The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City & Sparked the Tabloid Wars (46 page)

  1
Malwine Brandel clutched a bouquet … begging Sheriff Doht to let her inside
“Women Who Watch the Trial with Morbid Interest Tell the Journal Why,”
NYJ
, November 25, 1897.

  2
the de rigueur accessory of the trial—opera glasses
“Mrs. Nack Again on View,”
NYS
, November 25, 1897.

  3
Tessie … from Greenpoint NYJ
, November 25, 1897.

  4
Maddox on the bench—the last judge having excused himself
“Five Jurors Chosen to Try Thorn,”
BE
, November 22, 1897.

  5
“I go to the Tombs to sing” NYJ
, November 25, 1897.

  6
LOOK MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THE FORMER LOT NYP
, November 23, 1897.

  7
two farmers, a florist, a property agent, an oyster dealer, and fully seven builders
“Twelve Men Chosen to Try Martin Thorn,”
BE
, November 23, 1897.

  8
Clara Nunnheimer.… A fresh-faced and beaming
“Thorn’s Trial Continues,”
NYT
, November 25, 1897.

  9
“Do you recall the 25th of June?” New York
v.
Thorn
, 142.

10
Nor could he rattle a thirteen-year-old girl
Ibid., 174.

11
“kind of diagonally across from Mr. Buala’s property”
Ibid., 156–57.

12
“Did you ever see William Guldensuppe naked?”
Ibid., 75. NB: The revelations regarding the identification of Guldensuppe by his “peculiar” penis occur solely in the trial transcript; no other source of the time even dared to hint at them, instead referring to his being identified by his “finger.”

13
“He had very
peculiar
privates”
Ibid., 82.

14
“The most peculiar thing
was
his penis”
Ibid., 87.

15
“A
very
peculiar penis”
Ibid., 101.

16
fruit jar, sealed with red wax
“Saw Martin Thorn at Woodside House,”
BE
, November 24, 1897.

17
“something looking much like small sections of tripe” NYT
, November 25, 1897.

18
“Has that changed its appearance?” New York
v.
Thorn
, 103.

19
“Church—or golf?”
“Thorn Jurors at Golf Contest,”
NYET
, November 25, 1897.

20
the Garden City had been designed by Stanford White
Waldman and Martin,
Nassau, Long Island
, 62.

21
One juror … stuffed buckwheat pancakes into his pockets
“Hot Cakes in His Pocket,”
NYEJ
, November 23, 1897.

22
Church,
a stout minority of five argued NYET
, November 25, 1897.

23
Hundreds milled about, hoping to gain an audience
“Four Thanksgivings Behind Bars,”
NYW
, November 26, 1897.

24
“I can say … that I really knew what Thanksgiving is today”
“What Thorn Told Captain O’Brien,”
NYEJ
, November 25, 1897.

25
“Show your passes!”
“Gotha Betrays Thorn to the Jury,”
NYEJ
, November 26, 1897.

26
“It’s a disgrace to have women in attendance”
“Human Flies at Thorn’s Trial,”
NYW
, November 27, 1897.

27
“To show crime in its vulgarest”
W. R. Hearst, editorial,
NYEJ
, November 11, 1897.

28
BRAZEN WOMEN AND BAD AIR NYW
, November 27, 1897.

29
“more offensive than ever”
“Mrs. Nack Held as Trump Card,”
NYP
, November 27, 1897.

30
and so, the press pool surmised, was Herman’s new wardrobe BE
, November 27, 1897.

31
“Just a crazy barber” NYP
, November 27, 1897.

32
Sullivan identified the bullets New York
v.
Thorn
, 340.

33
NYPD pistol instructor noted that their caliber matched
Ibid., 346.

34
Detective O’Connell, the former plumber
Ibid., 351.

35
Thorn smiled at the sight of his old friend NYEJ
, November 26, 1897.

36
Thorn’s informant looked puffy and tired
“Gotha Repeats Thorn’s Story,”
NYET
, November 26, 1897.

37
“I asked him if he done the murder” New York
v.
Thorn
, 299. NB: The remainder of this section is drawn from the trial transcript.

38
Howe was thunderstruck NYW
, November 27, 1897.

39
CROWD MAY BREAK RECORDS BE
, November 28, 1897.

40
attorneys were making a pilgrimage
“All Eager to Hear Thorn,”
NYT
, November 29, 1897.

