New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-08
THORN'S TALE OF BUTCHERY
A CONFESSION SAID TO HAVE BEEN
MADE TO A FRIEND.

SELF TELLS THE CHIEF DETECTIVE
THAT HE KNOWS NOTHING
OF THE CRIME.
The arrest on Tuesday evening of Martin
Thorn for the murder of William Guldensuppe
and subsequent developments have assured Act
ing Inspector O'Brien. Chief Of Detectives. that
the bath attendant was murdered In Woodside.
Ions Island Friday. June %: that on the
same night his head. upper section OF the trunk
and legs were thrown into the East River from
a ferry boat. and on the day following the lower
portion Of his trunk was left in the woods near
Washington Bridge. Captain O'Brien is quite
as certain that the murder was committed by
Martin Thorn in broad daylight, after Gulden-
suppe had been lured to the vacant house In
Woodside by Mrs Augusta Mack. the woman
who is now under arrest
Thorns arrest made in front OF Spears
drugstore. at One-hundred and twenty-fi
and Eighth-ave. by Captain O'Bricn. Detective
Sergeant McCauley and Detectives Price and
O'Donahue, who were disguised as longshore-
men.
Yesterday Acting Inspector OBren said that
he had the statement Of friend Of Thorn.
This friend had told the Acting Inspector how
Thorn had explained in detail every move in the
killing Of Guldensuppe. Who this friend is. Cap
be John Dopha, or Gartha. the barber who be-
trayed Thorn to the police. According to the
confession OF Thorn's friend told by the
Chief Of Detectives Mrs. Mack had tired of
Guldensuppe and had decided to be rid Of him.
She was loved by Thorn. and the two talked
together. Thorn was already the bitter enemy
OF Guldensuppe They arranged the plot
Thorn and Mrs Nack-and then carried ii out
on a perfect schedule.
THORN LAY IN WAIT.
Early In the morning Of that fatal Friday, &C
cording TO this confession. Thorn was in the
vacant house at Woodsidc. Among other things
he had a loaded revolver and two pounds of
plaster Of paris. AS had been arranged. the first
was TO kill Guldensuppe the second to encase
his head after it had been severed from the
body.
Between II and 10 o'clock in the morning
Thorn was In a closet on one Of the upper floors.
He was in his stocking feet, and held his re-
volver ready TO hand At this hour Mrs. Mack
reached The house. She had Guldensuppe with
her From his hiding place Thorn could hear
the door downstairs open and then he heard the
two speak. He heard Mrs Mack ask what the
man thought OF the place. and Guldensuppe an
swered that It appeared satisfactory Then
Mrs Mack explained that she was going
into the rear garden. Then, according to the
statement Mrs. Mack said: Don't wait for me-
go through the house and see how you like It's ar
rangements" And Gudensuppe answered: "Oh.
I'll just stay here until you come back"
FEARED SHE WOULD WEAKEN.
But the woman did not want that. She did
not want to murder. She feared she would
weaken. Don't wait: go and the rooms
upstairs: | think you'll like them she said.
Guldensuppe laughed as he bounded upstairs.
Mrs Mack walked out of the door.
Guldensuppe walked through the rooms.
Thorn listened and waited Then Guldensuppe
opened the closet door. He thrust his head in.
AT that instant there the flash Of a re-
volver, and Guldensuppe fell with bullet in his
head. Thorn bent over the fallen man and ex-
amined him. Guldensuppe was dying. Then
Thorn picked up the man and dragged him to
the bathtub the statement runs. Then he ran
downstairs and met Mrs Mack standing at the
lower landing. It's done" said he. And Mrs.
Mack answered: Il know: ! heard"
Now go back to the city. Come here at
o'clock Be assured Everything will be ready"
The woman went away. Thorn went back to the
bathtub With a razor in his hand he bent over
Guldensuppe and the friend in his statement
declares Thorn admitted he said Il heard him
snore" 1t was a death-rattle he heard. Then
the statement tells how Thorn described how he
cut Guldensuppes head off. and next coated 1t
with the plaster of paris that was near at hand,
and which he first wet to paste.
Then" says Thorn. according to this state
ment Il stopped to think. I had not shaved
of Guldensuppe's mustache That might betray
us Well. the head is in plaster of paris; 1t
makes a heavy parcel. l threw ii overheard 1t
must have gone to the bottom. They can't find
it. l don't care"
CUTTING Up THE BODY.
After that the legs were severed. then the
neither portion of the trunk Then. as If he were
packing so much beef. he did up the different
portions Of the body in the cheesecloth and OIL
cloth tied the bundles neatly. lit pipe. and
waited for Mrs. Mack. She came at the APP
pointed hour. The various portions Of the body
were taken onto a ferryboat and thrown into
the river.
Guldensuppe had a gold watch and
chain. The police say Thorn took these and
pawned them. Acting Inspector OBrien says
he believes this statement to be true. And still
CAPTAIN O'Brien says there was no trace or
blood in the Woodside house. He admits that
one of his detectives. who had been plumber
before he was policeman. went to the house
and carried away sections Of the drain pipe from
the bathtub. but could not see any trace OF
blood. He says. too. that a portion OF the floor
was scraped In the hopes Of finding some show
az bloodstain. And also that mud from the
trench into which the drain pipe leads was taken
up in the hopes of finding traces OF blood. 30
far as the police will admit. there was no biood
TO be found But Acting Inspector O'Brien says
these scrapings. pipe joints and mud must un-
dergo chemical analysis. and that then trace of
blood may show
Dolpha or Gartha. the man who is supposed
70 have made the statement 10 OBrien. is bar
her who lives in East Ninety-third-st. He works
in the shop Of Antonio Martine at No. 2,33o
Eighth-ave and had long been fellow-work-
man of Thorn
THORN is COOL
Thorn is thirty-two years old. His features
are strongly German. He looks younger than