The New York Herald Newspaper, January 31, 1876, Page 3

“TMD GREENDT TRAGEDY Discovery of the Other Parts of the Murdered Man’s Body. A HORRIBLE AND BRUTAL CRIME. Simmons Killed by a Fellow Workman were prompted by the sound of the tools used by the Through Jealousy. i THE BODY HACKED TO PIECES | *° fre « KA Little Child Witnesses the Murder. SHE SAVES HER OWN MOTHER Arrest of the Murderer and His Wife. Shocking and Thrilling Details of the Butchery. . The mystery of the murder of William W. Simmons, the unfortunate iron worker whose severed head was found in aGreenpoint lumber yard on Saturday, has been fully and, completely unrayelled. The murder is one of the most horrible in the annals of homicidal crime inthis country. In many of its features it will remind the reader of the Parkman tragedy in Boston, although the present crime possesses more ghastliness in its outlines. The unfortunate victim in this case, it appears, was murdered by one of his fellow workmen, in the domi- cile of the latter, in the presence of his little step- daughter, and then the body was hacked to pieces and concealed in various parts of the two rooms occupied | by the murderer’s family. THE STORY OF THR CRIME. William W. Simmona, the murdered man, nad been, it seems, living a sort of double life. Ostensibly he was ‘@ man of correct habits, except that he drank occasion- ally, although not to excess. His wife and children lived at Derby, Conn., where he visited them oc- casionally, his work keeping him a resident of Will- jamsburgh. He was free-hearted, kind to children and always spoke well of his family, and seemed to | idolize his own children; but absence from them had broken down the barriers of virtue, and he had main- tained a liaison with the wife of the man who killed him. At least that ia the assertion of his murderer, Many of those who knew him said that he was a regular but vot a free drinker, would play a good gamo of cards and billiards, and always settled for his losses at once, seeming close, but not miserly, with his money. They also state that he frequently boasted of his success in Obtaining favors from women and his ability to do so. Simmous was a first rate mechanic, and was such an excellent band at forging with a trip | hammer that his services were in demand and rival establishments were anxious to obtain them, He was | asked by two or three, with the promise of higher wages, to leave Messrs. Jones & Henry, where he worked up to the time of his death, and té come and work for them, Simmons bad been with Jones & Henry for three years, and during the most of that time had for a helper an Alsacien named Arthur Fox, as bis wife gives Mt, or Andreas Fuchs, as he was known to his fellows, and Victor Kretz, as he now calls himself. This man bad so accustomed himself to Simmons’ ways as to “fender himself invaluable, and, contrary to the usual custom, in order to retain the services of Simmons Jones & Henry paid the helper extra wages. Simmons liked his helper so well, or seemed to, that he frequentiy called at his residence in the rear of No. 98 North Third street, almost opposite the works, and it is charged by the murderer Fuchs that during some of these visits Simmons became criminally intimate with his wife. The men worked every day of last week up to Wednes- day noon, when a portion of the machinery broke down and work was stopped in the factory. During the afternoon and during a portion of Thursday Simmons utilized his time by making a large carving knife for a fellow workman, gave it to him on Thursday afternoon, and then, after being notified that work would com- mence with a rush on Friday morning, went home for his supper. He remained in the house until about nine o'clock, when he went out without his overcoat and — leaving his lamp burning, intending, it is supposed, to notify his helper to be on hand early in the morning. He reached the residence of the latter, three blocks distant, in a very few minutes, and found the family, consisting of Fuchs and his wife, formerly a Mrs. Ke- hoe, and her daughter Helen, partaking of some beer. In response to Fuchs’ invitation, Simmons also drank some of the beer, and then gave Fuchs money to get more; he also presented little Helen with a dol) he haa purchased for her. Fuchs was gone but a few moments, and after his return they drank beer and brandy, of which be hada quantity in the house, until both the men and the woman were somewhat stupetied. THE MURDER COMMITTED. The statements of what occurred thereafter are somewhat conflicting, but Mrs. Fuchs becomin; - toxicated, was by her husband and daughter taken to bed, falling on the way and scratching her face, When she had been laid down Fuchs returned to Simmons, who was then still more under the influence of liquor and pulled him off the chair. When he was prone on’ the floor Fuchs struck Simmons three or four blows on the neck with a hatchet, and so killed him, the littio girl witnessing the terrible tragedy, When Fuchs found that his victim had ceased to breathe he sent the child t bed and, taking a heavy drink of brandy, also retired himself and wont to sleep. The body of the murdered man remained on the floor of the kitchen, just whe: it had fallen in death. The blood flowed from the ghastly wounds inflicted by the hatchet until the corpse stiffened and grow rigid in the silent hours ot the night, A DREADFUL SCEYR, The acene was a peculiarly horrible one, On the bed lay the marderer in his drunken sleep by the side of his wife, who was also sleeping away the effects of her debauch. At the foot of the bed Iay the innocent little child, whose dreams were undisturbed by the dreadful crime her eyes had witnessed. Almost too young to know that her step- father bad taken the life of a fellow creature, she lay there the only relief to the gloomy and horrible pic- ture, In the other room, only a few feet distant, the body of the murdered man lay motionless in death, ‘The silence of night ‘was undisturbed, and dreadful as the crime was, and loudly as It called for retribution, no Boman voice was beard, and the neighbors remained in ignorance of the tragedy which had just been perpetrated im their midst, The solitary policeman went his lonely Founds unconscious of the necessity for his action, and as he tried the street doors and watched to prevent crime, he {ittle imagined that so great an offence ‘against the laws of God and man had deen enacted in the little rear house in North Third street. No man living knew ot the crime which was to horrify the en- tire community on the morrow of its discovery, and the murderer slept his drunken sleep unmolested and unbarmed. Seldom has so terrible a scene been pre- #ented, and fiction never realized its