The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-09

couple of days. The missing man had
been employed as a rubber in the baths
and had prominent tattOOed mark on
his breast. Close inquiries elicied the
information that Guldensuppe had dis
appeared on Thursday night or early on
Friday morning the very day upon
which the murder was supposed to
have been committed. Where did he
live? Who were his friends? Had he
a wife? Or was there a woman mixed
up in his affairs? Love and jealousy
might account for the committal of so
terrible a deed. The reporter discover
ed that there was a woman named
Mrs. Augusta Mack who had abandon
ed her husband for Guldensuppe. Here
was a clue. Might not the husband
have had a hand in he bloody work?
Mrs. Mack lived on the second floor of
No. 439 Ninth avenue and thither the
reporter went. Yes, she knew Gulden-
suppe but she had not seen him for a
few days. She was perfectly cool, but
there was something about her which
aroused the suspicious of her interro-
gator. He went back to the baths and
had tn attendants there who knew
GuIdensuppe well, go with him to the
morgue. These men had no difficulty
in Identifying the trunk and arms as
those of Guldensuppe. They had known
him for years and had daily seen him
stripped to his waist at his work.
Where the skin was cut from the
breast GuldenSuppe had carried the
tattoo marks which would have made
Identification easy but it was evident
they had been removed to prevent their
serving such purpose. The reporter
then hurried back to Mrs. Mack S mouse
where he found her preparing to move
to another residence. The woman was
perfectly cool and answered all ques-
tions plausibly but as was discovered
almost Immediately, lied unhesitating-
". These lies have helped to weave a
net work of damning evidence around
her. Other reporters kept watch Oh
the house so that the midwife might be
tracked wherever she went, and then
the story was given to the police, who
were still fiOundering in the dark
Mrs. Mack was arrested and her hus-
band, from whom she was separated
was captured while driving bread
wagon. He, however, established his
innocence sufficiently well to procure
his discharge. BY this time it was
learned that Guldensuppe had a rival
for the affection of Mrs. Mack, in one
Martin Thorn, a barber Both men
had quarreled about the woman and
had threatened each others lives.
Where was Thorn? He had disap-
peared as completely as if the earth
had opened and swallowed him. A call
for his arrest was sent out by the police
authorities and for days the public
waited anxioUsIy for his capture. 1t
was believed that he had shipped for
Germany and that he would be taken
into custody on his arrival there.
Meanwhile the missing legs were found
close to the navy yard in Brooklyn. |
They were tied up in oil CLOTH paper
and cheese cloth similar to the wrap |
pings of the two bundles previously !
found. The Dath aCLenQanIS maze the /
Identification more positive as they cas- |
lily recognized the limbs as those of |
Guldensuppe on account Of his having /
ver-lapping toes. The limbs fitted ex-
actly to the lower part of the trunk
found in the woods and as it fitted to
the upper portion of the body first /
found nothing was left to perfect the |
Identification but the head.
At last came the arrest of Thorn. The
man had never left the city. He had !
merely shaved off his mustache and
with this simple disguise he rubbed
clothes with the officers who were look
ing for him. Had he held his tongue he (
could probably have continued to live /
in this city unmOlested. Thorn, hOwev- |
er, liked his beer and was fond of COM /
pany. His terrible secret was too much /
for him, and so one day he unburdened /
his mind to an old friend and fellow /
barber, John Gotha. Gotha he sWore /
to secrecy, but the secret was too much /
for the latter also. He would at least /
tell his wife all he knew. Mrs. Gotha |
once in possession of the dread story, !
could not and would not rest until the ;
police had also heard it. Her brother /
was a police officer, and to him she told /
the story of Thorn's admission. The de /
confirmed the tale told by his wife. |
The arrest of Thorn followed GOtha /
made an appointment to meet him at (
Twelfth street and Eighth avenue, al |
though Thorn demurred at first and eX- /
pressed himself as anxious to meet (
Gotha in more lonely and unfrequent- !
ed place. Gotha and his family believe /
now that Thorn had regretted having /
committed his secret to the keeping of /
his friend and resolved to kill him.
Gotha induced Thorn to meet him at |
night on the corner mentioned, and as |
soon as GOtEa walked towards him, |
Thorn was surrounded by detectives, |
and thus his arrest was effected. /
ThOrn'S story to GOtha was to the effect |
that Guldensuppe had been brought by
Mrs. Mack to her cottage at WOodside, !
L. l. which she rented for the purpose
of starting a baby farm and that he !
(ThOrn) lay in wait for the bath rub
Der in a closet in an upstairs room.
When Guldensuppe reached the house
Mrs. Mack told him to go upstairs and
examine the rooms while she went into
the yard. GuldenSuppe heSitated, but
finally went upstairs and passed from
room to room, peering into the closets, /
until he reached the one in which
Thorn was hidden. As soon as the un-
SuSpecting man opened the door, IhOrn
shot him in the head and then dragged
him to the bath tub into which he threw
him.
If Gotha,s story be true, Thorn ac-
knowledged that while Guldensuppe
was yet alive the barber drew a knife
or razor and cut his throat. The di-
vision of the body was next made, and
two of the bundles were dropped over
board from ferry boat in the east
river. Another he left in the woods,
having driven there in company with
Mrs. Mack. The head he encased in
plaster of Paris and sank it in the East
river.
Mrs. Mack had helped Thorn to make
up the bundles, and it was she who pur-
chased the wrapping material
GOtha's statement has been proven to
be correct in many particulars, save
that as to the disposition of the head.
Thorn's s reasons for killing Guldensuppe
were revenge for his having once beat
en- him, and a desire to be free to live
with Mrs. Mack.
Reporters discovered the woman who
sold Mrs. Mack the oil cloth and the
man who rented the Woodside house
WFTPNWHRVUl