The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-17
STEIGER GUILTY, DOUBLY.
CONVICTED OF NUMBERING SMITH
UoHFEssEs NUMBERING sTELs.

msIlrinEer and Trap Brewer Ochs-The
new York Chsrch Murder ne DID Alone.
Constantine steiger. the church robbor, who
gavo his name as Fritz Meyer when he was ar
rested for killing Policeman Frederick Smith. in
the school of the Redemptorist Church on Third
street, was convicted yesterday Of murder In the
nrst degree in the criminal branch of the Su.
preme Court.
The case went to the Jury at $3.50 o'clock In
che afternoon, and while the jury was out DELHI
Grating on . verdict, Police Captain Lees of
Williamsburg walked into the court room armed
with q warrant for 5teiger's arrest. Steiger hav-
Ing been indicted by the Kings county Grand
Jury for tho murder Of George Stels. the bell
ringer of Holy Trinity Church in Williamsburg,
on Aug. 20.
'.If the jury fails to Gnd stelEer guilty Of the
smith murder" said the Captain. Two will
surely convict him Of the murder of S;elE. l
have a complete case against him. / have re-
covered the murdered bellringer's watch, and 1
have tho persons to whom Steiger gave the
watch. stelz's pocketbook was found in Steig.
er's possession. steiser and his pal, Dutch Jake.
killed the old bollringer and then rified his
you haven't any better case than we have
against him." said District Attorney Olcott.
The conversation was here interrupted by tho
return of the Jury. Justice Fursman took his
seat on the bench, and Steigor. or Meyer, as he
chose to call himself, was led in from the prison
pen. Fully FIVE hundred persons wero in the
Court House corridors clamoring for admission
TO the court room. Not more than q hundred Of
them got in.
The prisoner tapped the arm Of his counsel.
Lawyer O'Hare. and whispered:
"n's q case of death-the jury looks fright
Oned."
Gentlemen of tho jury" said the clerk,
shave you agreed upon q verdict r
Foreman Ernest Meyer stood up. and In . fal.
terIne voice said:
I'VE Hnd-we find tho man-the prisoner at
the bar guilty Of murder in tho first degree
Stciser. who had been standing, sat down
suddenly, and stlfcncd his arms out on the
table before him. Then he glanced scornfully
at tho jury. A court officer ordered him to
stand up again. and no did SO.
Tho Clerk proceeded to ask tho customary
questions, the first being "What is your namer'
"Constantine-no, l mean Fritz Meyer" he
Bald.
Q-Whero do you residei A.-Nowhere.
Q.-where were you born. AIN Germany.
Q-what's your religious belief Al have
9.~Married or single, A.-sinsle,
DIDO you, use Intoxicating liquors. Ayes,
moderately, but I'm no drunkard.
Q-Were you ever convicted before 2 Ayes,
several times. but l don't remember.
Meyer was led back to tho prison pen. As he
hidde-aged German women stepped up. and one
Keep up. MIR. steieer. and don't break
I..'Mrs. sauer. come over to the Tombs," re-
Poiics Captains Lees vent to The seV WOMEN sSn;
xo "C Ssn b to the , THm n,, Ti sf. me, said he "and
Tho two women went over TO tho TOn0a. and
IN ssI getting as r.. Ras se s sns gr! 81 rs ass saass . then.
Hamburg. Mrs. Sauor had known steiger
twsnty-hye years ago. she said: when he was
steiger's wife and daughter.
,steiger was taken into The hospital word Of
Sauer. Mrs. Sauer wept, and said IN German,
- wish you Gods help anyhow, but 1 can't do
Then Mrs. sauer and steiger talked about old
the ime he had tried to xiii, her twenty-five
years ago. when he was a boarder at her moth
well. not believing in anything said stei-
ger II never thought m much q, Of killing Hin so long long
e. { NV isas GO: .a!a = fa ss%fs9e'f ri 70 be %'V sure HsS' de %sff By
Capt. Lees at this point stepped, forward from
behind " partition tda n, where = he .,, had s, Sssn 't .1Sra.s:
ing the captain. "Iwanted Mrs. sauer to come
that you e'a, ki led B fni G Ringer isteiz n in Holy HSyS trinity fnfHt
Church in Williamsburg; You've been indicted
.:That don't count for anything. " said steiger.
D9 aSsli.@ .s Ts' |h sae Ssp a'l me 3sls poe4etsool
IN New YORK has been iidsntiass y MT; stslI
S Was sn mars stg,sh from hef huS0"na inc H'sn' no
III. was NO pocke.boSk." remarked stoiser.
And steiz's watch is now In my possession.
too" continued the Captain.
Where did you get the watch T. asked the
Through the woman you gave it to to pawn"
SSe oppI = the he G Captain; t "She said you gave her q
p. ,sas lit &. S s.is st II Ssi. "l ssT STREET nss ~ fcr s shS
and whom she came to me With The money and
fkiGtfs E | Gsxs a Of III Il o Ssc 81 1do street Sie; ihf pu Mas
WYE! @ssn =. I a hssi :. asss4E B Fiji SiRfsRi'h s,r sss S sf"s gave Si me-
We'll. what's the use of telling about that
That's the ssseSst thing You evef said. re
marked Capt. Lees; "but we've got all the
proof that you killed stelz. Can you deny IT
We'll, don't talk about IT, /" said steiger.
who met you thu. night Of the steiz murder
S TSi Mrs: sauer; $50 you might as well tell all
hallway Ga schoieS street. trying to wash the
blood on your hands. Who was tho man with
That was my pal. Dutch Pete said Steiger
but don't want to put him in trouble. I'm in
trouble; It's no use TO get others there too
At this point Mrs. Sauer began to cry, and
holding TO steiger's hand. begged him to tell all
ebout the murder to Capt. Lees. She begged
him to confess for old acquaintance sake.
What good can II. dol" asked steiger. "Il
viii only get my pal in trouble the same as
Tell II anyhow" pleaded Mrs. sauer.
well" said Steiger. II helped to kill stelz
when l choked him-when he had been hit with
the iron chisel ~by-when Latter he was dying
But l won't blame anything. on Pete. Ono TO die
tsenough. Pete was my pal. / won't squeal OF
"How did you como to kill him T. asked tn.
when We broke tho poorboxes and wer,
discovered We had to kill him-l had to strange
him to escape-and we just-I just took Hi
watch and pocketbook. lie had only $4.s(
when We met"
when who met T. asked Capt. Lees.
The man what was done" answered SteiRer
SThA nhnFnh anUNnn npAe In AnAtwna 49,