THE DAILY EV flmrtQ TELEGIIAPI1 PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1871.
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RULLOFF.
THE MAN FIEND.
The rbilologist and Assassin
The Story of His Career
An Unbroken life of
Crime Che Sus
pected IVIurderor
of Wife and
Child.
The Professor and Tutor of Wick
edness The Intellectual Mid
night Robber The Slayer
ef Ilia Fellow Men
and the Gallows'
Victim.
A more startling history has probably never
teen worked out in mortal man's life than that
connected with a murderer now under sentence
cf death in New York State, and to be executed
to-day, May IS, by name Edward II. Rulloff,
Alias Leurlo, Howard, Dalton, etc. etc.
The story of his career awakens the most
lively Interest, not so much from the fact of its
final act being a murder for more bloody,
more deliberate murders, and murders with more
malice aforethought than this one have proba
bly been committed but from the fact that the
murderer was himself a man of the greatest
Intollect and the most thorough education, who
could, had he been so minded, have pursued a
far different course in life.
His final crime was murder while In the act
of committing a robbery, which, in our present
Bocial condition, is only too common. Not
withstanding his great learning and Intelligence
he had so closed his mind to perceptloas of
moral right, that he was capable of far greater
crimes even than this. Though he is not guilty
in the eye of the law of a greater offense com
mitted on a former occasion, yet the moral cer
tainty is that he deserves to rank with the most
beastlike, heartless, and cold-blooded of mur
derers, he being undoubtedly the direct means,
under most unprovoklng circumstances, of the
murder of his own devoted wife and child
the deed being done in the most methodical
and workmanlike manner. But the traces
of this deed he, by his great cunning, was
60 able to cover as to render legal proof
impossible. This crime was committed twenty
years ago, since which time the man has been
living for much of the time in Intercourse with
his fellow-men. But neither through himself or
otherwise has the slightest legal proof been
given of his guilt, nor will such probably ever
be found, though the man is undoubtedly guilty.
He was, however, tried, found guilty, and
served a sentence on another minor charge; but
he would be to-day free from the clutches of the
law were it not that the course of his choice led
him to the commission of the later and, if such a
term can be used, less revolting murder for
which he has been found guilty, though with
the greatest difficulty, and sentenced to die.
The man was certainly able to have filled a
position of trust and honor, and to have ac
quired wealth in a legitimate way. But his
great learning was not united with any question
or influences of moral right and wrong, and
consequently, after looking about the world,
and perceiving that the greatest scamps were
the most successful to all appearances, while
the most deserving were generally the least in
the world's esteem, the question of success in
life, unimpeded by notions of right and wrong,
resolved itself into a mere mathematical prob
lem, to be solved according to fixed laws. Of
course to such a mind there would be but one an
swer. He deliberately abandons a more
honorable life, and one which is the
most in accordance with his own
peculiar tastes, and substitutes for it a
life of crime at the shortest road to what is
most desired in life, happiness. The example
shows conclusively the great necessity of edu
cating not only the mind but also the con
science, for without the latter the results of ed
cation may be a curse instead of a blessing,
The mind that by superior education is endowed
with great intelligence and is able to master any
problem which may be presented to it, If it be
governed by a man who Is a villain and who
cares not how the mind works, is made the more
dangerous in proportion as It is the more edu
cated. Its education only makes it the master
of all the means of wickedness, and its manoeu
vres are the more to be feared, as it is more able
bv numerous methods unthoughtof by others to
cover up the deeds 01 wickedness and so escape
punishment at the bands of men.
That this life was not altogether to his liking
is shown by the fact that never in all his crimi
nal life did Rulloff desert his first choice,
study. The particular bent of his inclination
was the Btudy of languages, mainly for its own
sake, and his researches in this department are
deep, thorough, and learned. The most com
preheneive title that cau possibly describe his
character is this: Hulloff, philologist and mur
derer.
HIS MUST APPEARANCE.
Tie scene of his principal adventures was i i
the interior of New York State. The place
where the last murder was committed was the
little city of Blnghamton, in Broome count),
New York, but he had been only toj well
known in the neighborhood of the towns of
Dryden and Ithaca, iu Tompkins county of the
came State.
ills urei appearance was ulucteen years ago,
when he arrived la Drydeo, and said that he
was a native ot bt. John, N. B.; that there h
had teen a clerk in a bard ware store, and had
cunie to New York for the purpose of getting
into more remnneiative or larger business. Iu
that city he ruet, according to his story, a Mr
Gouraud, a teacher of a commercial school, wbi
promised that after giving him a course of in
struction in book-keeping, penmanship, etc., he
would guarantee him a situutlju; hut It ill (I,
In his phrase, found Gouraud a 'huni'mg," Wu
took his money as long ai he had any, and fien
failed to comply with his agr incut.
It was afterwards f.iuad tint l, slti' a h;.
late trial for tuurder thit R illoft wm punish,.
