The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-11-18
MRS. MACK CONFESSES.
Woman AccompIce Tells in Court How
Thorn Murdered GueIdensuppe.
A SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Crowds BesieSe the Queens County Court
House to Hear the Story of the Hor-
ribIe Dced-To Save Her Own Life
Mrs. Mack Betrays Her Partner
in Crime-Turns States Evidence.
NEW YORK CRY (SpeciaD D.-Goaded by
terror and remorse, Mrs. Augusta Mack
went upon the witness stand in the Queens
County County Court House at Long ISL
and City and confessed that she and Martin
Thorn together had plotted the death OF
William GueldcGsuppe, the Turkish bath
attendant, who disappeared On juno "a
last; that she lured him to the place fixed
upon for his assassination and there waited
until the deed was done; that, with her
accompIice, who had dismembered the
body, she helped to dispose Of the dreadful
evidence Of the crime
1t was an intensely dramatic recital-be-
gun in calmness, and ending in frenzy.
Step by step the wretched woman told OF
the proposition made by Thorn that Guel
densuppe should be slain, of her horror
stricken rejection, OF the constant persua-
ratiOns for accomplishment and conceal
ment. As she went on. Mrs. Mack raised
her voice. until at last her phlegmatic, i'm
perturbable nature could stand IL no longer,
and she almost sh-ieked, IT am glad this
day has come. l am here before the peo-
pie and before my God. free my con.
science"
Her face became contorted. and down
her cheeks rolled scalding tears. Sobs
convulsed her. and for n moment she could
not speak. Then, looking up, she con-
tinued: "No matter what comes OF this:
no matter what hangs over my head. I
don't care what happens to me; they can
hang. they can kill. I tell ALL"
Martin Thorn, the prisoner at the bar,
was sitting sphynx-like when Mrs. Mack
entered the court room. His usually pale
face became paler still as she advanced to
the witness stand, but the only other sign
OF emotion he showed was convulsive
movement Of the throat and moistening
Of the thin lips. He seemed to be making
desperate effort to attract Mrs. Nack's at
tention, but her eyes never once looked into
his. Showily dressed in silk, and with
nchu OF lace about her throat she took her
place in the witness chair, and began the
story OF her life from the time OF her mar
riage in Germany up to her meeting with
Gueldensuppe, and later with Thorn inthis
country and the awful events that followed.
The woman was on the stand about four
hours. The other witnesses of the day
were mostly men who knew Gueldensuppe
and who had identified the parts Of the
body. The owner OF the house at Wood
side testified to renting the house to Thorn
under the name Of F. Braun, and said that
Thorn introduced Mrs. Mack rs Mrs.
Braun. He identified Thorn and Mrs. Mack
in court.
Mrs. Nack's confession pecessitated rad
zeal change in the lines OF Thorn's defense.
William F. Howe, his counsel, began by
denying that Gueldensuppe had been killed
or that there was any conclusive evidence
onthe subject. Upon hearing Mrs. Nack's
story he abandoned this theory. He had q
long. earnest consultation with Thorn, who
gave an entirely new version Of the affair,
insisting that the woman had killed Guel-
densuppe with her own hand and began to
hack him to pieces before life was extinct.
Thorn's trial was adjourned late in the
afternoon on account OF the sudden illness
Of Masnus Larsen, one Of the jurors.