New-York tribune., 1903-07-14
KNEW HIS ASSAILANT.
ROXBURY'S CRY OF FEAR
Bludgeon Which Gaze Him Fatal
Wound Found.

TWO important developments yesterday. one
the finding Of the club. an ugly. blood
stained bludgeon. with which the man MUIR
dered: the other was the probability, brought
out by the contradictions of witnesses in the
preliminary examination held by Joseph l.
Berry, the coroner that the victim recognized
his assailant the fatal blow descending,
and that the assault melted by a desire
for vengeance. Miss Lillian Thomasch, the hair
dresser who Roxbury's companion on the
night of the murder, the principal witness
She contra dicted stories she had previously told
to the police and stories told by other wit
nesses.
While the funeral of RoXbury was being heid
at the fremont Methodist Church last night. In
spector Titus in command Of The Bronx, was
exhibiting the bloodstained club with which the
assailant struck down his victim. Short and
stout, this club looks like the handle of pick
axe similar instrument. It is round, and
about 10 inches long. Found by William Meyer
thirteen-year-old boy, of No. 1645 Mott-ave,
on Saturday morning. he playing at one
hundred and sixty -ffth-st. and River-ave, ana
thrown away by him. this club. which the police
consider an important cew, fell into their hands
! because the boys parents heard him speak about
finding it, and connected it with the murder
mystery. One end, where it had been sawed or
was irregular, and could be easily fitted to the
rest of the club. if found.
that either Roxbury or his assailant said some
thing in the struggle. of which the only word she
caught was You -" which she took as
warning to run. Yet on the night of the murder
she told Albert Schultz, one of the men to whom
she applied for help, he testified yesterday that
as Mr.. Roxbury was leaning against the fence
she standing in front of him, man rushed up
behind her. and as he raned blows on the head
of the tea faster. shouted Now, you -, evil
IDENTIFY a menace to his victim, while Roxbury
groaned 20 my Cod" This exclamation would
tend to confirm the belief that Roxbury knew
the assailant and felt that retributione was at
hand.
LOOKING FOR AN EX-CONVICT.
Detectives were securing the neighborhood
yesterday in search of a tall, thin man, wearing
a slouch hat which was the description given
! by Miss Thomasch of the assailanC Joseph
! Sassernann a conductor o a One hundred and
sixty-frst-st. car remembered man answering
! that description who boarded his car at Jerome
| ave. taking a transfer to Norris-ave. This man
| had a badly damaged right eye. and his face be-
| low the eye was cut and bleeding At once de-
! tectives went out with this conductor, but late
! last night no trace of the man had been found.
The authorities. however. believe that ne was
| the murderer and that they win find him soon.
This man was supposed to be ex-convict,
| who had been hanging around that vicinity. In
| this connection. Inspector Titus points out that
! of the woman's garments found under the Sec
| onz-ave. bridgs OF. Sat;Fda., morning, supposed
| to have belonged to the murderer's companion,
the chernise was exactly like those worn in the
warehouses and prisons, and that it was possible
| the woman too had served time.
Six detectives from Mulberry-st. were detailed
on the case by Inspector McClusky yesterday,
in addition to the precinct detectives and Inspec-
| tor Titus, who has taken personal charge of the
] work. Among them are Detectives McCaferty,
McAuley and Arthur Carey.
Of all the work done yesterday, however. per-
haps the most valuable, as tending to show a
| motive for the murder, that at the pre-
| Iimnary examinatio of the witnesses. Here
| was brought out the fact that RoXbury evi-
| IDENTIFY recognized the man who assaulted him,
| and, in addition, the coroner made it known
that he had the names of four women with
| whom the murdered man had had more or less
| friendly relations. That his mother Mrs. Glib
| son, knew of of those women was also
| shown: in fact. through her, indirectly. the
coroner got this While not inclined to
| speculate this phase of the case yesterday,
| the authorities admitted that it opened up end
| less vistas of feminine jealousy, intrigue and
| perhaps revenge
At 10 a. m. the hearing began Miss
| Thomasch dressed in a plain black suit, black
| hat and heavy black veil, which offered a
| strong contrast to her red-yeow hair, was on
hand. accompanied by her mother. From that
time until oclocl. she under examination
at intervals, and when she went away sum-
| mons was served her to go before Assistant
| District Attorney Garvar. at the Criminal
Courts Building, at 10 a to-day. She is
under police surveillance.
The examination was conducted secretly.
| Frederick KernOchan represented the District
| Attorneys office. Besides Miss Tomasch. there
! mar md
| Schultz and Yates. the men to whom she applied
| for help, and and boys who testified about
| the mysterious couple seen behind Roxbury and
| his companion.
MET ROXBURY BY APPOINTMENT.
After the proceedings the Coroner made a
statement The assault occurred in River-ave,
near hundred and -sixty-sixth-st.. he said
according to the stories of the witnesses. The
murderer evidently lurked on the bank at the
side of the road. and after the assault had
crossed lots through One-hundred- sixty
ffth-st to Girard-ave, then back to River-ave.
for at about $40 p m. he was seen by some
boys who had been swimming at Cromwell S
Creek. AS to the couple mentioned by Miss
Thomasch, they were evidently pair who had
been in Schumachers saloon at River-ave. and
One-hundred-an sixty -first-st. for the descrip-
tions apparently conceded. This couple fire.
quently drank there.
According TO Miss Tomasch's story, she has
known Roxbury for eleven years since she was
introduced him by friend when they Hvec
in Thirty -fourth-st. She never knew his fam
lily. She had met him frequently the streets
and q few nights before last Friday they me-
and he told her that on Friday night he woulC
dine with his mother downtown, and woui'
meet her at the Forty -second-st station OF th'
! Ninth-ave elevated road No positive engage