Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-06
'lACK-THE-R|PPER
I CHEATS AANGMAN
oermany's BIuebeard Hangs
Himself With His Necktie
! on Jail Door
SENT TO PRISON "a TIMES

Spccioi cable Dispatch. Copyioht. 1853
Berlin. July q. - Karl Grossman.
0ermany's Jack. the -Ripper-in fact.
De Is the only criminal in the history
Of the world to be compared to jack
the Ripper. according to his attorney
hanged himself with mis- necktie on a
small nail in the door Of his prison cell
yesterday. n few minutes before he was
to be taken before the Judge Of the
Criminal Court. The motive Of suicide
IN all probability was fear of the gall
lows. DR.. Frey. his attorney, said
that for some time the prisoner had
been complaining of the severe obser-
vation he was subjected to. At noon
he made use Of n few minutes when un-
guarded during the change Of keepers
to carry out his plan.
His trial opened three days ago.
Though the police firmly believe he
killed at least twenty women since he
was, released from Jail in 1917. the
parts of only eight bodies were found,
three Of which were identified. The
charge against him. therefore, was the
murder of three women.
Tortured Women in Bed
Grossman was often compared with
Henri Landru. the French Blue
beard. Herr Frey said. but while
Landru attracted women by his smart
appearance and good manners and util.
ized their affection finally TO murder
them to obtain money. Grossman
was an insignificant little man
with torn clothes, dirty beyond de-
scription. Forty two witnesses who ap-
peared revealed an aa'~'''2hing brutality
of mind of the prisonr.. 10 the wit
nesses 1t seemed the most natural thing
In the world to Grossmann to tie women
TO bed and torture them When asked
why she consented 20 such treatment one
witness answered: For money I'll do
anything"
Grossman proceeded to relate with
utmost calmness the details OF his afro.
cious actions. which the pen hesitates
TO put on PAPER. He told how lie carved
the corpses Of women according to rules
learned as hatcher. On the Judge
table lay piece Of velvet once part of a
skirt Of one of his victims. When
asked what he wanted to do with II.
Grossman replied calmly: II said to
myself Just now. Look at that nice
piece Of velvet. It's shame to throw
Il away. for it would do splendidly for
q waistcoat, which could wear as a
souvenir of the girl.
"Was Let Loose on the Public"
The trial did not lack exciting scenes.
One witness threw her bunch Of keys
at Grossman and barely missed his
attorney. Another few at him in full
rage because he said she and all the
others lied.
Grossman was fifty six years old and
had been in prison twenty four times.
The last time he was sentenced to fif-
teen years in Jail for assault. and in
the words Of the prosecuting attorney.
twas let loose on the public again In
1917"
He lured women to his house by
Offering coffee. bread and lard. all deli
cacies among this class Of the popula-
tion during the war. The fact that his
deeds remained undiscovered was be-
cause the girls were never missed. He
dealt with the scum of the street from
the darkest part Of Berlin. Hi crimes
never would have been discove"" had
not the last victim groanrd, so nd the
neighbors got suspicious and called
police. who arrived too late TO save the
girl. but arrested the villain.
Personally Grossman was quite
congenial man. His last act was let
ter Of gratitude written to his attorney.