Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1880-10-23 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

STRANGE STORY OF ASSASSINATION  AND SUICIDE.  _ A young wan, apparently about 25 years of age, engaged a room at a hotel known as the "Hotel Garni," at Vienna. He gave the name of Joseph , Breslauer, of Presberg. Going out, he gave directions to the hotel-porter that if any one brought a letter or inquired for him, the person was to be shown to his room. He did not return that night; but coming :bank next morning at 7 30, he told the porter to tell any one asking for him that he was in his room. Shortly before eleven o'clock a letterearner, named Hiittmann, from the chief post Mace, came with a registered letter addressed to Breslauer. According to the Austrian system, the envelope , bore an endorsement declaring that the contents were ' of the value of seventeen florins. The letter-carrier took the letter, as directed, to Breslauer's room, but about ten minutes later he was seen to stagger nut of the room and down the stairs, closely followed by Breslacier. He stopped at the porter's lodge. He wan ashy pale, and apparently very ill. Almost at once he fell to the ground unconscious. He was immediately removed tea neighbouring hospital, where be died within an hour, never having recovered consciousness. In the confusion, Breslauer disappeared, leaving behind him unopened the registered letter brought to him by the unfortunate letter-carrier. The police found that the envelope contained utterly valueless pieces of paper, instead of the money enumerated in the endorsement. On the table, in his room, a water-glum was found, and alongside it a small green do.k, from which a strong odour exhaled, and in which a few drops of prussic acid remained. The most incomprehensible circumstance, however, was that the post offire authorities found all the registered letters in 'Rittman's bag quite correct and undisturbed. Whatever was the motive of the murderer, he did not plunder his victim. Next day, Thursday, a deputation of the Vienna Town Council visited another hotel, the "Hotel Union," for the purpose of seeing whether some apartments in it would suit as chambers for a sanitary commission. They visited several rooms, and at length came to one marked No. 22. The manager threw open the door, announcing "the Commission." Standing in the middle of the room was a well-dressed young man; and two young women were sitting on chairs near him. Several persons remembered afterwards that upon the entry of the strangers into the romn, the - - man became ex.  pg cessively pale. He pressed hie hand into the breast-pocket of his coat, and then across his mouth. The visitors did not delay beyond a minute. But a+ they were retiring, the young man fell to the ground, and, after a short convulsive struggle, died. A small phial in which a few drops of prussio acid remained explained the cause of his death. A police commissary recognised him as Wilhelm Burghardt, from Kaschau to Hungary, and a commission agent for English firma One of the young women was about to be married to him; the other was her friend. In his pocket was found a note addressed to his betrothed, stating that circumstances weretoo much for him, and they must part for ever; along with it were Pee half-kretesers—a few farthings. His condition was evidently Impelesa Later in the day, the police were able to establish his identity with the pretended Breslauer, the poisoner of the letter-carrier. Ills presumed that upon hearing "the Commission" announced he thought it was the pollee come to amok him, and in despair poisoned hinwelf. But the motive which suggested the poisoning of Hiittmanu remains a mystery.