The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-16
MEANT TO HARM HER
Altenberger Says Katie
Rupp Bothered Him
About Marrying.
WANTED TO GET RID OF HER.
Thought She Was Dead and That
No, One Would Ever Find
Her Body.
WANTED TO GET RID OF HER

- @tAoe~eg
Hospital, said today that Katie Rupp, who
was shot Sunday, at Snake Hill, by Bern
hardt Altenberger, had not improved any
since yesterday. He was inclined to believe
that her condition was not quite so good.
The mild peritonitis which was discovered
yesterday is more fully developed, and the
doctors fear this disease very much. Miss
Rupp slept well last night, n today she
has rested we'll. She takes liquid nourish-
ment as well as the physicians could expect,
and she has a strong desire to talk, but the
nurses prevent this.
Miss Rupp has not been informed yet of
the arrest of her treacherous sweetheart,
through the extraordinary precautions and
good Judgment of Chief Murphy. Yester-
day afternoon the Chief received a letter
from Chief of Police Haggerty of Rome, N.
Y. which stated that Haggerty had opened
a trunk belonging to Altenberger and in it
had found a letter from Dena Vetter
of No. /, l4l Chestnut street, Elizabeth. He
at once sent Detective Dalton to Elizabeth
and there found at the house of Mrs. ]. n.
Morris, Christine Vetter. Morris is a de-
tective on the New Jersey Central Railroad.
When Dalton found her she denied knowing
anything aboatAltenberger hut when she was
shown his photograph she admitted that she
knew him. aud finally She broke down and
confessed that Altenberger had been there
to see her.
WANTED HER TO ELoPE
She told Dalton that Altenberger attempt
ed to get her TO go off with him and get
married. After visiting her at the Morris
home at noon on Monday, Altenberger met
her in the evening and accompanied her to
a ball in Lutz Hail. There they danced and
had q merry time until after tbr5e O'Clock
yesterday morning, when he took the girl to
the home Of her aunt, Mrs. Reick, in Eliza
beth avenue. Altenberger, so the girl says,
is acquainted with a family named Hefferan,
with whom he stayed the rest OF the night.
While they were together, tho girl says,
Altenberger offered her a gold ring, which
may be a part Of the jewelry he took from
Katie Rupp after shooting her.
Christine said further that she became
acquainted with Altenherger last August
when she met him On the ship which brought
them both to this country Dalton says
that he believes that Altenberger tried to
get her to Ora the money out of the bank
| and go away with him. Christine Vetter
says she did not write the letters found in
Altenberger's trunk at his home indicating
that they were engaged. She says that she
disliked him, and wrote to him only twice.
telling him TO stop writing to her. She says
that he once wrote to her aunt, Mrs. Reick,
complaining that Christine had proven false
to him.
The girl says that when A~ltanberger took
her homo from the ball early yesterday
morning she told him that she would have
nothing more to do with him; but he said he
would call again at the house where she
worked. He did so, but did not show him
self TO the family. Neighbors saw lin
lettering about the place until ten o'clock,
when he disappeared.
GOOD WORK OF CHIEF MURPHY.
Chief Murphy said, today. that had Chief
Haggerty telegraDhed him instead of writ
ing, he could nave arrested Altenberger
Monday. night or yesterday. for he did not
leave Elizabeth until nine O'Clock yesterday
morning when he bade the Heffsrans good
bye, saying he was going to Rome, n. Y.
The Chief, as soon as he. received Dalton's
report, telegraphed to the police of Rome
and Oneida to watch for him. During yes
terday Detective McNally traced Miss Rupp's
trunk to the baggage room of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad on the New York side. It is
there now, but viii probably be brought to
Police Headquarters.
At half past twelve o'clock last night
Chief Murphy received the following tele-
gram
Bernharat A.lenDerger. u MSo shot \; X Ka MSy Il Rhp lss. on
the outskirts of your city, was arrested here last
CHARLES MT n; TA 6, ELI.
Today the Chief went before the Grand
Jury and secured the Indictment of Alien
berger.
Reauisition papers will Immediately be
given Detective Doyle, who will proceed to
Albany and obtain Governor Flowers sig
nature to them. He will then proceed to
Utica and taks charge of Altenberger. The
Chief expects that Doyle will deliver his
prisoner in this city by Saturday night. AS
soon as he reaches here he Will be taken to
Christ's Hospital for Identification by Katie
Rupp, If she is alive then. Altenberger will
then be confined in the County Jail.
Chief Murphy said to-day that the news
papers are the greatest aid a policeman has
in detecting criminals and he believes that
the papers should be furnished all possible
information in cases like this of Al5enber-
ger.
Altenberger Begins to Worry.
UTICA, N. Y, May 16. 1894.-Bernardt Al
tenberger, the would-be murderer of Katie
Rupp, whose capture was accomplished last
night in this city through the reading of his
description in an afternoon paper by a pas
senger in the coach in which Altenberger
was returning to Rome, was in a very de
iected condition at the police station this
morning. When first arrested he showed no
particular alarm or surprise, and looked
upon his apprehension with stolid indiffer-
ence. He threw open his coat and freely
offered the police opportunity of searching
him. On his person was found a l6dyS gOld
watch, a cheap silver watch, $55 SO in
money, several rings, a picture of a woman
he says is his half sister, a number of re-
ceipts, and several small trinkets. In his
valise was the revolver with which he
shot Katie Rupp, and q number of
garments such as are usually worn by ath-
letes, all new. When he was put in the cell
he apparently began to realize his position,
for he commenced to weaken. This morn
ing he talked very excitedly between crying
spells, and made anxious inquiries as to Miss
Rupp's condition. When told that she was
better he betrayed much satisfaction and
his haggard and forlorn countenance lighted
up with hope.
Heis of the opinion that if she RECEIVERS he
will not be punished.
HIS TOT OF e ASSAULT.
His story of the assault as procured
through an interpreter corroborates the
statement made by the injured woman in
nearly every particular. The most notable
exception is in regard to the shots. Alien
berger says he fired them in quick
succession. After firing the shots he
started to run and when a few rods
away he stopped and looked back. Then
he heard his victim moan and returned to