San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-04-27
MORE OF RoTHCHILD.
Particulars of the Man Who Robbed
Mr.. Hertzberg and the Critters


From the Jewellers Circular OF New York,
April II, 1895.
EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ABE
ROTHCHILD.
TORONTO, Can, April l2-Eesterday
Abe ROLhchild, the diamond swindler, al.
so known as L. Hutton. II. NJ. Smith, II.
7. Jackman, r. L Miller, II. j. Jackson
and J. c. Coleman, was brought up on re-
mand before Police Magistrate DPniSOn,
of this city. on charge OF defrauding p.
w. Ellis Il Co. and other firms. As is
now well known, ROthchild was captured
through the fundamentally Of the full
exposure of his operations published in
the Jewellers Circular.
As soon as the newS OF the arrest was
made public, the identity Of the prisoner
with the man wanted for extensive swind-
ling operations in the southern and west
ern states was established, and cXtradi
ton proceedings were set on foot on be-
half OF the Southern Express company
and the Wells Fargo Express company.
When the case came up yesterday +. +.
b. Johnston, who appeared for the priS
oner. urged that he be committed for trial
on the charge Of attempting to defraud
p. W. Ellis IL Co. and offered to waive the
customary preliminary examination.
Crown Attorney Curry, who appeared for
the prosecution, however, took exception
to this course and insisted that the extra
dition proceedings should be tried first.
The case was again remanded until
Thursday, the 18th inst, to allow Of the
matter being considered by the attorney.
general
Undoubtedly every former resi-
dent Of northeast Texas remembers
the story OF Abe Rothchild and the
murder OF diamond Bessie" at
Jefferson, Texas, some twenty
years ago, he being the same
Rothchild named in the foregoing
proceedings in Canada, and also
the same slick individual who
victimiZed our local jewellers,
Hertzberg and Critzer, under the
alias of J. NJ. Kerr, OF Cotulla, Tex.
as, last December, obtaining from
them goods to the amount Of $500.
He made his appearance in JEFF
fersOn, Texas, some twenty years,
accompanied by a cOurteZan whom
he represented as his wife, and reg
istered at the Irving hotel as such.
The woman was known to those
acquainted with her as diamond
Bessie" This sobriquet was given
herfrom the fact that she loved to
decorate herself with diamonds and
jewelry. Rothchild represented
himself as a drummer for a large
gents furnishing establishment.
In those days drummers W ere not
plentiful in Texas. After stay
ing at Jefferson for a while Roth
child must have gotten wind
of Diamond Bessie, but had so far
not had the proper chances to dis
poee of her, and hence had brought
her to Texas.
One day he went with her across
Cypress Bayou, near the banks of
which stream stands Jefferson. The
whole surroundings were lovely
and any kind of disposition could
be made Of anybody without being
found out. 1t was here where he
was supposed to have killed her
aud hid her body under the brush.
When, on coming back to the hotel,
he was asked about his wife, he
answered, "that he had left her
with some friends" He packed
his trunks and started for his home
in Cincinnati, where his father was
located in the iewelry business and
was we'll known. The next morn
ing the body of Diamond Bessie
was found. The grand jury Of Ma
rion county Investigated the case
and found an Indictment against
Rothchild for the crime Of murder.
ReQuisition papers were placed in
the hands of the Jefferson sheriff,
John Vine, who at once started for
Cincinnati. After finding the
house, and when about to enter,
Rothchild, who had been advised
of the sheriff's approach, made an
attempt to blow his brains out, but
only succeeded in injuring one Of
his eyes. However, the sheriff got
his man, and after the inflicted
wound was sufficiently healed,
brought him to Texas. After ar
irving at Jefferson, Roth.
child engaged Hon. Dave Cul
berson and Lawyer Pope, Of
Marshall, to defend him. The
trial lasted nearly month. Roth
child was, as near as memory
serves the writer, convicted for
murder in the first degree. How
ever took an appeal and at another
trial got short term in the pen.