In St. John by two years' iui)iisn:ue;tt In
stealing from bis employer, before coiulng m
New York. This was ascertained by a clery-
man who went to 8t. John. Hence UuIIoft en
tered upon hi career of crime, so far as is now
known, probably before he wan twenty years of
age. He is now, according to his own account,
IftYCEt.
At Dryden his story elicited a good deal of
sympathy on the part of a family named Schutt,
and also of others. It was suggested by a
neighbor of Mr. Schntt that Ralloff should teach
a select school a few months afterwards. The
impression of the young man was that he was
worthy in all respects. He seemed to have good
habits and few faults. Of his pupils were some
members of the Schntt family, two or three of
the younger children, among them Harriet
Schntt, who was then not more than sixteen.
Rulloff, according to his statement, was twenty-
three, Almost from the beginning of the school
he began paying attentions to Miss Schutt.
Yhen the purpose of marriage became manifest,
the Schntts, who, as we hear from all sources,
were people of much intelligence and high
character, used their influence to prevent It.
Rulloff had given no satisfactory account of
himself; he had no reference such as was fair to
expect. But the result was that the marriage
tok place, the family at last reluctantly
consenting. Immediately after his mar
riage Rulloff began the course of 111
trcatment of his wife which afterward de
prived blm of the confidence nnd respect of nil
except her who was most immediately con
cerned. She clung to him, making no com
plaints. One cause of ill-feeling on the part of
Rulloff grew out of the fact that he was a botani
cal doctor, having gained his knowledge of
medicine from the reading of medical books,
and that Dr. William H. Bull, a relative and In
timate of the" Schutts, was a regular physi
cian, a graduate of a medical college in New
York. These men held discussions as to the
relative merits of the systems, and Rulloff quar
relled with Bull and asked that the family should
close their doors ngainst him. The antipathy
existed before Rulloff's marriage. The Doctor
being a cousin of the Schutt children, was not
debarred their friendship at Rulloff's bidding.
They did not see that Rulloff's personal dislike
should disturb family relations. The result was
that Rulloff assumed jealousy of him, and when
ever opportunity presented, by familiar greetings
between the young people, there was an out
burst of anger on the part of Rulloff that ren
dered the life of the wife extremely unpleasant.
THE TREATMENT OF HIS WIFE.
His cruelty towards his wife continued to in
crease, and it is said that on one occasion she
was pounding pepper in a mortar, and her hus
band told her she was not making it fine enough.
She made a slight remonstrance, whereupon
Rulloff seized the iron pestle and struck her on
her forehead, knocking her back several feet.
He finally threatened to desert her, but by the
intercession of friends the two resolved to live
along together. It was not long after when the
Schutt family, with whom they were living at
the time, heard a woman's shriek up stairs, and
hastening up they found the ingenious wretch
Rulloff with a bottle of poison In his hand, and
his wife shrinking into one corner, holding a
pillow before her mouth. She begged them not
to blame her husband, and even went and em
braced him, saying, "My dear Edward, you are
mine forever, whether we live together or not."
Rulloff threw the phial out of the window, and
thus the affair ended. It was not very long
after when, one afternoon, the same thrilling
voice was heard up in the chamber where the
young husband and wife slept. All that were
in the house ran np stairs, and then they came
upon about the same scene again, except that
this time the wretch had a dose for himself as
well as his wife. But neither were adminis
tered. Matters finally came to such a pass that the
literary doctor", clerk, schoolmaster, student,
farmer, and canaller was turned out from under
his father-in-law's roof. But he had been gone
only a short time when his suffering wife, with
that incomprehensible love and devotion, left all
her friends and relations, and went to seek the
companionship of her cruel husband. She found
him at Lansing, a place about as far up the lake
from Ithaca as Dryden is distant from the same
place. It was now the spring of 1845, a year
and a half after the marriage. Rulloff and his
wife had lived together, boarding, for some time,
and it seems had now hired a small Louse and
farm to work for themselves. Rulloff had also
been gratifying his old love iar poring over
musty books and searching out strange theories,
and had formed a system of phrenology. He
had even written a lecture on this subject, and
was engaged to deliver it at different places
during the coming season. A child was born
to him one night in the month of April.
TDB DISAPPEARANCE OF THE WIFE.
The last time that the wife and child of Rul
loff were seen was on a dark, strltry night, the
23d of June, 1843. The woman was devoting
her attention to the little babe, getting It ready
to be put to bed. Rulloff had gone over to see
his neighbor. Thomas Robertson, a farmer who
lived directly opposite. There was a road
crossing at this place, and Robertson lived on
one corner and Rulloff on another, lie asked
Mr. Robertson's daughter, Olive, to run over
and keep his wife company until he came home,
as she might be afraid. The girl went over and
found the woman with her babe, apparently fear
ing no harm. Olive stayed until 9 o'clock, and at
that time Rullotf came in. He began mixing
something In a cup. Olive asked him what he
was making. "Tea composition tea," he
fuid. The girl soon after went home.
