New-York tribune., 1897-11-04
A MURDERER WITH A RECORD.
POLICEMAN SMITHS SLAYER AN EX- CONVICT
IDENTIFIED By HIS DAUGHTER AS CON
STANTINE STEIGER.

POLICEMAN SMITHS SLAYER AN EN- CONVICT
IDENTIFIED BY HIS DAUGHTER AS CON
sTANTINE sTEIGER.
In the Criminal Branch of the Supreme Court
yesterday Justice Fursman resumed the examine
tion of talesmen for jury to try Fritz Meyer. who
shot Policeman Frederick Smith in the Church OF
the Holy Redeemer. in East Third-st. Assistant
District-Attorney Carpenter is conducting the pros
ecution, and Meyer IS defended by Stephen j.
OHare. Two jurors were chosen on Monday Two
hundred talesmen were on hand yesterday.
Juror No accepted after twelve others had
been examined. He is Edwin j. Fletcher. employed
by the Gorham Manufacturing Company. An 1tal-
ian barber did not know what the word 'crcum-
stantial' meant. and was excused William II. ii.
Deere, a farmer. OF Williamsbridge. was accepted
as the fourth juror after long examination.
Another talesman. being asked II he had any
opinion about the case. said Meyer would have been
lynched out West. He was excused.
Monroe Cohen, a shoe dealer, Of No. l16 East
Eighty-hrst-st. said that he not opposed to
capital punishment. and had formed no opinion on
the case He accepted as the NTH Juror. The
court then adjourned until to-day.
The identity Of Meyer Constant!n Seiger was
positively established in the morning by the pro-
duction Of his daughter. Louisa. in court. She Is
twenty y-three years old. She was brought into
court by Captain Lees, OF the Stagg-st (3rooklyn)
station. and Detectives Lees and Miller She was
the prisoner did not see her until she arose. Their
eyes met. and the recognition was mutual -.
Captain Lees asked the girl. who is that man.
pointing to the prisoner
That Is my father Constantine Steger." she
said i'm reply. Sieiger tried TO hide his face and
kept II covered until the girl taken away.
Frederick Ochs. the Brooklyn brewer was also
In court. and Identified Meyer as the man who a
few weeks ago. attempted to lure him 10 a house
in the outskirts of the city. where daring plan
had been made to hold him for ransom in de-
serted cottage
Albany. Nov. s.-Frts Meyer. alias steiger the
murderer Of Patrolman Frederick Smith OF New
York City is criminal with record. This fact
was established by the Superintendent OF Prisons
to-day through the Offices Of the Bertion system
OF convict measur .ment.
Captain McClusky, OF the Detective Bureau OF
New-YOrk City forwarded to the Prison Depart
ment q picture Of Meyer. with his measurement =
according the Bertillon system. and asked that
an investigation be made to fnd out II Meyer was
not Constantine Steiger. who sentenced 10
Sing Sing in 1898 and transferred to Auburn, from
which place he discharged I'm July OF this year.
With the measurements sent by Captain McClusky,
n search OF five minutes in the Berton cards In
the possession OF the Prison Department showed
that Meyer had been In the prisons between the
dates mentioned but that he had been convicted and
sentenced under the name OF John Schmidt for
burglary In the third degree The search also
showed that Meyer. alias Schmidt had served a
term Of six months IN the Kings County Peniten-
. tiary for assault.