Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-29
Barber Accuses Mrs. Mack of Murder
Of Guldensuppe.
REITERATES HIS SIGNED CONFESSION
Goes Into All Horrible Details of
the Atrocious Murder.
MR.. HOWE SCORES MRS. MACK

peared at the Queens county court house
today to seek admission to the Thorn trial
that much of the evidence which the de-
tense would introduce would be unfit for
polite ears. The result was that only three
women were among the spectators when
Judge Maddox reopered court for the trial
of the alleged murderer of Guldensuppe.
Before Mr.. Howe began his opening ad-
dress John Gotha, the barber. was recalled.
Mr.. Howe asked him if he had ever been
an inmate of an irebriate asylum at Fort
Hamilton. The witness said NO" Mr..
Howe repeated the question, pronouncing
each word with deliberation. Gotha thought
moment and then uttered an emphatic
mo"
That is all want of you," said the big
lawyer and Gotha left the ROOM
MIR. Howe requested the court to dismiss
the charge of murder in the first degree,
and the court denied the request
Howe Arraisns Mrs. Mack.
Mr. Howe then began his address with a
declaration of Thorn's innocence, supple
mented with a terrible arraignment of Mrs
Mack who was denounced as the real MR.
deler of Guldensuppe.
Mrs. Nack's life was vividly pictured by
the speaker. He told of her having for
saken her legal husband. and Of her sub
sequent life with Guldensuppe and later
with Thorn.
She was a midwife" said he; "a name
which is only convertible term, in many
instances for murderouS abortionist"
In alluding to the testimony of Mrs Mack
given at the previous trial, Mr. Howe said
she had proven herself perjurer, murder
ess and aduteress.
He referred to the fact that the saw
which the people had talked of had never
been produced, and said that when Martin
Thorn would go on the stand and unbosom
himself the jury would learn that "he was
merely puppet in the hands of that vile
woman"
At the conclusion of Mr.. Howes address,
Wfich occupied forty minutes in the de-
closed the jurymen should be permitted
to view the premises at Woodside
Inc district attorney said he would like
10 tnink over the proposition before in
Icrin1ng the court of his views.
The defense called several witnesses tn
testl1y 10 the prisoners good character, and
after short recess Thorn was put unon
the stand 10 testify in his own behalf.
Thorn's Name Assumed.
Beginning with the statement that he
came to America seventeen years ago. the
prisoner said his real name was Torces-
wlsky; he briefly related the facts of his
lie up to the time he met Mrs. Mack.
eighteen months ago. Guldensuppe was
oo9rding sI with Mrs. Mack at that time
+
" week, said Thorn. Later l under
stocd Guldensuppe was her husband. She
nrst maze love to me, and l returned her
love. l was very fond of her, and loved
stand on my first trial"
Inc prisoner then told how he supplanted
the bath rubber in Mrs. Nack's affections
ana described the row he had with Gull
During this row Guldensuppe caught hold
OF him. Thorn held a revolver, which went
on accidentally. Then Guldensuppe took
ing. " Oea'-
The prisoner left the house and went m
a hospital Mrs. Mack met him afterwar rd
very often. and they went to theaters and
otner places OF amusement. She said she
wa was SOFT solIy that Guldensuppe had hurt him.
put mat he must not heed that Thorn
at the sugges ton of his counsel. then told
IN ms own way what Mrs. Mack had said
10 him after that. The court directed Mr.
Howe not to lead the witness
Wished to Leave GuIdensuppe.
Mrs. Mack told me-" said Thorn. that
she wished to leave Guldensuppe and wish
ed to live in some quiet place. We visited
the Woodside cottage, and as 1t seemed 4
suitable place we hired the cottage. 1 paid
the $16 and got the key. On June "a
gave the key to Mrs. Mack, as she said she
wanted to do some cleaning at the cottage
About II or II o'clock on Friday morning
June 20, Mrs Mack met me at the door,
She said: I have Guldensuppe upstairs
asked her what he was doing there
She replied: He is dead, have shot him >
She then requested me to help her to
dispose Of the body. I went upstairs and
helped to undress the body. Then we car
ried 1t to the bath tub. 1 went out and
bought some plaster of paris, When
came back she began cutting up the BODY
She cut the head off with a knife When
she reached the back of the neck she cut
through that portion with a small saw
Then she cut through the middle of the
she replied: I know enough not to cut
through the bowels Next she cut off the
legs, after which she went out for while
as 1t was very warm in there. Ga her re-
turn we incased the head in the plaster
OF paris. We brought away the dead mans
clothes in a bundle, and 1 carried the
mead In another bundle. The saw. knife
ana revolver were in the bundle with the
clothes. We took the car to the 92d street
ferry, over which we crossed to New York
L threw the head overheard, while the boat
was crossing the river. Then we went to
MRS. Nacks house on 9th avenue, where
she burned the clothes in the cooking
stove"
The Ride in the Surrey.
The witness then told Of the surrey ride
on the following day. Saturday, June 26
and the disposition of the other portion 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 on June 25, the day of the
killing. 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 on Tuesday night
June 30. and the following day he learned
from the papers that she had been arrest
ed.
He explained his conversation with Co.
tina. He said that he had told Gotha that
Mrs. Mack killed Guldensuppe and also
told the barber how the body was cut nm
and disposed of. He told Gotha of his in
tention to give himself up to the police. but
Gotha asked him to wait. He gave Gotha
some pawn tickets and made an apuoint-
ment to meet him the following night
Thorn kept the appointment and was ar
rested. During his conversations with
Captain O'Brien. Thorn said he told the
detective some truths and somc falsehoods.
Bold Front to the Jury.
During the time he was giving this direct
testimony Thorn looked directly at the
jury. He spoke clearly and distinctly. al
though at times his voice dropped to n
rather low tone. He used very good Eng
ifsh with only a slight trace OF a German
accent His direct examination took three