horrivie features. CONCEALING THE BODY. On the morning of Friday, while Fuchs was still asleep, the child Helen, who is only eight years old, awakened her mother and told her what had been done by her stepfather. She also told her mother that had itnot been for her own influence she (Mrs, Fuchs) would have shared the fate of Simmons, Mrs. Fuchs arose from her bed much exqited, and on going into the kitchen was horrified by seeing the corpse of Sim- mous lying on the floor between the stove and the table, The woman, frenzied with horror and excitement, began to moan and wring her bands, exciniming, “We shail all be hung: we sballallbe hung.” er eries woke NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1876—WITH SUPPLEMENT. up Puch, who immediately got up and dragged the body of his victim into the bedroom, saying ashe did 60, “Oh, no; PU make it all right.” ‘Vhe body being placed in the bedroom Fuchs ordtred his wife to get breakfast, which being prepared the family sat down to the table and ate heartily, undis- turbed by the presence of the corpse in the next room or the blood that lay on the floor at theirside. As soon ag the meal was over Fuchs gathered together somo knives, a batchet and a saw, with which he coolly proqeded to cut up the body. His horrible work was unskilfully done, and as ho hacked” and hewed at the liféless remains, his wife and step child remained in the kitchen; but now and then the woman and child peeped into the bedroom and watched the ghastly work with wandering eyes. To this they murderer. As Fuchs cut the body up he hid the pieces in boxes and pails, and placea these under the bed and in other parts of the two rooms, The body thus disposed of for the time being, Fuchs went to the shop and asked if he should light up the forge. He- was told of course to do 80, but the fact of Simmons’ absence was such a strange matter that he was next instructed to run around and see where Simmons was. In a few moments he re- turned and said that Mrs. Beeck, with whom Simmons boarded, had not seen him since the previous evening at nine o'clock, and that she did not know where he was. Fuchs then went home, as the work could not go on without Simmons’ presence. Friday night the family again sleptin that chamber, with the terrible evidences of the crime around them, sleep having been obtained through drinking beer and brandy., On Saturday morning work was recom- menced on the remains, The skin was stripped of portions of the flesh, the entire trunk was flayed, the flesh cut off the ribs and placed in a wooden pail, and legs and arms partially flayed were hidden in an old trunk, while the abdomen and entrails wero placed in a large tin wash boiler at the foot of the bed. Mrs, Fuchs meanwhile, as if to deceive any casual caller, purchased a jar of pickled pork, which was ostenta- tiously displayed in the kitchen, so that if any ugly questions were asked she could say that her husband was only cutting up a pig to pickle, the resemblance to human flesh aiding in the deception. THE TROUBLESOME HEAD. The head, however, caused the greatest trouble, | Fuchs did not know what to do with it, so, wrapping it up in a newspaper, he placed it ina basket, threw a | brown towel over it and went out about twelve o'clock. | noon on Saturday, walking to Milton street, Green- | point, where he carefully placed the head behind the | pile of lumber, where it was discovered two or three hours afterward, Fuchs having gotten rid of the head, and hoping that he was unobserved, returned home, | and after the purchase and drinking of a quart of beer resumed his horrid work of concealment by digging a bole in the hearth the size of the chimney, the dirt from which he carried into the yard and care- fully laid it along the front of the house. » His wife ob- | jected to his digging the hole, but he-showed her a quantity of common lime which, he said, would destroy the flesh-when buried with it, Toward evening he, like other neighbors, heard of | the finding of the head, and when an officer called at | the house to inquire when he had last seen Simmons, Fuchs was outside of the house and readily went to the | police station, where he told Inspector Waddy that he | had not seen Simmons since Thursday afternoon, He also stated that Simmons was very immoral and went | often to Greenpoint to see a married woman, and had | most likely been murdered there. Fuchs was allowed to return home, and aside from coming out for beer occasionally remained home until arrested yesterday afternoon. UNRAVELLING THE MYSTERY, The moment the discovery of the head was tele- | graphed to Police Headquarters Chief Campbell placed ¢ | the matter in the hands of Inspector Waddy, who pro- ceeded to the Eastern District and established his head- quarters at the Fifth precinct station house, corner Fourth and North First streets, directly opposite the boarding place of the murdered man. During the morning Mr. Buck, with whom he lived, had notified the police that Simmons was missing, and the descrip- | tion ofthe man corresponded with that of the head | found, so that when Mr, Fred. P. Hallberg, a plumber | | of Grand street, arrived with a picture of the victim he was asked to go at omce to the Seventh precinct | station house and look at the head, which had been | taken there immediately after its discovery. Coroner | Nolan accompanied Hallberg. The moment the latter cast hiseyes onthe headhe recognized it as that of | Simmons, and excitedly mourned over him as his best friend in the world, So intense were his actions that they actually drew suspicion on himself asthe mur- derer, or as one privy to the crime, The Coroner and witness returmed to the Fourth street station house, and held a long conference with the Inspector, who de- spatched the detective force in every direction, One of the officers was instructed to call on every one who took the Brooklyner Presse, in a copy of which, dated December 1, the head had been wrapped. Another was | told to bunt up every acquaintance the dead man haa, and fora time the evidence seemed to point to Hail- | berg, who was detained at the station house, It was | then and up to midnight of Saturaay supposed that Hallberg’s wagon had been used to convey the remains | to the foot of Milton street, and that the body had been thrown into the river, but that the head had been | forgotten until after leaving the bulkhead. It was also | surmised that the driver discovered the head as he re- turned, and then threw it overthe lumber pile near where it was found. The fact that scarcely once a year a wagon goes down the street strengthened this suspicion; but nothing | definite could be discovered. At ton o'clock Saturday | night the entire reserve of the