The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-09-30
VAN GANSDORF FREE.
Man Who Committed the
Theft Did Not Have
a Moustache.
THE PRISONER 50 EQUIPPED
He Says It is a Case Of Mis-
taken Indemnity and Gives
References.
THE PRISONER 50 EQUIPPED

Alfred Van Gansdorf. Of No. 4o5 Hens
derson street, who was arrested on sus-
picion, yesterday. of stealing q couple of
diamond rings from a closet in the kitch-
en- of Mrs. P. @. Smith, Of No 5s4 SUM
nit avenue, was discharged from ous-
tody this morning. A small moustachx
saved him, perhaps. from being sent, In
nocent of the crime, to States Prison.
According to the witnesses who appeared
against him when he was arraigned in
the Second Criminal Court this morning,
his arrest was due to a case OF mistaken
identity. The scene in the court room
during Van Gansdorf's arraignment was
dramatic His young wife, to whom he
has been married but three months, faint
ed and had to be taken out by court Off
GERS As she was taken from the room
Van Gansdorf burst out, crying.
This accident. however, did not occur
until after Mrs. Smith and another wit
ness had picked out Van GansdorH from
dozen other men when stood up at
Police Headquarters. yesterday. One OF
the witnesses stated yesterday that she
was not sure that the supposed thief had
moustache- This morning. Mrs. Smith.
on the stand, said she was unable to pick
out any man in the court room whom she
could identify as the thief. Van Gansdorf
stood at the pen rail.
Was it tfis man, asked Justice Potts.
pointing to the prisoner.
Mrs. Smith gazed searchingly at the
prisoner who returned her gaze un-
fiinchingly. Mrs Smith finally shook her
head as though undecided about some.
thing.
No 1t was not that man The can-
.vasser who called at my house on the day
Of the theft had no moustache and
could scarcely have raised that one sines
the theft occurred
Katie Coyne. a young servant Of Mrs.
Kline next door neighbor of Mrs
Smith, who saw the supposed thief and
who also picked out vaK Gansdorf yester-
day. was also unable to swear that that
prisoner was the thief She said he re-
sembled the man who called at both the
houses of Mrs Smith and Mrs. Kline, on
the day the diamond rings disappeared.
in almost every particular except the
moustache, At one time during Mrs.
Smiths testimony her eyes became filed
could tell.
feet that young man resembling in all
other respects except the fneustache. the
prisoner called at her house ON Friday
last He came to the kitchen door. Il
order TO reach which he was Obliged TO
descend three steps leading from the
area She had placed her two diamopd
rings in a glass jar in a closet. the d
of which, Al the time of the young ma
! ff.4-
man asked her II katie Sullivan Ii
there. She told him that Katie SI
van lived there a year ago. He said
came from ST. Joseph's Church. was
ious to become priest and was sol
ing subscriptions to various Catholic
iodicals. which cost S1.25 a year, 55
of which he received. and was savfs
money to Educate himself for the p
hood He gave a list of papers and
Mrs. Smith If She would not subscribe
one She told him no. He asked
servant il she did not want to subsc
She did not subscribe.
Meanwhile the canvasser was ey
everything about the room. NOTCH
horseshoe over The door he remarked
.sYou have plenty of luck in this hoi
He finally left A few moments
he returned with a dollar bill and 81
ing at the kitchen door asked the
want if she had change for 1t. std
that he had secured one subscriber
wanted to make change. The ser'
started upstairs with the bill to ask ~
Smith if she had change. The glass j
in the closet could be seen from II
kitchen door Mrs Smith did not hay
the change and when the servant hand
- 10. tf,s hill the cauvasser left ShOrfl