The doors of both bouses were soon
closed and the lights went out. That day
Rulloff's wife had ' een over the way, and bor
rowed some articles to assist her in doing her
washing. The two women had a 6hort neigh
borly chat, and Rulloff's wife returned, got
everything la readiness for doing the washing,
when, for some reason, she concluded that she
could not wash until the next morning. The
tea which Rulloff prepared he proposed to give
to the child. Mrs. Rulloff objected, saying that
the babe was not ill. and needed no medicine
Rulloff urged tbat it would be good for the
child, and vru for herself. But the medicine
was not given while the visitor remained.
On the next looming Mr. Robertson, who
rose early, observed that the shutters of Rul
loft's house were tightly closed a very unusual
circumstance but he thought nothing of it
Later in the morning, not far from 9 o'clock
Rulloff came out and went to the house of hU
neighbor and atked him to let him take a horse
aLd wagon, saying that his (Kulloff'ii) wife's
uncle Ltd called iu the night, and his wife and
child had gone with him to Mott's Corners. Iu
order to make room for bis wife and child, the
uncle was obliged to leave a large chest at his
i house. The chest ho desired to tike to the
I untie. Mr. RoberUon, who never denied Rulloff
1 anything having acquired for uini a very
I friendly feeling at once harnessed the horbe
1 and put it at his disposal. Rulloff drove to his
own door and attempted to lod the chest. Mr.
Robertson, standing iu his own door, saw that
Rullcff was unable to accomplish the work, ami
went to bis asslatance. Mr. Robertson found
his end t the chest very heavy, but It was loaded
by the two into the wagon. He also brought out
a flour sack half filled with something, and put
t into the wagon alongside of the chest. Ralloff
then took his seat aud drove away. Not far
from his houfe he came np with some children
going to school; he lavited them to ride, and
they got in, almost filling the wagon. They
laughed and chatted, and Rulloff whistled and
sung, and it was a rare scene of animation. Bo
they went on, the fun often nproarious.
Bnt Rulloff did not go to Mott's Corners, ne
drove direct to Ithaca, and thence to the inlet of
Cay uea Lake. There the wagon stood, with
the chest in it, during the day. Rulloff was
absent. He was not noticed. When evening
came on the wagon moved down the inlet
towards the lake, bnt from that point trace of it
was lost. -
Rulloff was not observed by any person until
about ten o'clock of the next day, when be re
turned with the wagon and the same chest. It
was an emigrant box. On Ralloff stopping at
his door a son of Mr. Robertson approaahed to
take the horse, and Rulloff took hold of the
chest to lift it out. The boy said, "Let
me assist you." Ho at once noticed, on
taking hold of the chest, that It was
empty. Rulloff went Into the house, and
the boy drove away with the horse. The
shutters remained closed. After this the wife
and child were never seen again, nor were their
bodies or any portions of them ever found. With
this want, technically known as the corpus de
licti, a verdict of "guilty of murder "could
not be legally obtained, no matter howstiong
the circumstantial evidence might be. The only
thing for which he could legally be tried under
this circumstance was for the abduction of the
child, and for this, as will be been, he sorved a
sentence of ten years.
WHAT WAS IN THE CHEST.
Though it was impossible to prove what had
been the disposition of the bodies of the mur
dered woman and child, the family of the
Schutts ascertained positively, for themselves,
that Mrs. RullofI was not alive. The chest
which went to the "inlet" contained the
body of Mrs. Rnlloff; It was wrapped
with untempered wire, which was passed through
the ring of n heavy iron mortar, weighing
twenty-five pounds, which Rulloff possessed.
The wrapping was such that the bones were
covered by the wire in such manner that none of
the large ones would be likely to become
loosened in years, it ever. The consummate tact
of the mnrderer was thus proved. Had his
management otherwise since then been as
effective he would never have reached the
gallows. The child was, in like manner, at
tached to flat-irons. Together they were sunk
in Cayuga Lake, whence subsequent dredging
was wholly unavailing to bring them up.
The associate counsel for the defense of Rul
loff at his first trial for abduction has since given
additional information relating to the killing of
Mrs. Rulloff. This gentleman afterwards re
fused to engage in the defense of Rulloff at the
second murder trial, owing to the facts which
had come to his knowledge. According to these
facts it appears that the killing of Mrs. Rulloff
was not by strangulation, as was reported, but
by Rulloff knocking her senseless, ne then raised
a board in the floor, opened a vein or veins and
bled her to death. In opposition to this state
ment we may say that the cellar of the house
extends under by far the greatest part of It, and
close measurement would be necessary to pre
vent letting the blood into the cellar. But Ral
loff may be supposed equal to the work. This
account, which is said to come from a private
confession made by Rulloff to his counsel, goes
on to say that the cries of the child caused Rul
loff to "repent," and that "he shed tears." This,
of course, is Rulloff's story, or one of them, and
should be so accepted. It is added that he saw
no way of concealing the murder, except
by killing the babe, and that he did this by
strangulation and bleeding also. The account
ends by the statement that he rowed out upon
Cayuga Lake and sunk the bodies, a3 already
described.