Fifth, Sixth and Sey. enth precincts wero sent out to find a trace of the miss- ing man after Thursday, twelve o'clock, when, accord- ing to the statements of a saloon keeper named Probst afd others, he left the saloon at No. 45 Grand street, This seemed to tangle the thread a good deal, for some of the witnesses said it was on Wednesday night, others Thursday, while his boarding mistress said he was home on Wednesday night. At any rate, Hallberg ‘was retained in custody and the matter left in quict | until daylight yesterday morning. THE DISCOVERY, Detectives Short and Corwin were again sent to the | place where the head was found and to scour a certain region of Greenpoint at which the fingers of suspicion pointed, Ex-Police Surgeon 8, J. Brady also went to Greenpoiut early in the morning, eager to exercise his detective skill, and by dili- gent inquiries ‘found a man who knew a man that saw © man craw! out from behind that pile of lumber on Saturday at half-past twelve o'clock.” | pr. Brady, who was present when “Frenchy,” as Fachs is nicknamed, was before the Inspector, immedi- ately jumped at the conclusion that the short stout man who was seen near the lumber yard could be none other than Fuchs. He therefore drove at once toward the station, but, meeting Detectives Short and Corwin, | informed them what he bad heard, and in a few min- utes after William Bannon, a stevedore, was found at | hia residence, No. 127 Greenpoint avenue. Bannon stated that about half-past twelve P. M. on Saturday he saw a short stout man, wearing a brown wack coat or overcoat, a dark vest and light shirt, crawi out irom behind the pile of lumber, When he reached the road he looked at his clothes as if they were soiled, but thinking he was a workman in a neigh_ boring oil factory, Bannon did not pay his appearance that close attention he otherwise might. Bannon thought the man had a mustache that was not very heavy. This meagre description answered exactly to “Frenchy” and they went at once to his house, where | they found him, bis wife and his brother-in-law. They all asked if any news had been heard of Simmons and were told that nothing bad been learned. While the brief conversation was being carried on the Doctor and the detectives noticed that Fuchs wore precisely the same clothes as described by Bannon | and also that on the Jeft leg of his pantaloons there was a spot that looked like blood. They hurried to the | Fifth precinct station house, saw the Inspector and stated what they had found, and were at once sent back to arrest Fuchs, Detectives Folk and Holland and other officers were also seut to assist and search the house, Fuchs said nothing whes arrested, so he was removed at once, and had scarcely gone when the police found a hammer stained with blood, as it lay under the bed in a tool box. In another moment a pail full of flesh was “pulled out from the same place of concealment, which, afier close scrutiny, proved to be a portion of the human frame. Mrs, Fuchs and her child were then arrested and taken away, and in a few moments the fulness of the horrible butchery wae brought to light. The trunk, full ot mangled flesh and bones, was opened; the wash bower, with Its horrible contents, was discovered: the s hole under #fe hearthstone was found, and all the de- tails of'the dreadful tragedy were iaid bare to the eye. The following diagram ot tha premises will afford a clear idea of the : SCENE OF THE MURDER, Of pee * Table. | Cl ! Kitchen. aelert |_tteartn._| Bedroom. I Xa, Table. Win- of dow. Yard. Front house and store. Alley. North Third street. 1.—Wooden pail under the bed, containing portions of the body and flesh from the ribs. 2—The tool box, in which were hatchets, knives and saws, with which the work was done. 8.—Tin wash boiler, in which were found the trank or ribs, denuded of flesh and skin. 4.—Box in which the body was cut up, 5.—Ordinary trunk, containing the arms and Segs. 6.—Bureau where the murdered man’s watch was found. 7.—Stove. 8,—Spot where the murder was committed, The apartments occupied by the wretched family, it will be seen, consisted of two rooms ina small two story building in the rear of No, 98 North Third street, the upper floor of which is unoccupied, Entering from the yard directly into the kitchen, a door to the Jeft opened into the bedroom in which the remains were found. The ceilings are low, and the walls deco- rated with the usual religious pictures loved by Catho- ics, The furniture is substantial and sufficient fora family like Fuchs’, The police officers locked the door to proceed with their search, as the afrest had attracted a few passers by, who, hearing of the terrible deed that had been committed, gave expression to their horror, Soon a crowd of several hundred people gathered, so that a section of police was required to keep them out from the yard. The officers found, in addition to the pail, that a large tin wash boiler at the foot of the bed contained the en- trails and the trunk, denuded of flesh, The hole in the hearth, it was found, contained a quantity of lime to destroy such portions as Fuchs designed placing there. The whole apartments were in a state ot disorder, The dirt from the hearth, that had not been taken into the yard, concealed tho blood stains on the floor. No traces of the clothes of the murdered man could be discovered, but in one of the drawers of the bureau in the kitcben were found his watch and ghaia. As soon as a wagon could be obtained the remains were conveyed to the Morgue at No, 267 Fourth street, the trunk being locked and placed inside of a large box, on which the body had been cut up, where they will be viewed by the jury which Coroner Nolan proposes to empanel this morning. f THE MURDERER, Andreas Fuchs when brought to the station house was taken before Inspector Waddy and said:—''I did it, I killed him with a hatchet when he was laying with my wife on the floor.”’ He was allowed to tell his story, during which his wife and the child were brought in and taken back to the cells, which are on the first floor of a building detached from and in the rear of the station house, Hallberg was immediately set at liberty on apromise to appear when requested to do so by the Court. Fuchs was placed in one of the most secure cellsin the building. The woman and child were then examined, and, after telling their stories, were locked up in separate cells, Later the child was removed to more comfortable quarters at the home of one of the patrolmen, Meanwhile the rumors of the arrest and discovery of the remains bad spread, and hundreds thronged the precinct, dividing their time and curiosity between the station house—No. 98 North Third street—and the Morgue. All the attention of the police was directed to completing their case and preserving the peace, After an hour's delay Inspector Waddy announced to the members of the press present that they could see the parties arrested if they so de. sired, and, ii response to an inquiry as to whether the man had confessed, said, ‘He did, but not until I pointed to a spot on bis pantaloons and asked what it was, He then rapidly drew his left hand across the spot and said the blood was from a slight cut recently inflicted on his band; but when he saw he had not covered the spot he acknowledged his guilt.” AN INTERVIEW WITH FUCHS. AHenato reporter visited the prisoner yesterday afternoon. Passing through the yard to the cells, Fuchs was found sitting on the platform in his cell, The Inspector told him that the gentleman had called to see what he had to say. Patsoxzr—You can’t get nothing out of me. Insrecton—But will you not stand up and let him see you? “Ob, yes,’ said the murderer grating, exhibiting in appearance a short, thickset man, about five feet four inches nigh; flushed countenance, black eyes, dark mustache and imperial, and seemed to be a German, with the vivacity of a Frenchman, He seemed somewhat pervous and excited, and, as he afterwards talked in a mixed patois of French, Ger- man ana English, worked himself up to a passion, Fuchs again declined to say anything after he brd shown himself, but in response to the question, you tell us your name?’’ answered ‘Yes, it is Victor Kretz.” RerortsR—But you are called Fuchs? Prisoxer—My name is Victor Kretz—K-r-e-t-z Iam thirty-two years of age, was born in Alsace and have been four years in this country, and was married about sixteen months ago. My wife’s name was Mrs. Mary Keogh, and she had one child, Helen, I have been working at Jones’ as helper for Simmons since three years ago, but had to leave once because of trouble between him and me on account of my wife, I staid away two or three months, aod about six months ago went back again. Rerorter—Will you tell us why you killed Simmons? Prisoxer (becoming excited)—He sleep with mine wife. (At this stage ot the interview the prisoner broke out into his French-German patois, so Captain Kaiser, of the Sixth precinct, acted as a semi-interpreter for all that he said that was not English.) Simmons came to my house on Wednesday evening. Reronren—Was it not Tharsday? Prisowun—No, it was Wednesday evening. He camo im about mine o’clock and I asked him to drink some beer we had. He drank and then asked me to get two quarts more, giving me the money for it, I went out, and when I came back he was laying with my wife, and— Reronren—On the bed? ‘ Prisonsr—No; on the floor, and 1 set down the beer, and, taking up a hatchet that was beside the stove, I raised my arm, and saying, “You son ofab—b,"1 struck him on the neck and killed him, God damn him. ‘The prisoner had by this time worked himself up to a fury, and then eaid that when he was arrested he was thinking of coming to court and giving himself up, MRS MARY FUCHS’ STATEMENT. The wife of the marderer was found in acell on the other aide of the building. At the Hime the reporter called on her she was seated on the platform, smoking ashort clay pipe. She rose on being addressed, present ing the appearance of a dissipated woman of the lowest class, her eyes being heavy with liquor and weeping, and her coantenance was flashed, with scratches on the left side. Shesaid she was thirty-nine years of age, born in the county Waterford, Ireland; her maiden name being Mary Welch. She had married Michael Keogh, who died soon after they came to this country, and for sevyou years remained a widow. when she mar- and he came to the |r Will | ried her present husband, whose name is Anthon Fox, or, as she put it, “that’s the name on my marriage lines.” She could not read or write, and she would tell nothing but what she saw and heard of the tragedy. She had never given Fuchs cause for jealousy and had never bestowed any favors upon Simmons+ The murdered man came to their room and drank some beer. While her husband went after some more, at Simmons’ request, the latter asked her for something to eat, as he felt hungry just then, and she gave him some meat, which he ate, When her husband returned they sat down and drank the beer he brought, and then Simmons said he felt heavy and wanted to go home, but Fuchs would not let bim, and meade him sit down again aud drink a glass of some brandy he had in the house, “That is the last I recollect,’ said she. been told by my daughter, who w: “Thave eight years of age | the 18th of last August, that she alone prevented my husband from killing me, by getting him to help her put me to bed, which he did; but not before letting me fall to the floor and scratching my face, as you see, My huéband has frequently accused me of being un- faithful to him, not only that evening, but months ago; but I never was, as I call God to witness; I was under the influence of liquor and asleep when he killed Simmons. I awoke in the morning and saw the body in the kitchen, but did not make any outcry because he said he would make it all right, and then he took it im the bedroom. I did not see it cut up because! could not stand that sight. Simmons and my husband never quarrelied before, but Fuchs was jealous; he would bave been jealous of his father if he called to see me, 1 was told when I married him I would see days of bitter sorrow for it, and wirra wirra! they have come sare enough.’* Rerorren—Did you sleep in that bedroom with the corpse on Friday night? Mrs, Fucus—’Tis God’s truth I did, but I was well full of liquor before I could sleep. A flood of tears followed this remark. Revorter—Did your husband go out on Saturday? Mrs. Fucns—Yes; he went out about noon with a full basket which he filled in the bedroom, and in about an hour he came back with the basket empty. RerorTER—Had he ever accused Simmons of wrong- ing him? Mrs, Fucns—I think he did on the evening he killed him; but he often accused me, while he kept on good terms with Simmons in the shop. RerorteR—Did you help him to get rid of the re mains? ‘ Mrs. Frcus—It’s God’s truth I did not, for I felt all the time that he would not get out of it, and I told him 80, and he told me toshut up. Rerorter—Did he say anything to you about giving himself up? Mrs. Fucus—He did not at any time, At this stage of the conversation Police Commis- sioner William B, Hurd came up to the cell with one or two friends to see the woman, and it was not resumed, THE CHILD'S STATEMENT agreed with her mother’s up to the time she was put to bed, and then she continues the horrible tale by saying that when she and Fuchs returned to the kitchen, after her mother had laid down, Simmons was sitting ina chair between the stove and the table in the front corner, and seemed stupid. Fuchs gave him a pull by the arm and dragged him to the floor. He then wens into the bedroom and took a hatchet from under the bed and struck Simmons three or four times on the neck with it, “Then,” said the child, “he ordered mo to go to bed, and followed jn a few minutes.” ‘The child cried during the whole time sho was in the station house, and seems to feel bitterly the conse- quences the murder may entail on her mother. ¢ RECEPTION OP THE NEWS AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS. Superintendent Campbell remained at his post at Police Headquarters during the day and used the tele- graph lines leading to the Fifth precinct, where In- spector George Waddy was on duty in command of a corps of detectives. At five minutes past three o'clock a despatch was received from the Inspector, which read:—"We have got the murderer and the body. Glory enough for one day.’’ There were present at the me this telegram was received George Flanly, of the Police Telegraph; Mr. Campbell, Assistant District At- torney Snell, County Judge Moore, Policé Commis- sioner John Pyburn, Police Justice Andrew Walsh and several prominent citizens. The intelligence was re- ceived with mutual congratulations, as everybody was pleased that the mystery surrounding the horror had been dispelled. Superintendent Campbell then in- quired for particulars, and at twenty minutes to four P. M. received a telegram giving the details. Orders were given that he should be removed to the Fifth precinct, while she was removed to the Sixth precinct station house, on Stagg street. No one in the meantime is to be allowed to see either prisoner, and they are to be clostly watched in their respective cells, to guard against cheating the law by committing sui- cide, That the head should have been left among the lumber in the shipyard, instead of being consigned to the river near by, can only be conjectured on the theory that the murderer became alarmed at the prospect of discovery and so laid down his burden to screen it quickly from detection. The man who drove the wagon, the tracks of which ran in the vicinity of the dock at the foot of Milton Street, adjacent to the spot where the head was found, has been seen by the police, and he bas given a clear and detailed account of his movements, so that no sus- picion of complicity can lie against him. The Superintendent said that he had telegraphed to Mrs, Simmons, widow of deceased, who lives at Derby, Conn., and he expected her to arrive during the evon- ing. From what he could learn Simmons was in the habit of carrying from $100 to $130 with him at times, He also sent remittances frequently to his wife and five obildren, Whether he kept any bank account in Wiil- jamsburg or elsewhere he could not tell until he had an jnterview with Mrs. Simmons. It might be that sne could give some important information bearing on bis associations. That lady was on a visit to her husband last summer, but has not been seen since. Assistant District Attorney Snell, to whom some one remarked that ‘of the prisoner could by proof establish the truth of the assertion that he had killed Simmons in a mo- ment of passion when he had found him in the em- braces of his wife it would not go hard with him,” re- torted that the manner and behavior of the prisoner while in company with the police on the preceding night while at the station house would obliterate all hope of exculpation on that plea, NARRATIVE OF DRTRCTIVE FROST. Ex-Sergeant Frost, late chief of the Central Office squad, who has been engaged in working up the caso with the other officers, said to the reporter of the Heravp thatthe prisoner Fuchs “played things on them the prettiest he ever saw.” Detective Guischard, on Saturday night, as soon as they had positively identified the head as belonging to Wiliam M. Sim- mons, the Yankee axle maker, went out in search of Andreas Fuchs, who had worked for several months past with the deceased as “helper’’ in the same shop, Puchs “came up smiling” and sat down amoung the police officers at the Fifth precinct station house, and entered into conversation with them i an apparently free and unreserved manner, What Fuchs said was to the effect that the deceased was very fond of the society of women; that be was constantly running after them. There wag some married woman, Fuchs said, who lived in Green- point, who wore said to be of easy virtue, and that de- ceased was in the habit of boasting inthe morning at his work that he had been to see that woman the night pre- vious, “In fact,’ said Detective Frost, ‘‘we listened to him, and plaged the utmost confidence in what he told us about the custom of Simmons, That threw me off the scent and others. I went off on a wrong scont—on the Greenpoint liny of observation. You see there is where the woman lived—as he gave itout, Well, I began to think early this morning that! had things down pretty fine, I found out # place where, next door © &@ batcher shop in Greenpoint, there was & married woman, # German, whose repu- tation was not the best, and the deceased was said to be among the visitors at that house, Oh, I was tolerably certain L had things shaping dead sure, But all that theory of mine was knocked in the head when, later on in the forenoon, Detectives Corwin and Folk and I found a watchman on the docks, near Milton street, right by Inglis’ ship yard, where the head was found, who stated that be had seen a short, thick set man about that place soon after daybreak on Saturday morning. The watchman’s description of the man he had seen about the vicinity where the head was found led usto makeup our minds that Fuchs, who bad been released from custody after telling ‘all be knew,’ on Saturday night, was man We wanted = now, We took « back track then, and went for him, We tound him at his house. It's a wonder be didn’t the Jump—get away, you know—during the night i never saw such a sight in all my life Inatrank, which was locked and nailed, and it took considerable strength ‘and an axe to open it, we found the arms and legs; ina small boiler we found the trunk of the body, divided and skioned and the entrails taken out, Quicklime was placed among the remains to destroy them more readily, There was blood on the floor, which had been scoured and scrubbed for the purpose of removing all traces of the tragedy. Notasoul either up stairs or next door heard any disturbance in the house on Thurs- day night, when the murder was committed, A dress, which belonged to Mrs, Fuchs, and which had been washed, was found to have been’ stained with blood before it had been submitted to the process of soap and water, Well, the woman admitted that she bad washed | the floor in compliance with her husband’s com- mands. You sec, he was in the habit of making some three kinds of liquor—strong, medium and mild. | ‘The first he treated his friends to, the second the pris- | oner drank himself and the mild the wife partook of. When Simmons called there on Thursday night he | drank the strong stuff and became stupid from its effects, The little daughter of this woman saw tho | whole thing, She says her father cut his neck with a hatchet and Pimps tmp ae ot ‘a stepehild of | Fuchs. He has been marriea three or four times. Mrs, Fuchs is as homely as a stone fence, and as | a fellow said, ‘One would suppose a man would as lief be cut up go after ber.’ The child was only alarmed for fear that her mother would be harmed in any way. She will make a good witness, When the prisoner reached the station house he took out bis knife and cut his right band agross the back twice, rubbing the blood which came from the cut against the front of his pants, ‘Stop; what aro you doing that for?’ exclaimed the Inspector ‘Why don’t you wrap it up?? But the fellow paid no atten- tion till compelled to doo, The Inspector then dis- covered that Fuchs was really trying to obliterate an old blood stain which was on his pants by covering it with the blood from the cut, He did not acknowledge the murder till he was confronted with the fact that the body beionging to the head had been found in his | house, Ther he owned up and said he had caught | Fuchs in criminal {ntercourse with his wife and cut him with the hatchet, But the worst thing on us fellows yet is that all the time ‘the coon’ sat in the station house on Saturday night, telling us where Simmons was going—to Greenpoint—he actually had in his vest pocket the silver watch and chain of the murdered man, That it is the same watch Simmons wore there .| can be no doubt, It has been identified by the foreman | of the shop where he worked and by the people who | boarded where hedid. The girl says Fuchs took $3 | and some cents from Simmons when he killed him, The prisoners will all be taken before Superintendent Campbell this morning. A copy of the Brooklyner Presse, similar to the one in which gthe head was wrapped when found, was got in Fuchs’ house. I | don’t think Simmons had very much money about him that night”? TRE POREMAN’S STATEMENT, Mr. David O'Connell, the foreman of Jones & Henry’s axle factory, says that on Friday morning he tully expected to see Simmons at his work at seven oclock. Fuchs was on hand and asked if he should light the fires at the forge, as Simmons had not come yet and he did not believe he would. In reply to the question ag to whether he bad seen Simmons on Thurs- day night he said, “No; he goes to Greenpoint to see some womans,’’ Fuchs was then sent to Mr. Buck’s to find out if Simmons had left the house, and he actually called there, inquired for him and returned with the in- formation’ that he had not been at home for the night. So the fires were not lighted and no work was done at the forge for the day. WHAT THR POLICE INSPECTOR SAYS. Inspector Waddy says he does not place the slightest reliance apon the statement of Andreas Fuchs with re- gard to the condition in which the prisoner said he found his wife when he entered the room on Thursday night. The Inspector believes the story of the little girl who sat in the room and witnessed the butchery. She says that the deceased, the prisoner and the woman, her mother, were all under the influence of liquor when the two men quarrelled. Deceased fell off his chair finally insensible, and while prostrate Fuchs assaulted him with the hatchet, cutting him onthe neck, They had had a quarrel some time pre- vious to this, and they were not amicably disposed tow- ard each other when they met on Thursday night. The child said, when asked why she did not teli about what she had witnessed before, that she did not want her mother to be arrested, as they told her she | would be if anybody heard what bad happened. RUBENSTEIN. HIS TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF SARA ALEXAN- DER TO BEGIN TO-DAY—THE PRISONER'S RE- MAREABLE DRBAM—AN EXTRAORDINARY CHAIN OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE—TALK OF HE- BREW INTERFERENCE. The trial of Pesach N, Rubenstein for the murder of Sara Alexander will be commenced this morning in the Kings County Court of Oyer and Terminor, be- fore Judge Pratt and associate justices. The case, which has from the discovery of the victim attracted public attention, promises to furnish one of the most interesting pages in the annals of crime, as it is replote with sensational ports of circumstantial evidenco, which, while forging the links that are expected to form the chain of proof of guilt, must enliven the intercst. District Attorney Britton, through the labors of Deteo- tives Zyondt and Butts, of the Brooklyn Central Office, has been placed in possession ef new and startling information which will, he believes, groatly strengthen the case of the peopl, No less than flty witnesses have been summoned for the prosecution. The narrative of the tragedy, as told tn brief, is this: — About noon of Tuesday, December 14, a laborer in the employ of the lessee of what ts known as the Schenck farm, on the line of the Jamaica plank road, was crossing a corn field, distant about 500 yards from the toll gate, when he was shocked to find the body of @ young woman, with her throat cut on both sides and her hands and arms hacked as though in defending her- self from the thrusts of ber slayer, Tho workman made haste to the station house at East New York, and the Brooklyn Coroner and police of that city were early onthe scene. The body lay on the side of stack of corn stalks, screened from the view of the road, There was evidence of a strugglein the vicmity, and the tracks of a man's boots and the foot- prints of small gaiters corresponding with the de ceased’s shoes were found leading from the plank | road, There were blood spots on the corn, and tho clothing which enveloped the corpse was frozen to the ground, while a slight mantle of snow, which had fallen on the day previous, enshrouded the rigid form. ‘Thus did the elements furnish information of the fact — that the murder had been committed bgfore the snow squall of Monday evening, and it was ‘deemed more than probable that the woman had been allured to that secluded and fatal spot on Sunday evening, which was fine, mild and inviting for outdoor exercise. On taking the corn stack apart a bloody knife, such as cigar. makers uso, was found lying on the ground in the centre, This weapon had a rough, unfinished black walnut handle, about four inches long. The blade was very arp, and was three inches im length and