New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-20
Almost Hurled Into Sub
way, Miss Kopp, Detec-
tive, Holds Fast.
MESSAGE DECOYS
DR.. Won MATTHESIUS
Trapped in Brooklyn After Es-
cape from Jersey Prison
Hospital.

A good sized man in a heavy over
coat was standing close to a taXicab
near one Of the subway entrances for
New York trains at Borough Hall,
Brooklyn, yesterday morning at the
hour when church bells were tolling.
He was so intent upon looking for some
one that he failed to notice a slender
young woman who had stepped up be-
hind him. She threw both arms around
him, and he began to struggle to free
himself.
Having the advantage in weight. he
started to hurl her down the subway
stairs, but she hung on. Men in the
crowd that had gathered around the
two did not offer TO assist her. Not
until pair of handouts dropped from
her handbag did they understand what
the struggle was all about.
ooh, Sheriff I'm so glad you've
come she cried. as Robert n. Heath,
of Hackensack, pushed his way through
the crowd. 81 thought sure he would
get away if he knocked me out"
Woman Detective Wins Fight.
Sheriff Heath picked up the hand
cuffs and snapped them on the wrists
of the man, who was still writing in
the clasp of his determined captcr
With evident relief, Miss Constance
Kopp, woman detective, from Wyckoff,
n. j., readjusted her hat, fondled the
badge on her jacket. and smiled.
Miss Kopp's prisoner was the Rev.
DR.. Herman Albert Won Matthesius,
minister physician and prison patient,
who escaped from the hackensack
Hospital on November 6. lie had been
fined $1,000 by Judge William NJ. Seu-
fert in July on complaint of three boys
employed in his richly furnished sana-
forum at Rutherford.
Sheriff Heath, Miss Kopp and several
other detectives had been searching in
Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and
Greenpoint, Long Island, for the pris-
oner They caused the arrest of a
nephew and a cousin Of the doctor.
Both are in Hackensack jail charged
with aiding in his escape.
A week ago the Sheriff persuaded
the Rev. A. Weber, of the German
Reformed Church. Hackensack, to
write a letter to Dr. Won Matthesius
through the general delivery of New
York telling him to send for his trunks
which were supposed to be in Webber's
house. A detective assigned to watch
N oil 4 oba 81
doctors messenger down into the sub
way, but missed him when a train
guard shut the door in his face.
When Reinhold Deitz, twenty years
old, called at the parsonage Saturday
afternoon to look after the doctors
baggage, he was arrested by Deputy
Sheriff William II. Bratt.
That night Dietz brought Sheriff
Heath and Miss Kopp 10 the home o.
Rudolph Schilga, at 1877 Second Avenue,
Manhattan, who had been the do, tors
guide and companion since he escaped
Schilga was not at home, but they left
note with directions for DR. Won
Matthesius to be at the Borough Hall
subway entrance at 1915 yesterday
morning. He complied with the re-
quest.
NO finance TOT Escape.
81 had worked many days and nights
on this case, and twice DR.. Won
Matthesius got away from US when We
thought we had him." Miss Kopp sa d
$50 | was determined to hang on 10
him. no matter how rough he might be
None of the men near b. offered tc
come to my assistance, and ] felt re-
lieved when heard the Sher'ff's voice
II seemed as though the doctor was
about TO strike me, when the Sheriff
grabbed his arm and forced him back
Miss Kopp qualified for her present
job by causing the arrest Of George
Johnson, an ex-convict, Of Someiville,
n. j., for threatening to kidnap her
younger sister, Florette. She also OBJ
. tanned the conviction OF Henry Jauf
man. a Paterson silk dyer, for sending
her threatening letters.