Those who choose to do so may believe that
Rulloff was surprised in his bloody work by the
cries of his child.
It was well known that Rulloff was in the
habit of inquiring about the depth of Cayug a
Lake and of sailing on it in a small boat.
THE DEPARTURE OF RULLOFF.
In the afternoon of the day on which he re
turned, Rulloff came out of his house with a bun
dle under bis arm, and passed Mr. Robertson's
garden, where Mr. Robertson was at work. Rul
loff spoke to him in a careless way "By-bye,
Mr. Robertson, bv-bye; don't be alarmed if we
don't come back In two or three weeks. I and
my wife talk of going on a visit between the
lakes" (that is, Cayuga and Seneca Lakes). He
added jocularly, "i'lease don't let any man carry
away our house while we are gone." He then
walked away.
Rulloff went directly to Ithaca, procured a
horse and wagon and drove back to his own
house late in the night of the same day, and
took the chest he had left away from his own
house, without the knowledge, at that time, of
any person. He drove to the stage otllco in
Ithaca, where lie left the chest. The stae
started for Geneva at four o'clock in the morn
ing, and he, with his chest, was on board. Ou
that passage he registered his name as John
Doe. He was seen by a relative of the Schutt
family in the stage at a point not far from J ack
sonvllle, a place not far from Geneva. The
chest was seen, and there was no passenger ex
cept Rnlloff. He was finally traced, with his
chest, to Ovid, where he crossed Seneca Lake,
and then to Crooked Lake; up that lake to
Hammondsport.and then by stage to the Ganesee
Valley Canal. Here the trace was lost wholly
at that time. We should say, however, that the
chest was taken to Chicago, as is now well es
tablished. K A MILT COURTEST.
A few days passed, when one of the Schutt
family, whose members knew nothing of the
absence of Rulloff, was sent by the parents to
Rulloff's house with some furniture. This was
done to show the interest of the family In his
welfare, and a desire to eneourage hint to do
better than he had done; but the doors were
locked, information was gained of the absence,
as was supposed, of Mrs. Rulloff, her child, and
her husband, and the furniture was necessarily
taken home again.
Two or three weeks had now passed, and
suspicion arose, particularly In Ithaca, that
Kullofl's absence was more significant than
Robertson, or even the Schutt family, thought
it. People passed by the house, and then began
to imagine that its closed shutters concealed all
torts of spirits and dreadful shapes. They were
afraid to pass it during the night time; and even
the sheriff, when be came to break into the
house weeks after Rulloff had left, brought a
poms of nearly fifty men.
Finally a man from the village went to the
house, forced open the shutter, and looked in.
He saw enough to convince him that Mrs. Ral
loff had made no preparation for a journey; and
he communicated his strengthened suspicion
to the Bcbnit brothers, who were living in
Ithaca. This was the first cry of murder. The
brothers went in haste to the place with the
Sheriff, broke open tbe house, and were con
vinced that something was wrong, though they
refused to share In the suspicion of murder.
They knew of Rulloff's violent temper, his
threats, etc., bnt thought him incapable of kill
ing his wife and child. There lay everything
just as it was left on that fated night. The
clothes which were to have been washed the
next day wr lying where the hand of the lost
woman had left them; the table was partly
covered with dishes, just eniugh for Rulloff to
breakfast with alone that morning.
The Schntt brothers returned to Ithaca the
same evening, and as they sat discussing the
matter in the closed store of one of them, sud
denly Rulloff himself entered. He was greeted
warmly, and one of the brothers advanced to
him and said, "Doctor, I am so glad to see you.
Where is your wife?" Ho answered promptly,
"Between the lakes." "How very strangely you
manage," said the brother. "Why," he added,
"the people here have been talking about your
murdering your wife." Rulloff laughed, merely
answering, "Have they?" Then the brother
Invited him up stairs to a sleeping room. But
little was meationed further about the report of
the murder. Rulloff said that he and Harriet had
been having a fine time between the lakes; that
they had made many pleasant acquaintances,
etc. In the morning Rulloff went to his wife's
father's, in Dryden, eight miles from. Ithaca.
Mr. and Mrs. Schutt had heard nothing of the
slight suspicions that had been aroused in
Ithaca. They received him kindly and In
quired concerning his family. Iler he
placed his family farther off. He said his
wife and child were in Madison, Lake county,
Ohio. The object was to prevent easy inquiry.