about | three-quarters ofan inch in breadth, In the pocket ofthe victim was found a thimble and three cent piece. There was no other clew to the identity of the woman, who was fair in feature and young in years. here was, then, no clew to the murderer, The body was removed to the East New York station house, where the people flocked to see it from miles around, but were unable te recogonize her as any- body they bad ever seon before, The Henarv of the day following the discovery of the body pub- lished the facts as far as they had developed. On Wednesday, December 15, Israel Rubenstein, father of the prisoner Pesach, who is to be tried for the murder, incompany with P. Alexander and wer of tho later, visited the Brooklyn morgue, wh ‘TRE BODY OF URDERED GIRL was to be taken that day, fo purpose of identifying the remains should they prove to be, as they feared they were, those of their rolative, Sara Alexander. While awaiting the arrival of the body, Israel Ruden- stein, who is an old man, and keeps adry goods store at No, 83 Bayard street, ‘New York, beeaine engaged in conversation with some gentiemen of the press touch- ing the ciredimstances attending the disappearance of ‘Sara, Tho substance of the story that Sara bad left her brother's house in Essex street about two o'clock on Sunday afternoon, saying that she was going out to look lor work from @ tailor in the Bowery for whom sho had previously worked as seamstress; that she called at there till nalf-past four o'clock, wi ho oon alone, is (Rubenstein’s) house, remained hen she took her tho” last be bad That was it his bouse tor id son Was Bam eltwho had s wife aod child. in Poland, He bad married there four of five years before coming to America, sed they were now about to rejoin him. “fais son, Pesach, he said. had @ strance dream on Monday | the accused have been out on bail 3 ‘ aight, which he came to communicate to him. Pesach told him he had dreamed he had seen Sara, Sho came to him and told him she had been killed eight miles outside New York, and she said, “Pesach! Pe- sach! Come to me! Come to me”and buryme!’? or words to that effect. Sara, he was & very good religious girl, and went regularly to the synagogue. When the body reached the Morgue it iy identified by these people as the person for whom tl y, had been in search. The writer soon after learning these facts visited police headquarters, and informed Superintendent Campbell of the peculiar eir- cumstances stated by tho relatives at the Morgue, That official at once despatched a squad of detectives, under command of Inspector George Waddy, to work up the matter, The visitors named were placed under arrest, and officers were sent in quest of the dreamer N. Rubenstemm, and bis brothers Jacob and Louis. Pesach was taken to the Morgue while the doctors wero engaged in the post-mortem, inl course of which they found that Sara Alex- ander was well advanced im pregnancy. Thus was the murder a double one. A sheet was drawn all over the body, save the ghastly openings of the assassin’s knife as it slashed on both sides of the throat, and the risoner w ted Wi it, Wher the Coroner, potating tol souiren i nt My “Look THERE !”? the prisoner, who was pale and trembling, threw up’ his bands, with @ groan and 4 look of intense horror, da: back against the wall He was re- moved to jail The detectives subsequently fitted the boots of the prisoner to the tracks in the corn field, id found that they corresponded therewith. They so found the maker of the knife and the girl who Id the weapon to Pesach a few days belore for twenty cents. It was upfinished, and for that reason he got it cheaper than a perfect one, The child who sold the knife is positive im her identification of the man Other witnesses were discovered who saw the prisoner in company with Sara, who was remarkable for tue reason that on Sun- day night she wore nothing on her head except her shawl, going toward the Roosevelt street ferry on the New York side; thoy were seen on the ferryboat, on a Broadway aud East New York car, and, it is said, they were subsequently seen on the road in the vicinity of the corn field where the tragedy was com- mitted. The prosecution, it is said, has come into pos- session of further evidence, which is also exceedingly strong. The Coroner’s inquest resulted in finding that she came to her death at the hands of Pesach N, Rubenstein, When arraigned in court the prisoner leaded, through his counsel, Messrs. Mott and Kinvzing, ‘‘not gulty.”” Since then Mr. William A. Beach has been retained for him by his friends, who loudly proclaim his innocence, as they placo the most implicit faith in bis morality and the gin- cerity of his religious zeal, ‘‘He ig too religious, He could never kill anybody, He ig too houest; he would not cheat any man one cent,’ said one of them, in speak- ing of the accused ut the time of his ari * The aefence will be cope? on the proof of the establishment of an alibi, the presence of Mr. Beach, as counsel, is guarantee of an able argument for the accused. That gentleman has informed the District Attorney that they will be ready to proceed when the case is called. ‘he fat! and brothers of ince the inquest. Pesach passes his time in jail in prayer and he enjoys excellent health, though he abstaing from the use of flesh meat, A | of 300 jurors have been summoned, from which to select.the jury. CAN THE AEFRA SAVE Him? In connection with his trialof Rubenstein a good deal of talk may be heard, whenever the matter is publicly discussed, on the popular notions respecting Hebrew customs in such emergencies. One hears almost on every side that no Jew is ever allowed by his coreligionists to hang for murder; that the Hebrews generally would come to his aid with money and influence, and that if he were finally convicted he would change his religion So as not to disgrace the faith of his people by having it said that a Hebrew was hanged. Only for the fact that these peculiar notions receive pretty general credence in many quarters an explanation and con- tradiction would be unnecessary, As the matter stands, however, it will be of some interest to correct these impressions, not only as a matter of gen- eral information, but in justice to those mempers of the Hebrew faith who are put in a false position by the publication of sach unfounded stories, Several leading members of the Hebrew persuasion who were spoken to yesterday by the writer denied that any effort was being made among the bettcr classes of Jewish citizens to save Rubenstein. He belongs to what is considered the very lowekt class of Hebrews—a class that is by no means admired by the leading Hebrews of the city. These are called ‘‘Ludovicks,’’ and come from Russian Poland, Long