davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08

Meanwhile the few men who want TO
see the whole scheme for a court house
thrown overheard. not TO he rescued uil-
III the financial situation has improved
are aking advantage Of the disclosures
concerning the plans to press th"lf
campaign FOR Abandonment. Laurence
NJ. II. Mcclure. PRESIDENT of the Real
Estate Board. and other court house
critics have sought the support OF the
advisory board of the Real Estate Inter
ests, the most powerful realty orSanl-
cation IN the city. This board has de-
clined TO take any stand without know
ing all about the court house ana what
The city would stand to lose II its pres
ent Sli 600. 600 real estate investment
were put on the market.
There is TO be a conference AT cry
Hall on Tuesday. Clarence II. Kelsey.
president OF the Title Guarantee and
Trust Company, and Charles A Pea
body. president OF the Mutual Life In
surance Company. will represent the adj
viso!y board. Morgan j. O'Brien, chair
man of the Court House Board. will ieg-
resent the Real Estate Board. Sl'okes-
men for the city government will be
President McAneny. Comptroller Prem
dergast and President Pounds OF Brook
Ism, the committee of the Board of Is
innate which i lulu!ring into the court
house cost and the probable cost Of
abandonment.
Both Mayor Mitche. ana NJ. McAneny
say flatly thai the court house Will be
built, but that the plans must he changed
and compacted. After viewing the plans
yesterday the Mayor said
As a result of my own study and the
special report rendered to me by Nj.
Auamson. | am convinced that the plans
a. they now lie contain certain elements
Of proposed service which 10 my mind
are wholly unnecessary and would en-
tail 81 excessive cost. | feel / can say
hat The plans viii not receive my APP
pIoNal as d member OF the Board OF
Estimate until they hav. been Very
thoroughly revised and very substantial
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08
why Cell Was Unlocked.

The contention was made yesterday
that Ryan was much too old and mex
perienced to have been entrusted with
"A duty so important and to have been
required to remain or duty for such
lengthy tours. He aid yesterday that
he had done the best he could N that
he hoped he wouldn't be blamed for
what he could not help.
Holt had been cranky for four days"
said Ryan. and | VAS afraid he might
try to kill himself. didn't have a spe-
cial key for the corridor door and so
the corridor door and the cell door were
left unlocked. The idea was that too
much time would be lost unlocking thesI
doors II II became necessary for me 10
IL into Hollis cell n prevent him
harming himself. The orders TO keep
the doors unlocked came from the
warden himself.
About 3 o'clock last night Holt. who
had been moaning and crying out.
shouted to me.
My God = he cried. II | could only
get some sleep. II I could sleep !
could explain myself and make people
understand why | did these things. Can't
o fix things so I can get sleep
Il told him to lie still. keep quiet
and sleep would come. lie lay down and
| thought he was asleep. but about 10
O'Clock he called me again.
Say he said. There was a man
with white whiskers trying to get me
to talk to-day. He said he was Or.
Carlos Macdonald. an alienist. had
lots of fun with him. When these people
try to show that I'm crazy they are on
the wrong track. l was angry about
this ammunition business
About 10 80 o'clock | heard "A noise
down the corridor. Because | knew
Holt needed sleep so badly | left my
post directly in front of his door. after
noting that he was asleep and snoring,
n went toward the east tier u! cells.
Suddenly | heard an explosion. | ran
back. thinking Holt had got a gun and
had shot himself. He was gone. When
| went out into the corridor | trippcd
over his body. He had climbed INC
barred wall and Owed to the floor
Warden Hulse issued a statement yes
terday putting the blame squarely on
Ryan. Hulse said that Ryan had re-
ceived orders to stay Oh guard in front
Of Hollis cell door and not TO leave the
post under any circumstances Hulse
added that II was impossible for Holt
TO have obtained a pistol or explosives.
Holt's body as 1t lay in the morgue Al
Hampstead was positively Identified yes
terday by TOT persons familiar with the
appearance of Prof. Erich Mucnter. Silas
r.. Smith, head of the state Police OF
Massachusetts Theodore W. Hitler, a
liveIyman OF Cambridge Arthur T,
Brown OF Cambridge and John Il. Whit
man. "A reporter for "A Boston newspaper,
scrutinized Hollis features and body
carefully n said they were certain that
he was Muenter. Mr.. smiths opinion
was supported by Bertillon measure
ments OF Muenter which corresponds
accurately with similar measurements
taken Of Holt yesterday.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08
EAplOsiOn story Denied.