He went on to say he had engaged a school in
tbat place, and spoke of the beauty of the
scenery; how well his wife was pleased with
the prospect there, and that he had come back
alter his furniture, household goods, etc. He
said, also, that his wife wished his sister would
come out with him. Mrs. Schutt, however, in
the course of earnest conversation, became con
vinced and at once said that Rulloff had com
mitted murder. Her woman's intuition was the
first to fathom the mystery, probably having
feared tuch a thing before from the threats of
the man. She expressed to her son Henry her
thoughts. The son then demanded of Rulloff
that he 6hould show him, beyond all doubt,
where his sister was. Rulloff became abusive;
went immediately to the barn, and took out a
horse to go to Ithaca. A sister, who was at
home, took this occasion to visit Ithaca, and
Henry decided to follow with another horse.
HIS SECOND FLIGHT AND CAPTURE.
On Henry's arrival at Ithaca he called on one
of his brothers, and, bursting into tears, said,
"That wretch has murdered our sister." Rulloff
drove to William Schutt's house with the sister,
and Rulloff bad been there but a short timd
when some six or seven of the first men in
Ithaca called on him, and said to him that his
wife had very mysteriously disappeared from
her home, and asked him to make some explana
tion of the matter. He declined to say much
about it, suggesting that it was none of their
business. They then said to him plainly that
unless he convinced them fully of the where
abouts of his wife they would detain
him. He turned to one of the Schutts
and asked, "What shall I do?" He was
in reply told he had better write a letter
to his wife and give his promise to remain
there until an answer from her could be ob
tained. This he promised faithfully to do. The
gentlemen then retired. Rulloff began writing
the letter. He did not suit himself at first, and
tore up several drafts of rejected letters. Time
was thus wasted and night came. Then he gave
E. Schutt a letter, which he was to mail and to
show it beforehand to the gentlemen who called
at the house. The letter was addressed In care
of a Mr. Depuy to his wife in Madison county,
Ohio. It was a pleasant and affectionate note.
Mr. Schutt went Immediately to the post office,
showed the letter, according to arrangement,
and it gave entire satisfaction. They were in
clined to dismiss their suspicions. The letter
was mailed. Not long afterwards the sister came
hurriedly to the post office to say to her brother
that Rnlloff had left the house and ran down the
street. This, of course, produced no little ex
citement. It was regarded as proof of Rulloff's
guilt. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and
very many started in pursuit. He had gone in
me airection oi Auourn. in a snort time a
gentleman arrived from that direction with a
horse and wagon, and made the singular state
ment that on his way he had seen a man who
seemed to be coming rapidly towards him, but
as he approached he saw the man was going
towards Ithaca. The wagon passed the man
and afterwards stopped for the purpose of
watering the horse. The 6top was long enough
to allow the man to come up; but nothing more
was seen of him.
The fact was communicated to the brother, E.
Schutt, who comprehended at once that Rulloff
had practised the ruse of turning back while he
was endeavoring to make his escape, and thus
without detection hoping to reach the first train
that passed westward from Auburn. The steam
boat running down Cayuga Lake did not
arrive at Auburn in season for this train, and
Mr. Schutt thought at this time and said that in
all probability Rulloff's wife was at Madison, as
he bad staled, and tbat he would endeavor to
reach there, letting the officers follow him, with
the warrant of arrest, at their convenience. De
siring, however, to see that this was true, Mr
Schutt decided to take a horse and wagon, ac
companled by a driver, and go across the conn
try to Geneva, not doubting he should find
Kulloff on the train. His theory proved correct.
On the arrival ol the train he looked through It,
but did not see Kulloff; yet he went on by the
same train and sent the drirer back. At the
next station Rulloff got off to take a drink of
water, as be said, and coming back to get on
the train, the two were in full sight of each
other. This was a moment of excitement and
doubt. Mr. Schutt questioned whether he
should get off and endeavor to arrest Rulloff.
but he thought it better to remain, and if Rulloff
did not get on he could leave the train at any
place. Now, on making a search of the train,
Rnlloff was found among the German emi
grants. He seemed much annoyed at being
discovered. Mr. Schutt (aid to him, "How
strangely you have conducted!" and demanded
to know why he did so. He replied that they
acted so like fools at Ithaca that he would
make them all the trouble he could by going
where his wife was, and let them come on to
see how he had tooled them. He the'n said he
would go directly to where the wa la
company with the brother. On arrival at
Buffalo the two remained daring the night
at the hotel. Mr. Schutt called for a room with
two beds. Rulloff was so lame from hU walk
to Auburn that he could scarcely get up stairs,
and entering the room he took off his stockings
and showed his feet. They were blistered and
very sore, ne said he had run the whole dis
tance from Ithaca to Anburn (not far lrom forty
five miles) in the night.
Early in the morning there was a boat going
np the lake that would land at Ashtabula on
the way to Madison. The two walked to the
boat and went on board. There was an Im
mense crowd, and Mr. Schntt worked his way
through it, Rulloff following; there he escaped.
When this was observed there was no time to
search in the crowd or to get off. The wheels
were already moving. Rulloff was not on hoard.
