The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-21
EDWARD UNGER SET FREE
HIS RELEASE RECALLS THE STORY OF
A REMARKABLE CRIME.
Killed August Bohle, Cut Up His Body and
Shipped 1t to Baltimore in n Trunk
How ByrneR Made Him Confess-EscRpcd
Drnth Sentence by u Plea of Sc Defence


Shipped 1t to Baltimore in n Trunk
How Byrnes Made Him Confess Escaped
Death Sentence by n Plea of seif-Defence
Edward Unger. who was convicted OIL Feb.
10. 1887. Of manslaughter in tho first degree
in causing the death Of August Bohle and SEN
fenced to twenty years In State prison. was
discharged from Sing Sing Yesterday morning.
BY good behavior he earned Communication Of
seven years and eight months. When he was
received at the prison he had 2i4.5O. This
was taken from him. and during the twelve
years and four months he was in prison inter-
est at the rate OF per cent. was added to the
principal. When discharged he received the
principal. plus the interest and S5l.O which
: he earned during the years he was n convict
During all the time he was In Sing Sing he was
employed in the mess hall as cook and
Warden Johnson said yesterday that he was
one OF the best cooks as we'll as one OF the best
prisoners they have ever had at the prison.
Tho crime for which Unger was convicted
was committed in Unger's room. on the top
floor OF the tenement at - Ridge street. on the
night of Jan. 20. 1897. and was known as the
trunk mystery" Unger. August Bohle and
fingers son. lived together in two small rooms
Cnger was born in Marieburg. Prussia, and
served in the United States navy during the
civil war. part Of the time as masters mate on
tho transport South Carolina. While on the
south lurOllnd, ne, al great TlSk Oh me-
saved the ship and probably tho lives OF all on
board. by preventing a general explosion OF
the powder on the ship after fire had started
in the magazine. He was subsequently dis
charged from the service for stealing bale OF
cotton.
Bohle. also a Prussian. came to New York in
the fall OF 1886. having accumulated few
thousand dollars by following the trade of
butcher In the West He met Cnger when the
( latter was keeping n saloon in Rivington street
The two men became good friends. and finally
Bohle went to live with Unger and his son.
Unger went into partnership with his boarder
in selling sausage castings. which Bohle made.
The business wasn't profitable. and finally
Bohle took all his castings over to Il Williams
burg butcher named Henry Siegel. whose shop
was at 205 Throop avenue. According to the
arrangement made. Bohle and Unger were to
send any customers they might secure to
Siegers place. where the castings were to be
shown. and to carry out this plan Bohlc took
lot OF Siegels business cards with which to
direct any castings purchasers TO siegers shop.
ljohle In the meantime had met woman
street and who had induced him to put some
brought out on the trial. had arranged to pay
the woman sum Of money on Jan. 20. ieSSI.
whore he. had an account, to draw olt the
money. When he retqrn"d to his home, be;
if he had drawn his money. Bohe replied that
he had but after doing 40 had concluded not to
psaSs tRe Ss HAT os
still had the money on his person. murdered
him that night IN order 10 get p3ssessi9h OF 1t.
posted the money before he returned home. as
his pass6ook. found in the room where he was
Nothing was known here, about a murder
having been eommitted until Jan 70 when the
Baltimore telling OF the finding in the cellar #
tn, Adams ExpIesf CompaHy's @hlce. IN WeIt
containing the headless body OF a man. The
body as found was tn eight pieces. the legss
from The leg. ana the left arm hal been sawed
of The head was missing. In one OF the
the coat wh Il ssSy w[ cnrs aFon!
also noticed that the toe nails were ;" long that
they curved nearly half an inch under the toca.
Byrnes. in charG" Of the Detective Bureau.
and through then upger was arrest H q, a. he
at tire on the afternoon OF Jan. y. the day
| after the body was found in the trunk and
The prisoner was taken to Police Headuuar-
tiers. and. when questioned by Inspector
Byrne refused say anytbhins EXCEPT this
Two days later Inspector Byrnes placed II
| taken from fingers rooms. the hammer i1f WITH
MhGF Il. h and hnSs r,h FSh he
was supposed to. have cut up the body. and
which, were also found in the rooms together
bered body Then the cell door was opened
and Cnger was called out; The first thipgs he
| nearly thrown into cpnvulsIons, and thon and
there made a confession OF the whole thing
| He insisted. however. that he had killed BohLe
and in seif-deience
ant H b TSS 9o efS ZEE De an"ey Moi con-
i Quoting the. prosecution and MILAN T. Howe
PE. } ns Sm nS hd # lad a
I been done in selt-dcfence. During the trlq!
nEcrs To daggRRtsr. sft alw9ys IGsi9G Shf h
ta'h:T. ,Tngsr t"stiredf in ht- ,cwS Is,rsnrs;
| the crime: how he was attacked with Il knife
by Boil? after the latter hi Set!el him VIE
lie could get to 1901 box in an adjoining
| room. and then how h" picked up
R RaGs sE %na "HF a Told ho Of 'f h%m fen z
tie home coming from WorS Of Ms s2n he h ma
h e@ay o how the be h m S WIFI w his sH S IN
s the same m' room my thn, hight Hs I'D II enG
his, son tha, Dohle EnG gone. 10 C8,c1e" and
| over him. Fo tod Of cutting NJ tho bouy TIC
putting It it into bohlc's trunk, Of first carry
ing tho trunk. with the as-i~tsnceeo Of an tall
, saloon in Williamsburg. fion whore he shipped
H,mT Wi.n "Ef%3 e. foST 3rv,ora to be-
II ,oi& = vraTrns The head in, in RI, PeG:G , Of
p rllhhrr cloth nN.i dropping " INTO INC .aSt
River from Grand street farryhpa'. and thcn
said that he had cnt NJ the body TO- save hi1
! children from the disgrace" ol having their
, father arrested and convicted Of murder In
! gers story according to Old court officers seen
| Yesterday, was pronounced by JuHtir" BARRETT.
who tried tn" ra,s". and the thyn district 4.
: tornry. the late Randolph R.NartiNr. one OF m"
! most ciYcctiv" pieces OF testimony ever heard
/ in the old oyer and Terminrr Th" trial was
! begun on Feb. II and the case went TO the Jury
Just one week later; After being out nearly
| twenty -four hours the jury returned verdict
OF manslaughter in the first degree and UnRor
! was sentenced on the same day.
! Mr. Howe. in speaking Of the case yesterday.
| said: Il consider the tnger casc the greatest
victory I ever won NJ the bar. he day tho
trial began Inspector Byrn"s said to me:
Howei there's no use Of your defending In-
! You can't save him lust before opened the
case told Unger to absorb every word ! said
! and then repeat it on the witness stand. il he
wanted TO save his life. r" dll AS he was told,
! and a better piece Of dramatic work never
saw on the stage Edwin Booth himself
| couldn't have done better"
Unger comes out OF prison pract ca lly an old
man. In the prime OF life when he became
convict, he is now -. and his dark brown hair
/ ia ryhita Hia plyauua however is *