41
“No women”
“Martin Thorn a Good Witness,”
NYET
, November 29, 1897.

42
Scores of women promptly laid siege
“Thorn’s Bid for Life,”
NYW
, November 30, 1897.

43
“I have been watching them”
“Thorn’s Story Told, His Life at Stake,”
NYH
, November 30, 1897.

44
women who had gotten in under the pretense
“Thorn Testifies in His Own Behalf,”
BE
, November 29, 1897.

45
“The killing of Guldensuppe germinated”
“Thorn Talks for His Own Life,”
NYTR
, November 30, 1897.

46
“In a long career in the court”
“Jurors Paled at Thorn’s Grewsome Evidence,”
NYJA
, November 30, 1897.

47
“Will Your Honor pardon me if I sit down” New York
v.
Thorn
, 369.

48
Howe rose and walked to the jury box BE
, November 29, 1897.

49
Then the defendant leveled his gaze squarely at the twelve men
“Thorn’s Account of the Murder,”
NYEP
, November 29, 1897.

  1
Hearst even joked
W. R. Hearst, editorial,
NYEJ
, November 26, 1897.

  2
$60,000 windfall
“Patrick J. Gleason Dead,”
NYT
, May 21, 1901.

  3
her lucky piece of coral
“Luetgert Predicts Thorn’s Conviction,”
NYW
, November 24, 1897.

  4
carried a rabbit’s foot—a present from his wife
“Fears Thorn’s Collapse,”
NYW
, November 23, 1897.

  5
“The case for the people was complete without her” NYH
, November 30, 1897.

  6
“Where do you live?” New York
v.
Thorn
, 387.

  7
her voice small and precise, free of artifice NYW
, November 30, 1897. 212
“Do you remember” New York
v.
Thorn
, 387.

  8
“Is that all your evidence?” NYH
, November 30, 1897.

  9
“I ask … that the jury be permitted to view the bath tub” New York
v.
Thorn
, 495.

10
Thorn … wasn’t interested in joining them
Ibid., 501.

11
While a private trolley was requisitioned for the jurors, reporters jockeyed
“Martin Thorn’s Case Is in the Hands of the Jury,”
NYEJ
, November 30, 1897.

12
He hadn’t allowed his charges to read … “nothing but hotel menu cards”
“Fight for Thorn’s Life Is On Again,”
NYH
, November 24, 1897.

13
Good Thing Club
“Thorn Jurors’ Bright Idea,”
NYH
, November 29, 1897.

14
genially hazed their police escort by loading his rifle with blanks
“Thorn Will Say the Woman Did It,”
NYH
, November 28, 1897.

15
referred to as Mrs. Nack’s Office
“Thorn Confesses It All,”
NYT
, December 1, 1897.

16
“All off here for Woodside cottage!”
“Thorn’s Fate in Jury’s Hands,”
BE
, November 30, 1897.

17
The place had hardly changed NYT
, December 1, 1897.

18
shooing gawkers to a perimeter NYH
, December 1, 1897.

19
Sullivan busily threw open the shutters
“Thorn’s Life in Jury’s Keeping,”
NYET
, November 30, 1897.

20
Judge Maddox hadn’t yet finished his cigar NYEJ
, November 30, 1897.

21
tugged down on his pin-striped vest
Ibid.

22
so loud that the chandeliers jangled NYJA
, November 30, 1897.

23
“Now, as to your visit to the cottage” NYEJ
, November 30, 1897.

24
“Remember that the scenes of this day will never” BE
, November 30, 1897.

25
“Put these things together in a mosaic” NYEJ
, November 30, 1897.

26
it was 2:25 NYEJ
, November 30, 1897.

27
a single black-veiled woman nearly hidden
“Thorn Found Guilty,”
NYTR
, December 1, 1897.

28
“So long as Mr. Howe kept in a sphere above the actual evidence”
“The Jury’s Declaration at Thorn’s …” (title damaged),
NYJA
, December 1, 1897.

29
“It is not believed that he cut
himself
up”
editorial,
BE
, November 27, 1897.

30
reporters could make out raised voices
“Jury in Three Hours Finds Thorn Guilty,”
NYJA
, December 1, 1897.