Mr. Schutt was now satisfied that Rnlloff
was guilty. He studied upon Rulloff's
movements, and made np his mind that
Rulloff, being a German and speaking
the German language, would come on
with the emigrants. He ascertained that a boat
with emigrants on board would be due in Cleve
land on Sunday morning, and that he could go
to Madison, make full inquiry, and then take
stage and arrive at Cleveland ahead of the emi
grant boat, the Wisconsin. At Malison nobody
had heard of Mrs. Rulloff, and there was no
such per.on as the man In whose care Rulloff's
letter bad been directed. Mr. Schutt had not
expected any other result, but made the visit
for satisfaction to himself and his friends. IIo
rodo all night,' and reached Cleveland; the
Sheriff procured a warrant of arrest against
Rulloff; an officer was assigned to assist Mr.
Schutt at the boat landing. Position was
taken on high ground where the passengers
could be watched, but Rulloff wrs not seen.
But at a dining saloon near by, behind a great
dry goods box, Rulloff was discovered hy Schutt
and pointed out to the officer. Rulloff denied
his name. Mr. Schutt directed his arrest and
he was taken into custody. In the presence of
officers Mr. Schutt informed Rulloff that on con
dition of receiving satisfactory information of
Mrs. Rulloff proceedings would be stopped. He
gave no information, but consented to return to
Ithaca with Mr. Schutt as preferable to remain
ing in irons in Cleveland.
Mr. Schutt and Rulloff set out for home on a
steamer, whose captain, a rough man with a
great heart, had cordially promised to assist
Mr. Schutt in guarding the prisoner. The
officer who led Rulloff off to the boat aacompa-
nied him to the deck, as he said, to have a little
talk with him alone. They had remained for
some time, when Mr. Schutt grew somewhat
weary and joined them. He found that Rulloff
had so worked upon the credulity and sympathy
of the officer, who, for his experience and
ability, was named after "Old Hayes," that the
officer, as he confessed afterwards, was about to
permit him to escape. This was a remarkable
instanco of Rulloff's power. The officer admit
ted, with exhibition of much chagrin, ou the
occasion of a subsequent visit by Mr. Schutt to
Cleveland, that he was thoroughly and com
pletely deceived for the first time in his
life, and he described minutely the manner in
which Rulloff set about deceiving him. Ou
going on the upper deck Rulloff immediately
grasped his hand and said: "My friend, it is all
right; my wife and child are living. You Bee I
am a poor devil. Look at me 1 My wife's
family are wealthy and proud, and despise me
only because I am poor. My wife loves me aod
I her, and we have concluded to leave her
family and go where they will know nothing of
us." Rulloff showed intense emotion, and the
officer was so impressed with the feeling that
he was honest and truthful and an injured man,
that Mr. Schutt had 6ome difficulty la convinc
ing him otherwise, as the officer acknowledged.
When the admissions were made the officer ex
pressed his opinion of Rulloff in these words:
"I could carve him into mince meat; he is the
basest wretch that lives."
Leaving Cleveland with the prisoner, a strong
room was procured and Rulloff was locked iu It.
After the boat had passed out into the lake
some ten or twelve miles it was not to land
until arrival at Buffalo Mr. Schutt visited Rul
loff's room; Rulloff asked If he could not go
with Mr. Schutt to the upper deck and have a
talk. Mr. Schutt assented; and sending Rulloff
ahead of him, the two walked up. They seated
themselves beside the pilot-house, and entered
into a free conversation, in which Mr. Schutt,
in earnest words, put the facts before him:
"You came into our family in poverty and dis
tress; you were kindly, very kindly, received;
in the end you have married my sister; aud
your conduct has been such as no mortal can
account for, not even yourself. I was
the last one to believe you guilty of murder. I
am now entirely satisfied that y ou are guilty.
What can you say for yourself ?" This is trie
merest outline of the conversation, in which the
entire history of Rulloff's connection with the
family was brought out. Rulloff had no answer,
except that he proposed to jump overboard.
Mr. Schutt replied that that was perhaps the
best way to conclude the matter. He added
that he thought Rulloff too great a coward to
do this, which proved to be the fact. "Now,
sir," said Mr. Schutt, "I want y ou to go down
to your room Immediately. You may hope to
get away, but you need give yourself no such
comfort." He marched ahead of Mr. Schutt,
and was again locked in bis room.
At Buffalo the captain and his men guarded
Rulloff while Mr.' Schutt obtained a warrant
from the police authorties. The court being iu
session he was constituted an officer, and for
mally took Rulloff intD custody, though he had
held him so far without authority. An officer
was also assigned to assist. Rulloff was put oa
the train, and the officer took from his pocket a
pair of handcuffs which had been given to Mr.