years of subjugation have reduced them to alow condition in the scale of intelligence, and they have been denied education outside of what may be gleaned from a knowledge of the Scriptures, Hebrow prayers and their family traditions. These - things they adhere to with superstitious devotion, whether their lives be good or bad, something after the fashion of Italian brigands, who’ wear rosaries and jously repeat paters and aves while industriously Fooxiny out for moneyed victims who carry about with them throats that may be cut. They adhere’ strictly to the Oriental orthodox Jewish traditions, and ha' peculiar customs which they preserve, even in the midst of the constant change about their homes here in New York. Any ten of these people can come to- gether, according to their form of worship, and organize a Hefra, Killa or Beth Hamedreeh—by any of which names their house of worship and its congregation may be designated—and they may hold their religious Meetings m 9 garret or basement, or, in fact, wherever they please, having appointed to conduct it a chasan (cantor and reader). They eat scarcely any flesh meat, and when they do eat any it is only after all the blood has been soaked out by pounding and steeping it {n salt and water for several hours, They say a brocho-prayer before every little action of their daily life, even to the washing of thelr hands. Hebrew prayors are the first lessons taught them, In Poland they marry at a ver; early age—about eight or Rine—and the women, thoug! never over attractive, when married cut off their hair and despoil themselves of every personal adornment, 80 as not to attract the attention or make captive the affections of any other man than their husband. The men never shave, not being permitted to put a razor to their facos, They have a way of overcoming their peculiar religious scruples on this point, however—scruples not shared in by intelligent Hebrews anywhere—that may be effective, but which does not commend itself gener- ally to those who would be free from hirsute adornment of cheek or chin. TONSORIAL TORTURES, ‘They pull out the beard with a pair of tweezers when they desire to be relieved from the appendage. The members of a Hefra usually defend each otber “through thick and thin,” as the saying runs, their steady ad- herence to dath other in trouble of any kind being dured by them in Europe when every against them, Most of these people are of the poor sort of pediers and ‘‘glass-put-in” men. They live very frugally and save the greater part of their earnings, by which they mauage ag soon as ble’ to get into business on a_ small and work their way to a better condition in life Pesach Nisau Rubenstein—the name of the in- dicted murderer of Sara Alexander—is indicative of the festival of the Passover and the month, Pesach being Passover and Nisau the name of a month in the Hebrew calendar; similar, in fact, to the case of a Christian who should be called Christmas Decomnber Smith, A CHARACTERISTIC STORY. A story is told of a member of a Hefra in Poland il- lustrating the manner in which its members defend one another when accused even by members of their own faith, The hero of the story had set out from hin residence to finda learned doctor to circumcise bis child On the way ho met riding toward bim, with well Billed saddle Uags, stranger, who proved to be » learned doctor such as he sought, After some consul- tation they returned to the house where the child was. The stranger handed his saddlo bags to his host for safe keeping, perlormed the services required and was most hospitably entertained for some days. At jast the time for his de- parture arrived, and he asked bis generous entertainer tor the saddle bags, which were well Glied with gold. To his consternation the host feigned astonishment at his demand and denied having ever received them, The learned doctor as stoutly asserted thathe had given them up and even saw his host stow them care- fully away in @ closet. So stood the issue unttl the master of the house, to sustain his assertion, offered to Jay the case before the Hefra. There both disputants made their conflicting statements, but the stranger found no supportersp the members of the Hefra toa man holding that their associate had not received any saddie bags, and some of them even going to tho length of asserting that they saw the doctor riding into their town without saddie bags. The stranger returned to his hos house avd made pre; bi lad to be permitted even to take was leaving the bou: direct: concealed, drew them porte, nae e them pack un- touched to their own nen the doctor expressed bis amazement at such a course the host explained the object of it Vi Saying that he wasa man of some influ. ence among his people, and bad chosen this way of Ulustrating it to impress the fact upon bis guest He advised the doctor, in conclosion, if he was ever in trouble while in his vicinity, to callon him and he could rely upon the aid of the Helra wo help him through bis trials. Apart from the idea that persons of the class to which Rubenstein belongs thus unite to sbicid each other, the question bas been asked whether Hebrews generally rmit the members of their faith to be anged. To obtain some information directly bearing upon this point the writer called upon a lawyer, himself a Hebrew, who has been interested in the defence of several persons indicted for capital offences. j@ recalled the case of a man named Loweystein, @ Hebrew, who was con- Vietod of the murder of a soldier in Albany about two years ago. At that time the B'nai Brith, a prominent and powerful Hebrew organization throughout the country, believing him innocent, raised a fund in bis defence of $2,000. Other information, however, Fouched the holders of the fund, and they w applied it to the purpose for which it was was cone vieted and executed, but before death be became a Catholic. This case sione shows that the members of tha Hebrow faith, something like those of the Masonia ce of any Of their fold acct ofa AB the host called him aside, and goin to the closet in which the saddle bags wer sb lar t f po popular impression eld one another had founda also rel one cumstance In this connection, Some few years & boted receiver uf stolen goods was bei looked ves. They Snally went the Hetra nded, and not only found the culprit, but ima, or tabernacle, as it might be mers in which the toroh or scrolls of tho law are kk which by the honest Hebrew is Hs ha con: sacred place, were found several bi bails that been stolen from a neighvoring saloon and received by the accused, knowing them to have been stolen. The notorious abortionist Rosen: years ago, was convicted of the manslaughter of ‘Augusta Bowlsby. was a Russo-Polish Jew,