31
poring over the intercepted jailhouse correspondence
“Martin Thorn Convicted,”
NYS
, December 1, 1897.

32
“Remove your hats!” NYT
, December 1, 1897.

33
“Gentlemen of the jury, have you agreed upon a verdict?”
“Jury Finds Thorn Guilty of Murder,”
NYH
, December 1, 1897.

  1
“I suppose Howe will get a new trial” NYH
, December 1, 1897.

  2
wrestling with his adopted mutt
“Thorn Sentenced to Die In January,”
BE
, December 3, 1897.

  3
“I had no motive to kill Guldensuppe” NYH
, December 1, 1897.

  4
“Martin!” his sister sobbed
“Martin Thorn Is Breaking Down,”
NYW
, December 3, 1897.

  5
“It doesn’t make any difference to me” NYH
, December 1, 1897. NB: The remainder of this scene is drawn from this account.

  6
“I am smoking a cigar”
“Howe Calls Doht a Liar,”
BE
, December 1, 1897.

  7
Garden City Hotel dutifully filed
“Thorn Trial Expenses,”
NYS
, December 3, 1897.

  8
Detective Sullivan’s fruitless trip to Hamburg
“Mrs. Nack May Escape Death,”
NYW
, December 2, 1897.

  9
the entire cost of the case might balloon to $40,000 or $50,000
“Luxurious Thorn Jurors,”
NYT
, December 3, 1897.

10
hotel bill consisted of the usual pettiness
“Thorn Jury Bill Edited,”
BE
, January 13, 1898.

11
The jury was incompetent to render a verdict
“The Thorn Jury Wine Bill,”
NYT
, January 8, 1898.

12
“I saw no wine drunk”
“Thorn Jurors Swear They Had No Wine,”
BE
, January 9, 1898.

13
“Prisoner, arise” BE
, December 3, 1897. NB: The remainder of the scene is drawn from this account.

14
Thorn sat up on his jail cot
“Thorn Taken to Sing Sing,”
BE
, December 4, 1897.

15
he turned to his dog
“Martin Thorn in Sing Sing,”
NYET
, December 4, 1897.

16
two inches of slush and snow
“Thorn Must Die Within Five Weeks,”
NYW
, December 4, 1897.

17
Thorn slid on the ice
“Almost Fell Twice,”
NYJ
, December 5, 1897.

18
crowd was pressing on Thorn and his two jailers NYET
, December 4, 1897.

19
“They all want to see you”
“Thorn’s Vanity Betrayed Him,”
NYW
, December 5, 1897. NB: The remainder of this scene is drawn from this account.

20
a piano maker’s wife had thrown herself
“The Suicidal Mania,”
NYT
, May 13, 1881.

21
man recently arrested for assisting a high diver’s illegal leap
“Jumped from the Bridge,”
NYT
, July 5, 1897.

22
employee had once run off with the florist’s wife
“Mrs. Spengler Went Wrong,”
NYT
, September 9, 1892.

23
burnished oak coffin
“Guldensuppe’s Body Buried,”
NYTR
, December 6, 1897.

24
his right hand laid upon his breast NYT
, December 6, 1897.

25
Journal
women’s page reporter who visited her on Christmas Day
“Mrs. Nack’s Christmas Present to Thorn,”
NYJA
, December 26, 1897.

26
“head devil” of the case
“Maudlin Sympathy,”
BE
, December 6, 1897.

27
“They should place her in the electric chair with Thorn”
“Mrs. Nack May Escape Death,”
NYW
, December 2, 1897.

28
“Imagine Santa Throwing an X-Ray” Bloomingdale’s display ad,
NYW
, December 5, 1897.

29
FIRE IN A MATCH FACTORY NYH
, December 4, 1897.

30
proposal to put bike racks on trolley cars
“Brooklyn Trolleys May Carry Cycles Next Season,”
NYJ
, December 10, 1897.

31
THOUGHTS PICTURED NYH
, November 28, 1897.

32
FISH CHOWDER POURS NYJ
, December 15, 1897.

33
the Prophecy Prize
“What Do You Think Will Happen in the Year 1898?”
NYJA
, December 19, 1897.

34
“Poor Martin.” Gussie sighed NYJA
, December 26, 1897. NB: The remainder of this section is drawn from this account.