Schutt to put on KuUoH's hands. Rulloff ob
jected; he made an abject and piteous appeal
to Mr. Schutt, but received reply that decep
tions enough bad been practised; that he must
go to Ithaca without further chance of escape,
l'be irons were put upon him. The passengers
who came ou the boat were iu this car, and as
sisted in guarding the prisoner. The train ar
rived at Caynga Bridge In the morning before
davlight, and upon Rulloff's complaint that the
irons galled his hands Mr. Schutt acceded to
his request to remove them. Rulloff then pro
posed to walk at Ithaca with Mr. Schutt to tbe
prison, but this was not accorded. As the om
nibus In which Mr. Pehutt and Rulloff were
seated approached the Clinton House in Ithaca,
the streets were Instantly crowded with people.
The excitement in Ithaca was lnteuse. - What
might have occurred it it bad been permitted to
grow, or a word of encouragement had been
given, is a matter of speculation. Rulloff was
taken in charge by the officers aud removed to
the jail.
HIS TRIALS. ,
Rulloff was tried, not for the murder of his
wife, but for abducting his wife aad child. He
was found guilty and sentenced to ten years im
prisonment at hard labor in the Auburn State
Prison. Before tbat term had expired an indict
ment was found charging him with the murder
of his wife aud child. No sooner had the keeper
of the 8tate Prison got through with Rulloff's
services than the old sheriff of Tompkins county
stood ready to grasp bias again. He was taken
back, tried on an Indictment for the murder of
his daughter, and found guilty.
A bill of exceptions was made by the prisoner,
and with bis usual astuteness, he contended
that having been found guilty of the abduction
of his wife, be could not be tried far murdering
ber. Tbe cause was srgued on appeal before
Justices Balcom, Mason, and Gray, of tbe Su
preme Court. Each delivered an au'e
opinion, . but Justice Balcom differed with
the other two, in holding that no person
could be adjudged guilty of murder without the
cerpui delicti being fully proven. He said tbat,
according to all the evidence that had been
found, the child might still be living. In 1SO0
the case came up agala. before Justice Knox,
who decided llat no person could be either
convicted or acquitted on a trial which was an
application for discharge on habeas corpus, as
was the case in the old trial. The prisoner here
appeared as counsel for himself, as he had done
before. He was sent back to jail, from which
he finally freed himself, and started anew on
his mysterious and guilty career.
During the trial for murder, a man named
Richard K. Swift, of Chicago, came to Ithaca
as a witness. By this man it was ascertained
tbat Rulloff had been In Chicago In 1815. and
had left some Important evidence ot his crime
behind. It appeared that Rulloff bad got short
of money while in that city, and had pawned
uis iruuK, lue one uu iook irom nnaca. tie got
$25 on the trunk, and as he did not return, It
was opened, in H was iound a lot of books,
one of them being a Hooper's Dirtinnarv
marked E. 11. Rulloff. There were also a lecture
on phrenology and a lock ot brown hair. Ral
Ijff gave bis name as John H. Revllle to the
pawnbroker. This testimony was afterwards
very important in identifying tbe prisoner on
me subsequent trial ior the second murder,
ins pursuits after leaving the prison
After freeing himself from prison Rulloft
appears to have devoted himself botb to science
nnd crime with renewed enenrv. Whlln neruinrr
bis sentence in priton ho had such an lufluence
over tbe jailers that bo was allowed to take
pupils, and one of thetu, the head jailer's son,
he afterwards mnde the companion of his
crimes. The poor bov was led iv hv th ma
ture scoundrel, and finished his earthly courser
wuue aiuiug in me perpetration ot the robbery
which led to tbe murder for which Rulloff Is'
now sentenced. 0"u leaving the prison ha oro-an-
lztd a band of thieves and robbers, which ope
rand very suecesstuiiy tor a time. He also!
pursued Ills philological studies, and in June,
lijOO, he appeared before an ethnological society
in New York lor the purpose of explaining1 a
theory of language which he had invented, and
which he claimed was the royal road to philo
logical learning. He offered his manuscript to
the society if be should receive in return the
sum oi i)uu,tuu. jNo purchaser, however, ap
pcarcd.
the final act.
A portion ot the robber band which Rulloffi
Had organized commenced operations in Bing.
V-,. XT V I . .... . .
uuiuiuu, r. i ., uuvut jvuubi, leviy. lniS 13 a
small inland city of about 15,000 Inhabitants,
with no public patrol either by night or'dav.
Here three of tbe band, Rulloff, a man named
uexier, ano ycung jarvis, tue jailer s son, at
tempted to rob a dry goods store on Court street,
between Water street and the Chenango river.
and In the attempt murdered one of the two
ciirks there employed, who slept upon and were
guarding the premises.
At about oO o clock in the morning of
August 17 the night clerk of the American
Hotel heard the cry of murder, and ran intoA
the street, meeting almost at the door one of the
clerks in the employ of Ualbert Brothers, named
Gilberts. Burrows, who was frightened or ex
cited half out of bis wit, and said that his
lellow-clerk, Frederick A. Mlrlck, had been
murdered. The man was so greatly disturbed
that hardly anything coherent could be lnarnnd
from him. As it happened, the Chief of Policed
(a leader with no followers) was sleeping at the
hotel, and was instantly aroused. What was he
to do? Here it was 2 o clock in the morningrl
were was no regular ponce to oe cuied out?
men were nil in bed, so he ran to Fireman's
Hall, near by. and set the bells ringincr.