With all Of these things in mind. the
excited shouts In the Jail just after Holt
came to death. the first story told by
Ryan. the hasty autopsy. the queer
wound over the right eye and the means
taken to disguise II. the persistent story
(Which even reached District Attorney
Lewis J. Smith) that there had been
an explosion at the moment of Hollis
death-the newspaper men asked Dis
trfct Attorney Smith frankly last eve
ming II he believed that Holt had COM
mitted suicide by jumping from the roof
OF the steel cell block or had killed him.
self by means Of a pistol or Illuminating
cap. Did he believe the story told by
the jail guards and was he willing to
accept II without further investigation?
The District Attorney said unre-
oervedly that he believed the story and
tnat ne saw no reason for further inves-
tgation OF the circumstance of the
death. He produced a formal report
watch he had drawn up and signed and
which will be submitted to the Coroner
to-day at 2 +. NJ. when the Coroner,
Walter X. Jones, holds the inquest in
the town hall at Hampstead. Mr.. Smith
a set forth these facts as they were
reported to linn.
He had particularly and specifically
ordered that Holt must be watched every
minute. He had directed that all of the
mans clothes except a rough shirt be
taken from him for fear that he would
~ to twist a rope and hang himself.
He had directed that no utensils except
. tin cup for water be allowed i'm Hollis
cell He had given no orders concern
ing the locking Of the cell door or other
doors because that was the business of
the warden. william Hulse.
On tuesday night at 10 80 o'clock,
said the District Attorneys statement.
ne received a message that Holt had
suicide by exploding some
thing In his cell" Presumably, although
Mr.. Smith would not say so. that
message came direct from the Jail. He
went TO the Jail as soon as possible.
by midnight, and he found Hollis body
lying In a narrow corridor between the
3ai wall and the cell block. II was
within about fifteen feet OF the south
wall OF the jail and a considerable dis
lance from the cen in which Holt had
been confined.
To understand exactly the lay OF the
moor II - necessary to say that the
wing OF the jail in which Holt was
confined Is 100 feet long and 80 feet
wide Within this rectangular room is
another room, a room within a room.
. steel cage, with barred walls and a
solid steel roof and in which are two
double tiers OF cells, one double tier at
the east side, one double tier at the
west side. All around runs a corridor,
cement paved, three feet wide, between
the brick walls of the Jail building and
the steel walls of the cell cage. II was
In this corridor that Mr.. smith found
Hollis body. The man lay on his RICH,
side. the floor showing unmistakable evil
dences of the manner OF his DEATH. He
wore no clothing except a shirt.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08

that the physicians declined TO state a
cause for it in their report to the county
medical examiner.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08
A FOR BAR
IN COURT HOUSE PLANS
Director Adamson Fails to See Necessity for Storage"
Room-Allotment Prodigal, Mayor Declares-Build-
ing's Cost Within $1O,O 600, 900, McAneny Promises.

minimum Of cost necessary ~ sat sv
the actual present and prospective 70.
quirements of the bench and IN. bar
Mr. McAneny added this
The preliminary exam!ud'.ru made
by the bureau OF contract SUPERVISION
reveals many things which. a. the M,y,.
mas said. indicate an excessive scale u
allowances for the actual needs &, ,c
met. Personally ] see no need 1.,,.
ever for provision for quart"iS 90. r-
lawyers using the building otho. OBJ
those to lie furnished In the cNeu'i
ton and consulting rooms or .n the I'D
lie restaurant. | am quite wii," 'g.
ever. to reserve any exact judgu ..' II .
other details until the arsuT.H'- II ~
Court House Board and the lHl-.. aae
given consideration.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08

Fol- example. the plans presented To
us contain an extraordinary prodigal al
lotment of space for IA lawyers private
cub. including restaurant and lounges
This II only one Of II umhe OF in
stances OF apparent extravaganza in
plan II design. The joint committee
of the Board III Estimate will uudoubt-
eddy recommend radical changes befol e
approval H. given by the board.
The city l. committed to the consttuc-
ton of q new court house. The site has
been procured at "a very considerable
cost The necessity for a new court
h Use is admitted on al sides The city
government, however, which is only one
Of the three agencies responsible for the
planning and construction of this court
house, has Ia, duty to see that the new
courts facilities are provided at the
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08

