Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-29
THORN AS A WITNESS.
TELLS ROW MRS. MACK DID THE KILLING.


New York. Nov. 2Q.-word was
passed around to the women who np-
pcared at the Queens county court
house today to seek admission to the
Thorn trial that much of the evidence
which the defense would introduce
would be unfit FOR polite ears. The re-
SUIT was that only three women were
among the spectators when Judge
Maddox rc-oponed court for the trial Of
the alleged murder of Guldensuppe.
Before MIR. Howe began his opening
address. John Gotha, the barber was
recalled.
Mr.. Howe asked him II he had ever
been an inmate OF an inebrlatc
asylum at Fort Hamilton. The wit
ness said no"
THAT is ali ] want of you" said the
big lawyer, and Gotha left the room.
Mr.. Howe requested the court to dis
miss the charge of murder In the first
degree, and the court denied the re-
quest.
MIR. Howe then began his address
with declaration of Thorn's innocence,
supplemented with a terrible arraign-
ment of Mrs. Mack. who was denounced
as the real murderer OF Guldeusuppe.
At the conclusion of Mr. Howe's adj
dress he asked that before the case was
closed the Jurymen should he permit
ted to view the premises at Wood
side
The district attorney said he would
like TO think over the proposition be-
fore informing the court of his views.
The defense called several witnesses
to testify to the prisoners good charac-
ter, and after a short recess Thorn was
put ON the stand to testify on his own
behalf.
beginning with the statement that
he came to America seventeen years
ago, the prisoner said his real name
was Forceswsky, and briefly related
the facts Of his life up to the time he
met Mrs Mack, eighteen months ago.
Guldensuppe was boarding with Mrs.
Mack at the time.
II rented a furnished room from her
at $500 week" said Thorn. Il I'M
derstood Guldensuppe was her hus-
band. She first made love to me and
l returned her love. / was very fond
Of her, and loved her up to the mo-
mant she took the witness stand on
my first trial"
The prisoner told how he supplanted
the bath rubber in Mrs. Nacks af-
fections, and described the row he
had with Guldensuppe in consequence
last February. Gudensuppe caught
hold of him. Thorn held n revolver
which went off accidentally. Gulden
suppe took the pistol from him and
gave him a beating. The prisoner
went to a hospital. Mrs Mack met
him afterwards very often and they
Uals of
said she was sorry that Gudensuppe
had hurt him, but that he must not
heed that.
Mrs. Mack told me-" said Thorn,
that she wished to leave Gudensuppe
and live In some quiet place. We
the SIS and got the key, On the 9th
of June / gave the key to Mrs. Mack
as she said she wanted TO do some
cleaning at the cottage. About IL or
II o'clock Friday morning, June 25th.
Mrs. Mack met me at the door. She
said I have Guldensuppe upstairs 1
asked what he was doing there. She
Then she requested me to help her to
dispose of the body. / went upstairs
and helped to undress the body. Then
we carried 1t to the bath tub. went
out and bought some plaster of paris.
When / came back she began cutting
up AHt DbuN f1llt CUT tIlt ntau OH
with a knife. When she reached the
back of the neck she cut through that
portion with small saw. Then she
cut through the middle of the body
and then ! asked her why she cut so.
She replied: 4 know enough not to cut
through the bowels. Next she cut
off the legs after which she went out
Tor Il while,as it was very warm there.
on her return we encased the head in
the plaster of paris. We brought
away the dead mans clothes in bum
die, and / carried the heavier bundle.
saw. knife and revolver were in the
bundle with the clothes. We took the
car TO s2nd street ferry, over which we
crossed to New York. l threw the
head overheard, while the boat was
the river. Then We went to
Mrs, Nack's house on 9th avenue.
where we burned the clothes in the
cooking stove"
The witness then told of the surrey
ride on the following day and the dis
position Of the other portions of the
remains which were wrapped UP in oil
cloth, cheese cloth and paper, which
Mrs. Mack had purchased prior
TO her visit to the cottage June 20, the
Thorn told OF his meetings with the
woman after this and how Mrs Mack
had made preparations to go to Europe.
Mrs. Mack met him Tuesday night.
June so. and the following day he
learned from the papers that she had
been arrested.
He explained his conversation with
Gotha. He said that he had told Ciotha
that Mrs, Mack killed Guldensuppe
nnd also told the barber how the body
was cut and disposed Of. He told
Gutha Of his intention 10 give himself
mp to the police but Gotha asked him
to wait He gave Gotha some pawn
tickets and made an appointment to
meet him the following night. Thorn
kept tho appointment and was arrest
ed. During his conversations with
Captain O'Brlcn. Thorn said he told
the detective some truths and some
During the time he was giving this
direct testimony Thorn looked directly
at the jury. Hc spoke clearly and dis
iinctly, although at time his voice
dropped to rather low tone. He used
good English with only 70 sliCht truce
If German accent. His direct cN-
animation lasted throe- quarters of an
iour. Surrogate Weller conducted the
'ross-cNnWln1tlon.
Thorn continued his story of the
loings NJ the cottage on the day OF tho
not differing materially from
he accounts hitherto printed, eScsnt
nat h. admitted having He'd to Cap
min O'BriHr as 70 his whereabouts on
he day OF the killing with Wow to
establishing nm ulihi. He said he
lclpCd Mrs. Mack 70 uudress Guldcu-
'uppe hut heard no gro9n aud snw