The bells rang and rang, and soon men started
from their beds and gathered at the hall, won
dering what all the racket was about. There
they learned the news, and Instantly formed
themselves into bands and went as pickets all
about the neighborhood to prevent the escape
of the villains who bad done the hellish and
almost unnearn-oi aeed. others went over to
the store and there found tbe body of the mur
dered boy (ho was hardly more than eighteen
years old), lying on tbe floor, shot througn the
head, and weltering in blood. Tbe room showed
signs of a most terrible struggle: the tops of
bioois wnicn naa oeen lorn irom ineir stands in
the desperate fight were scattered about the
floor. 1 here were marks of four bulle ts in the
walls and upon tbo stairs leading to the place
where the boys had slept; the back door was
open and cut through with centre-bits. Silks
and goods lay strewn upon tbe floor; but
nothing was found or the villains save some
bits, and a shoe peculiarly formed.
Throughout the night they searched. The
rear (if I hn etnrn nH ininpH tlin ('haiinnoni-liTiii.
and it was suppo ed that the murderers had
entered and attempted to ford it, for It was
shallow. But here there was no trace of them.
Morning dawned, and never was there a more
frightened village than Blnghamton when theL
women and children heard the dreadful news.
Business was forgotten, and save for the gather
ing crowds In the streets, where terrified women
with pale lips w hispered to each other of the
dreadful night's work, where children cried and
boys tried to look unterrifled, one might almost
have thought that the day was the Sabbath4f
ire searcn continued ior tnree days, tracer
being found here aud there, but nothing more,
till at last the bodies of two drowned men were
found in the shallow river. The faces and
bodies of both were battered and maimed
so mat they were naruiy distinguishable as
tLose of human beings. Tbe boys
had dealt them many and heavy blows, and
uiadfl nn front! a flyht an ever man trulnnri tn ran.
man battle bad dono. On these bodies weren
fouud burglar tools and various other articles,
sbowirg plainly enough that they had done the!
work. The two were taken from the stream!
and laid on boards in a vacant lot. a little below I
the sidewalk, so tbat everybody might see themj
l hat morbid curiosity, born or terror ana nor-,
rible fascination, which leads men and women
to crowd to such scenes, brought all the inhabi
tants of the city to the spot. Women crowded
men and lifted their children in their arms, that
tbty, too, might have it to tell that they had i
seen the murderers, whose flight from justice
justice lteeii nad arrested.
. the arrest.
While the coroner's jury. was sitting on theJ
case of these bodies thus found, a man was ar-yl
rested under most suspicious circumstances
While one section of the guards who had beenj
stationed about the city were watching at night
tbey saw this man lurking behind a train off
cars, but when the train had passed they were
unable to find him. A man who had seen the
guards and mistaken them for a predatory party
intent on robbing him of fruit, was sitting at his
door at night watching them. He noticed a sha
dow more deep than was explainable under
ordinary circumstances near some outhouses.
He approached, pistol In hand, and dragged out
an abject object crouching there. This man was
Rulloff. Being summoned before the coro
ner's jury, he said that he had never seen the
bodies of tbe drowned men before, nor had he
the slightest notion who they were. He bad
adopted the plan of appearing as a simple, half-,
willed person. 'J
RullofI was permitted to depart, and cer-J
tainly lost no time in doing so. cut before he
had left town be was identified by Judge Bal
com as a man who, under the name of Edward
H. Rulloff, had teen tried by him some years
before for some crime (at the coroner's inquest
the man had given his name as George Wil
liams), and tbe Judge said that If he was really
Rulloff he would have a deformed foot. He
was arrested again and brought before the
coroner, but declined to answer questions put
to blm. Altogether, the inquest lasted about a
month, and about nity witnesses were sworn.
Through the Judge's efforts be was held for
trial.
TDB FINAL TRIAL AND SENTENCE.
The trial was immediately commenced, bnt it
was fouud very difficult to secura a verdict of
guilty, because tlieie was nothing but clrcum
giautial evidence, and this was combatted very
tucceftfullv bv the more than keen prisoner,
h Lo aided his counsel very materially in the
I Mouse. 1 tie surviving clerk was able to lden-
idy the drowned robbers but not teir compa
nion Rulloff, nor could he say which of the
three fired tbe shot. The evidence rested mainly
upon the hoot which fitted the deformed foot,
Rulloft having lost a toe by frost. It had bee a
noticed at the Coroner s inquest that the man
always refused to let one foot be seen, continu
ally putting one forward and keeping the other
ie.iiHKl th Smh rag.
ft