The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-26
QUEER BIGAMY TALE
Gustav Herzig Says Maud
ToWson Drugged and
Then Married Him.
THE FAMILY TAKES VENGEANCE
He Must Stand Trial for Marrying
Illegally Just the Same
in This City.
THE FAMILY TAKES VENGEANCE

NustdV r1erzlS, a salesman, thirty mine
years old, who lives somewhere in New
york city. was prisoner at Police Head
quarters this morning. He is accused OF
Digamy. If he is a biganist he says he
Is not one Intentionally and asserts that
if he married a second time he did so
while under the influence of a drug. When
taken before Chief Murphy this morning
he presented a sorry spectacle His face.
hands and head were cut and bruised and
he looked like a man who had had an un-
pleasant half hour with a threshiisx
machine.
Herzig was arrested by Detective Doyia,
who located him in a hospital in Harris
burg, Pa. Herzig, it appears. was in
dicted by the Grand Jury last Friday for
bigamy. His arrest was consequently
made at the instance of Prosecutor Win
field.
A year ago Herzig possessed a fortune
of $4,000. He met with reverses and is
now employed as a salesman by a New
York cloak and fur house, the name of
which he refuses to divulge. He also de-
clines to make known where in New York
his home is. His reason for doing so, he
says, is to shield his wife from disgrace.
He insists that he is the victim of a con-
spiraey. According 10 a statement con-
corning his case that he has made to
Chief Murphy, he went to Lancaster, Pa,
to do business with Mayer Brothers, who
conduct a Partisan suit and cloak con-
cern there. While there he met Miss
Maude Towson, who, it appears was em-
| ployed as a typewriter by the company.
| They became friendly and were together
| much. About the middle of the month
she remarked that she would like to
leave Lancaster and go to New York in
| order to better her position in life, finan-
cially particularly.
| Herzig promised to accompany her to
New York and offered to lend her such
| assistance as he could in procuring a po-
! sition. On April 27 they arrived in New
| York. 1t was Grant Day and Herzig adj
mits having taken her to see the parade.
| in hotel in FortY-second street. After
| the parade Miss Towson invited MIN to
| her apartments. He accompanied her.
| They were cold and he remembered that
| he would like to have something hot to
! drink. He asserts that he rarely drank
| liquor, but when Miss Towson produced
a flask of what she sad was particularly
| good wfiskey he drank The effect of the
! first drink was SO pleasant that he drank
more and more. until he became intoxi-
! Gated. He insists, however, that the
| liquor given him must have been drugged.
! because he has absolutely no recollection
I of what occurred in the night.
The next morning when he awoke, he
! says. he was surprised to find himself
| in the young womans rooms. He
when She asked him to take her 10
I Boston. He replied that he could not.
he says, and informed her that he was
married. She did not seem at all sur
demanded that he take her to Boston.
He refused emphatically. Hot words fol-
| lowed and going to a bureau she produced
certificate showing that he had been
/ married to her the previous evening by
Rev. DR.. Randolph, pastor of Trinity NJ.
| Z. Church, this city.
Herzig says he accused her of having
drugged him. She denied it and declared
| that ne prevailed upon her to marry him,
| young woman received a despatch from
Harrisburg informing her that her mother
| go home. She asked Aerzig what she
should do, and he. hoping, he says, to get
rid Of her, ad1ised her to go at once. She
kilograms imploring. him to go to Harris
burg: He went. At the depot he was
himself 70 be Miss Towson's brother Ed
| ward. The brother escorted him to No.
| 1,401 South Eleventh street
| At the door they were greeted by an ell
! derly gentleman, who was introduced as
| Miss Towson's father. The three adj
journed to a room, and subsequently they
who was about six feet in height He
was bareheaded and in his shirt sleeves.
He was introduced as MISS TOWSon' 8
brother "Bill'' Bill extended his hand
to Herzig, and the next instant Herzig
was knocked down by a blow in the face.
/ stamped on him and kicked him on the
! body and in the face. He screamed muir
der and succeeded in attracting the atten-
tien of a policeman who placed the whole
/ crowd under arrest.
1 At the station house the man who had
1 been represented to obe Miss Towson' 8
father charged that Herzig had insulted
his wife. Herzig told the police the cir
| cumstances and was then removed to the
assailants are now under 81 900 bail await
ing trial
| Immediately after the three men had
| been arrested Miss Towson came to this
| city and laid the case before the Grand
| Jury and Herzig's indictment followed
| Herzig insists that there were certain
| men in the conspiracy to ruin him. One.
he declares, Is David Hirsch, salesman
of Lancaster, Pa, who for six years has
! known Miss TowSon intimately.
Pastor Randolph of Trinity Church was
at Police Headquarters this morning. He
positively identified Herzig as the man
he had married to Miss Towson.
IF you married me- said Herzig sl
| have absolutely no knowledge of it,.
| Herzig admits that he has wife in
New York. Mitchell L. Erlanger, law
yer of No. 66 Broadway, appeared be-
fore Chief Murphy In Herzig's behalf.
He says he has known Herzig fifteen
years and knows him to be an honest,
| Industrious man.
Herzig was removed to the County Jail,
where he will be detained until the ca Sd
is called for trial. Sensational develops
| mentS are expected.