The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-11-24
THE GUELDENSUPPECASH
Murder Trial Of Martin Thorn Begur
in Long Island City,
CASE EXCITES GREAT INTEREST.

Brief Story Of the CrIne-The Accused and
Mrs. Mack Alleged to Have Decoyed
tho Victim to a Lonely Cottage and
There Murdered Him--Justice Wilmot
NJ. Smiths Attitude Towards Talesmen
NEW YORK CRY (speciaD. The trial Of
Martin Thorn for the murder Of William
Gueldensuppe on June 25, at Woodside, L.
l., was begun at half-past nine o'clock
Monday morning In Long Island City.
Supreme Court Justice Wilmot NJ. Smith
presided, and william J. Youngs, District
Attorney Of Queens County, conducted the
prosecution. william F. Howe, Of New
York City, was the leading counsel for the
defense. A large part Of the space on the
floor Of the courtroom and q considerable
part Of that in the gallery were occupied
by the reporters and artists OF the news
papers Of this and other cities. Two hun
dred talesmen filed most Of the space re-
naming in the small courtroom, and only
q few Of the large number Of persons whose
curiosity had been whetted to keen edge,
were aple to crafty their eyes and ears.
Thorn was brought in at ten o'clock. His
long confinement had apparently not told
on him. He looked In good health, and to
q certain extent free from anxiety. Not
quite. however; every now and then he
would wet his lips nervously, with his
tongue. For the most part there was q
half smile on his face, and he seemed to be
rather proud OF his prominence. The story
Of the crime charged against him IS in brief:
On the 25th of June, this year, 1t Is al
legged, his paramour, Augusta Mack, lured
to a vacant cottage at Woodside, Long Isl
and, William Gueldensuppe, her discarded
paramour. There Thorn, in hiding, shot
>Gueldensuppe, cut up his body in the bath
tub and threw part OF 1t into the East
River and took another part to Ogden
under indictment for murder In the first
degree. ..
The proceedings began with the calling
OF the roll Of the talesmen, upon the COM
pletion Of which Justice Smith announced
through the clerk that excuses would only
be heard as the talesmen were seated In the
witness chair.
The case began dramatically. The first
talesman that came to the stand proved to
be new witness to strong facts against
the prisoner. This talesman was l.. 0.
Blomqvist. He Is painter. and lives near
the Woodside cottage where Gueldensuppe
Is supposed to have been murdered.
On Saturday, June 26, Blomqvist saw
standing before the cottage the surrey that
played 50 important part in the story OF
the crime. More than this. he saw at the
cottage Mrs. Mack and Martin Thorn, and
late in the evening Of that day he saw be-
bind the surrey grewsome bundle, through
the torn end OF which he saw flesh and
bones. He thought 1t was a fresh killed
pig, and spoke OF 1t to his assistant and to
others at the time. The prosecution would
never have heard Of Blomqvist had It not
been for the accident Of his being called as
q Juror. He was excused as a juror and
summoned as witness.
After this incident 1t was an easy matter
to select twelve good men and true, 1t
being accomplished In less than eight hours.
This celebrity in choosing jury Is without
a precedent in the annals Of celebrated
trials in this State Of recent years.
In the selection Of the Thorn jury less
than seventy out of the panel Of $50 0talesmen
we're called for examination, and two or
three OF those summoned failed to appear.
William F. Howe, Thorn's counsel, and
District Attorney Youngs used two per-
emptorI challenges each.