In the blue print plans of the new
county court house, there is a room on
the second mezzanine floor marked
storage" Tilden Adanson, director OF
the bureau of contract supervision. sus-
poets that the real intention of the
court house board. under whose direc-
ton Guy Lowell prepared the plans. is
{, have this room used as a bar or bui-
fet for a private club OF lawyers.
Alanson r. Briggs, executive secretary
of the court house board. told the Mayor
yesterday that Mr.. Adamson's suspicion
was absurd. He said the room vas
truthfully labelled "storale" and that
there was no thought of serving any
drink but water In the building.
Extensive quarters for the lawyers
club-"lawyers accommodations II the
phrase preferred By the Court House
Board-do exist in the blue prints, how
ever, with many other e~xtravagan and
/. expected features which make II GER
tain that the Board of Estimate VIII
decline to approve the plans untl they
have been greatly modified, the height
reduced and all unnecessary fril!s ei'hli-
mated.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-08
HOLT IS LINKED WITH MUENTER BY
LETTERS WHICH THE LATTER WROTE
n. Y. Life Insurance Officials
Have Documents Solving
Identity Tanglc.
RECORDS OF WIFE'S DEATH

Testimony 40 to the positive identity
Of Frank Holt. who committed suicide
Tuesday night In the Mineola. l.. l..
Jail. and Erich Muentcr, the Harvard
instructor accused of poisoning his wife
in 1906. as we'll as additional facts con
corning the Muenter case. was given
to THE Sun yesterday by officials Of
the New York Life Insurance Com
pany.
At the time Of the death Of Muen-
ter's wife in Cambridge. Mass. Muen-
ter was the beneficiary of a policy with
the New York Life for $1,000. his wife
being the insured. Documents. includ-
ing several letters from Muenter. rela-
tive to the transfer of the insurance to
Muenter's children and it's collection
were taken from the company's hles
yeste -day and examined in the light OF
recent revelations as to j. y. Nor
san's asssailant.
James II. Mcintosh. general counsel
of the company. stated yesterday that
after a careful examination Of photo
graphs and p~enmanship of both Holt
and Muenter. he was absolutely certain
that the men were one and the same.
The insurance. he said. was paid TO
Muenter's we children a few months
ago.
similarity In Letters.
Mr.. Mcintosh bases his conclusions
mainly upon the similarity Of letters
used in the correspondence of his hles
and in The letters written by Holt while
in the Mineoia Jail. The apparent dis
similarities between the two hands. he
believes. can be for by Hollis
weakness and attempts he may have
made TO disguise his handwriting
IL seemed probable to Mr.. Mcintosh
that Holt was led to make his desperate
effort TO kill himself by his realizing
that he was about to be caught at last
as the murderer OF his wife after evad-
ing the police for over nine years.
Documents OF the insurance company
show that on April y. 1906. Mrs. Muen-
ter gave birth TO a child and rallied rap
idly and normally until a few days later,
when she become suddenly III. Although
up to this time she had been treated by
Christian Science physicians, two reg
ular practitioners were called In. though
they were too late 10 save her. The cir
cumstances of the death we're such
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
Frank Saw Bright Dawn
in Letter to Friend
rBy Telegraph to The Tnbune.l

Pittsburgh, Aug. 2O-One of the last
acts of Leo NJ. Frank was to write to
Thomas Kanel, 208 Elm Street, this
city. to say that his life had been re-
stored to him so he might "see the
dawn of a brighter day in the near
future"
The letter, which was in reply to one
Of sympathy from Kanel following the
attack on Frank by a convict, and is
dated August 10. says:
Dear Friend: Permit me to thank
you for your kind letter of July %. /
appreciate your thoughtfulness, indeed.
Your expressions Of cheer were to me
a source of deep and abiding inspira-
ton.
"a am now gradually recovering from
the attack. The wound Is nearly
healed and | am gaining in strength.
/ am still weak because of the initial
loss of blood, and confined to my bed.
"Surely my escape from death was
truly providential. My dear wife. who
is my sole nurse, aided materially in
my struggle. cannot but believe that
] was rescued 90 see the dawn OF
brighter day in the near future when
that honor rightfully mine now will be
meted out to me. ! thank God that
was spared to enjoy my vindication
which must come"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
SEEK GIRL IN DEATH
OF POLICE-GANGSTER
Handkerchief Gives CleW to
Staying of Special Officer
by. Former Pals.

