The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-04

MURDERERS' ROW.
Seven Slayers of Men Con-
fined in the County
Jail.
HISTORY OF THEIR CRIMES
How They Pass Their Time-Their
Peculiar Dispositions-A
Wonderful Woman.

OF the seven murderers at present confined
In the County Jail, two-Paul GEM and Pat
rick S~heehan-have been convicted of muir
der in the first degree. Two more, Jennie
Robinson and Francis Sokolowski, have
been convicted of murder in the second de-
gree, and the other three, Frank Burger,
Philip Boehm and John Cooke, yet remain
to be tried.
What stories of love, Jealousy, hate, bru
tality and vindictiveness nave been told by
these crimes. GEM, in a fit of jealous rage,
murdered his sweetheart. Cooke brutally
beat and kicked his wife, thereby causing
her death. Jennie Robinson shot the man
with whom she lived. Sheehan lay in wait
for a saloonkeeper with whom he had some
difficulty, and Boehm shot his brother in a
drunken row.
PECULIAR WOMAN.
The most interest, of course, is conferred in
the woman. Jennie Robinson, who is a
fairly goodlooking negress, was born in
Wilkesbarre. N. c., twenty-eight years ago.
Sac met Charles Pepper, a Pullman car por-
ter, and went to live with him, although he
was already married and had a wife living.
Pepper and Jennie lived at No. 342 Mon
mouth street. On Sept. 8 they were visited
by David Lee and his wife. After supper
they all played cards and drank beer. When
the visitors left, Pepper and Jennie quarrel
ed, and the former was shot. She said that
he had attempted TO shoot her, but that she
had grabbed his arm, and that the bullet in
tended for her had shot him. 1t was proven
however that Pepper was shot in such a way
as would have been almost impossible had he
held the pistol himself. When she was
tried, ~ex-Judge Hoffman and Alexander
Simpson, her counsel, caused quite some sur
prise by refusing to make any defense,
claiming that the prosecution had made no
case against their client. This was partly
true, the evidence produced by the State
being purely cir~cumstantial. Notwithstand-
ing this, the jury, after celebrating for five
hours, rendered a verdict against the pris-
oner of murder in5the second degree. Most
people expressed surprise at the verdict.
saying that, according to the evidence, she
was either guilty of murder in the first de-
gree. or else been acquitted.
As has been told in the Jersey City News,
this remarkable woman does not seem to re-
alize her position. During her trial she dis
played no emotion whatever, and when sen
fenced by Judge Lippincott to twenty years
in State prison thanked him with a smile,
and gaily tripped out of court apparently in
the best of spirits.
WILL THEY HANG?
Although two of the murderers nave been
| convicted of murder in the first degree, it is
| possible nat they may not hang. Paul GEM,
in a paroxysm of jealous rage, shot and killed
Clara Arnim, with whom he was desperately
in love. The shooting occurred at No. 10Y
Hudson street, Hoboken, on August %, 1894.
He pleaded guilty to murder, n begged to
be executed at once, saying that he had no
desire to live. Under the law of this State
he had to be tried, however, and the jury
promptly convicted him. Gilbert Collins.
his counsel, secured a stay execution, and the
case will be argued atthe next term of court.
GEM has got over his desire to be hung and
now wants to live.
The other one convicted of murder in the
first degree is Patrick Sheehan, who killed
Diedrich Garb, a Bayonne saloonkeeper. A
stay of execution was also secured in his case.
Another case that has awakened consider
able interest is that of Frank. Burger. Read
ers of the News viii rememberthe murder of
John f. E~ngelbrecht, the Secaucus saloon
keeper, whose body was found one morning
in his saloon. Circumstances pointed to
Burgeras the murderer and he was arrested.
The State claims to nave made a clear case
against him and the trial will no doubt at
tract widespread attention. Burger stoutly
maintains. his innocence, and his counsel,
Lawyer James Furey, asserts that they will
nave no difficulty in proving it.
John Cooke, who is also to be tried, beat
and kicked his wife Martha, inflicting injur-
les from which she died on August 81. Ex-
Judge Thomas f.. Noonan will defend him.
Philip Boehm shot his brother on August %,
during q drunken quarrel, innicting injuries
from which he died on the following day.
HOW THEY PASS THE TIME.
As a whole the murderers pass their time
in a quiet manner and are very little trouble
to the Jail officials. When he was first ar
rested GEM proved to be a very refractory
prisoner and caused no end of trouble. He
has settled down now, the keepers say, and
is very quiet. The men read the papers,
smoke and play cards. Cooke is the most
downhearted of the lot, and seems to feel his
position keenly. He evinces the deepest re-
greet for has action, and says that he did not
mean to kill his wife. 1t was done while he
was drunk.
Jennie Robinson and Francis Sokolowski
will be taken to Trenton this week to begin
their terms. No appeal will be made in
either case. both having decided to accept
their fate and the punishment melted out to
them. Ii was at first thought that an apDli-
Robinson case, but her counsel concluded
that it was better to accept the verdict,
fearing that if She was tried again the jury
yn7chf pf11TUInT tllr> n .15rrHaI in tho fircf