
rble crime FOR which the prisoner Is be
ing tried. He said that Altcnbergtr
and the young girl Katie Rupp. met for
the first time at a funeral in Rome, NJ
y, in February last. Altenbsrger. i'm
n.ediately afterwards began paying. at
tentions to the girl. and soon protested
love for her. lie and the young girl
We're close friends until the Spring 90,
on sunday morning; May T.. they left
Rome and went to jersey city, ostcnsihly
10 be married. In the afternoon Altenber-
ger persuaded the girl to Eo out walk
ing with him and they went to Snake
Hin. "'
The next scene In the tragedy WAS the.
finding of the young girls body on Mon
day morning by two wllkmen. she was
lying near the Snake Hin penl tcntlary
win bullet wound in her head. There
were evidences Of II desperate sT1eSi"
around the spot. The eiri Was idk.n
to the pentenuary ana ,ntterwards she
died Before her death sh" told the
authorities that htcnberEcr had shothrr
Prosecutor Winfield then told II n"
cool and diabolcal planning OF the
crime by Altenpergrr. How he had Dor
rowed money from the girl and had %
tanned he, watch in Rome ana lhrh
4nrtu hef 10 Jersey NY ~ - ~ -
How that. after ne committed the tr!Me,
he tried TO hide all EVIDENCE 81 N
girls Identity 10y destroying the ma hs
on her clothing, and even Nrh 80 lar
as to have the works IN hcr watch,
which he had taken from her. put ~
another case by New YORK "aIHh-
The Prosecutor then related the efforts
made to capture A!tenberger ana ms
subsequent arrest in Utica by detective
The iirst witness was charles 6, Rol-
Inns proprietor OF the StanwiN Hotel,
in Rome y. Y. lie testified that
Katie Rupp WORKED for him as a DO
mrstic. and identified Alt"uhCrEeF. AS
having visited Tho sirl.
Jersey city was the nest witness, ltr
identified Altruhcvgrr us TIE man ~h';
In COMPANY 'Nitn IN" dead gs1l, hAI
breakfast at his restaurant ,,,,.,,
keeper ON York stree. I,guhsd Altvu-
berger ~ the man "nn hired room
from her for himself and tho XII, saying
that Katie Rup0 was h!s wife. 900,
pr. George W. King. vf snake nm
pcnitentiary, testified L. ~" g.rl nav M
been r,r~icl g. tine pruIt"ut!ury H.
aid he discovered the two bullet wounds
and dressed th,W one Mas over Ia
left cy. aud IN" other Wa IA IL" breast
Or. King said Tie s.gAS Y9Ir1,M va
Hosuital III" uCNl morning. TUESDAY.
Leopold RitthsrEcg dad Joseph l'3E,C,
the two wOrkntu Who found tG' grl
testified that Miss Rapp said her l"Ncr
Bernard Altenberser had shot n.r.
Hospital. testified TO the death OF the
girl on May Ii. aud nr. Converse, who
is the County Physician. produced the
bullets in court
A recess was then taken '-,-.,e "