Stephen Curran, the special police
man who was shot to death Thursday
night in front of the parochial hall of
the Church Of the Holy Family in
Brooklyn, was a gangster whose life
had been forfeited for "squealing" on
his pals.
This is the ;hCCry adopted by Brook
Ign police who have been investigating
the murder. A handkerchief found
near the spot where Curran was shot
has led the police to believe that a
party TO the crime was a young woman
known to be on intimate terms with
one of Curran's enemies. Detectives
are now searching for the girl, who
has not been home, since the murder
took place.
An investigation of the special po-
liceman's record showed that he had
figured in several shootings and stab
bings. He served term in 1907 at
Elmira, but otherwise had always esq
caped imprisonment. This led his gang
mates TO suspect he was stool pig
con. It had been an open secret in the
underworld for some time that "The
Kert Street Savages," Curran's former
friends, had marked him for killing.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
LINGERS TO DANCE
ON WAY TO JAIL
w. V. Lester, Broadway Broker,
Accused of Stealing $1,000
in Bond Deal.

William V. Lester, a broker. of the
firm Of Lester & Lester, Sc Broadway,
will be arraigned in the Pcughkeepsie
City Court to-day, on charge oil
grand larceny He is accused of sell
ing $4,000 worth Of bonds belonging
to a client and of holding back $1,000
Of the proceeds for his own use.
The broker lived until recently with
his wife and son at the Hotel Mar
settles. For the last few weeks he
has been at a bungalow near STAN
ford. Conn. 1t is said that his com
panion has been an actress.
Detectives who went there 70 arrest
Lester on Wednesday night were told
by the broker that he would waive ex-
tradition if he were allowed to go to a
dance that evening. The police agreed,
and. with two sleuths as chaperons,
Lester attended his dance. When II
was over he stepped into taxicab and
was taken to Poughkeepsie.
Miss Estelle Sayre, a wealthy resi-
dent of this town, is the complainant
against the broker. She alleges that
he sold shores of the National Light
and Power Company of Maine for her
in September. The shares were worth
$4,000. Miss Sayre received only
$4,000 from the transaction and later
learned that he had kept the $1,000 for
his personal use.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
Vanderbilt Guest, Richly
Dressed, Arrested and
Sent to Bellevue.
MAY BE MISSING
WOMAN LAWYER
handbook, with Several Thou
sand Dollars, Discovered in
Hotel Apartment.

A young and evidently wealthy wom-
an, who registered at the Vanderbilt a
week ago as Miss Violet A. Whittemore,
was taken to Bellevue Hospital yester-
day after she was found wandering
aimlessly in the streets. She was still
an unsolved mystery to detectives and
hospital authorities late last night.
According to her nurse, she had not
uttered a word since she was placed un-
der observation. No inquiries from
friends had been received to CON
firm the police theory that she was the
woman lawyer Of the same name who
up TO a year ago, when she disappeared,
had Offices in the Metropolitan Life
Building.
Al the Vanderbilt it was said yester-
day that a Miss Whittemore, who was
identified by the hotel detective as the
woman now in Bellevue, had been reg
istered there since midnight of August
IL. Her room was entered by police
Yesterday and a handbook found with
credits OF several thousand dollars. The
book bore the name of Miss Violet A.
Whittemore, and was said by the Car
field National Bank, of 200 Fifth Ave
nue.. to be the same as that issued TO
the woman lawyer last year
That Miss Whittemore was the
daughter of Edward Whittemore,
broker. She was graduated from New
York Normal School with an A. b. de-
gree, and from the Law School OF New
York University in 1909. She imme-
diately began practising in the Metro
politan Life Building. She gave up her
office a year ago and has not been
heard from since. One of her friends
is said to be Frederick {. Tanner, Re
publican state chairman.
The young woman at Bellevue is I'M
der thirty and of attractive appear
ance. She has brown hair and gray
eyes. Her height is five feet SIX and
her weight 1870.
At the Vanderbilt it was said thet
Miss Whittemore had been the victim
of hallucinations. When under their
influence she believes any one will obey
her commands if she places her hand
above the persons head. She had never
been violent, however. When taken
into custody by the police, who found
her wandering, richly dressed, in
street on the West Side. she told them
she was employed as a domestic at the
Vanderbilt.
A Miss Violet Whittemore is listed
in the city directory as living at 575
West 159th Street. The superintendent
of the house said last night that a
woman of that name had lived there
with the family of her brother-in-law,
Charles Rosenberg, but that the family
was ont of town.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
HAD BIG FUNERAL;
DENIES HE'S DEAD
Spanish War Veteran Indignant
and Rockville Centre
Patriots Puzzled.

Patriotism is commendable virtue
and when the burghers Of Rockville
Centre. Long Island. buried with mill
tarv honors a man believed to be
Thomas Douglas Stewart they swelled
with pride. Papers found on the body
showed that Stewart was a veteran Of
the Spanish American War.
Members of the D. b. p. Mott Post;
G. A. R.. provided a burial plot and
escorted the dead hero TO the GENE,
tery. The town contributed $50 and
government authorities erected a
stone over his grave.
Yesterday there came letter from
Thomas Douglas Stewart. who now
lives in Washington. denying emphatt-
ically that he was buried in Rockville
Centre, and saying that whoever was
hnried was an imposter. The towns
people are now drawing up an apology
to Mr.. Stewart.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
Weeping Bride Hears Him
Confess Aiding in $4,000
Thefts in Harlem.
SLEUTH AS CROOK
ROUNDS UP GANG
Truck Robbers Caught After
$4,000 Campaign - Mayors
Mother Receivers ValuableS.

The Fourth Branch Detective Bureau
Iesembled a jcwelry salesroom last
night. In it was stolen property worth
more than $4,000 which detectives
have recovered upon information gath
cred from prisoners, and the sleuths
said last night they had still more than
$50 pawn tickets to redeem. Residents
of Harlem whose fats have been looted
have been visiting the bureau almost
hourly identifying their belongings.
Another man who the detectives be,
lieve will help them 10 clean up the
group of thieves that has been infest-
ing Harlem was arrested last night. lie
is Joseph Stitz, and said he was la
borer, of 1914 East Path Street. He was
arrested by Detectives Finan and Riley
upon information they had obtained
from Luigi Ricco and Frank Banning,
who were taken into custody Thursday.
Sleuth Battles in Car.
Riley saw Stitz at Madison Avenue
and 125th Street, near where the gang
is believed to have it's headquarters.
He arrested him and boarded l25th
Street crosstown trolley with the prls-
oner. The car had goNe but a short dis
lance when, Riley says, Stitz reached
into his pocket, drew forth razor
blade and attacked him. The struggle
was fought up and down the car, but
Riley finally got handouts upon his
man and led him to the bureau. In the
melee the detective received sprained
wrist. Stitz was locked up charged with
burglary, and a supplementary charge
of attempted felonious assault was
lodged against him.
Finan and Riley next arrested In
house at 80 West 120th Street Joseph
Housmann, clerk. He was charged
with robbing the apartment of Mrs.
Caroline Bssell, of 300 West 142d
Street Twelve pawntickets were found
in his pockets for $500 worth of Mrs.
Bissell's jewelry and he confessed that
he had worked with gang of burglars
in five recent cases.
Housmann is the son of a wealthy
artist who lives at the same address.
His bride of one month followed him
to the Fourth Branch Office, pleading
with the detectives to free her hus-
band. whom she would not believe gull
ty. When he confessed she was dunn
founded.
Housmann is believed to be the last
of the gang of burglars who have ter
rorzed Harlem and Washington
Heights residents for the last month
with a string of fifty burglaries in
which the loot totalled $4,000. A re-
markable story of how the gang was
caught was told by Detective Finan a.
the bureau.
Sleuth Posed as Thief.
Finan let his beard grow. Then he
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
GOLD BRICK TRICK
LANDS THREE IN JAIL
Ohio Athenian. Caught on Coin
Matching Stunt, but Detectives
Were Watching.

A gold brick was banded to Carl W.
Wheaton, of Athens, Ohio. as he
walked the Great White Way last
night, but willy Mr.. Wheaton returned
it with fervor, by heck, and as re-
suit Thomas Moran, of 410 West For
ty-fourth Street, John Comes, Of 235
West Fifty-second Street and Albert
Davidson, of 218 West 111th Street,
are all in Jail charged with attempted
robbery.
The device for taking Mr. Wheaton's
Athenian bullion from him. was the
old Communicating stunt, originated by
Moran. Detective Cassassa saw the
three men buzzing around Wheaton in
a suspicious manner, and he saw
Wheaton walk off Indignantly. Then
he went up, and with the assistance OF
Detective Gaynor, arrested the men,
Wheaton appeared as complainant. A
roll Of bills totalling $500 was found
on Moran