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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1908)
TTV MORNING- OREGOXIAX. WEDNESDAY, MAT 6, 1908. HUSBAND ACCUSED by Dramatically Confronted With Bloody Deed in Front of Wolff -Pawnshop. WIFE TELLS HER STORY Injuries and Change of Clothing Made by Martin on JTlght of the Crime Arouse Suspicions of His Wife. Pausing at the scene of the atro cious murder of Nathan. Wolff while on their way to high mass at the cathe dral Sunday morning. Mrs. Edward K. Martin accused her husband of the crime. Circumstances having: aroused her suspicions, the unhappy woman chose a course that would lead them directly past the Wolff pawnshop on the way to mass. There was a crowd about the entrance at the time, and they had to veer Into the street In order to pass. When directly In front of the store Mrs. Martin stopped. Mar tin did likewise. Placing;' herself squarely In front of the man, so she could watch the play of his expression, Mrs. Martin said: "Are you sure that It was not you killed this man"' 'God, no!" exclaimed Martin. "And If I thought for a minute that you thought so. I would Jump in the river." Martin showed no feeling; when the subject was thus brought up to him, although earlier In the morning he had denounced the murder as a horrible thing, saying the man who could com mit such a crime must be a brute of tie lowest type. With hi wife, he con tinued leisurely on to mass, and re mained devoutly through the service, returning home with her at the conclu sion. Loath to Believe Guilt. Mrs. Martin's experiences of the past few days have been trying ones. Used to the weaknesses of a once dependable husband. she was at first loatbto be lieve, even in the face of accusing cir cumstances, that her husband could dn uch a thing. He had never been wil fully brutal to her. and she knew of nothing In his past that would make her believe him capable of doing such a thing. According to the story which she told the detectives at her home yesterday morning, while they were searching high and low for the suspected man, her first suspicion occurred when she read of the dastardly crime in The Ore gonlan Saturday morning. She recalled with a start, as she read of the blood stains and the evidence of a struggle, that her husband reached home at mid night the night of the tragedy, with his face and head cut and scratched, and that he wore a different suit from the one in which he left home Friday morning. Martin was seemingly cool and col lected when he did get home at mid night. When Mrs. Martin asked him what had happened to him, he told in a 'quiet way of having been attacked by highwaymen and beaten over the head with a revolver. Familiar as she was with his numeirous escapades, she refused to believe amy such story, and demanded to know the cause of his injuries. "Well, the fact is, I was in a little game of poker with tie boys, and some talk came up, and I was hit over the head with a chair," he told her. and be lieving that not at all Improbable, she dismissed the subject. Saturday she said nothing of the tragedy, although she was harboring suspicions, not being able to forget the condition In which Martin returned home the night before. Sunday morn ing her suspicions became more pro nounced. The paper of that day sug gested that the work was believed to be that of one man, and probably of a cocaine, opium or morphine fiend. Mrs. Martin knew hr husband was addicted to the use of both cocaine and mor phine. Scene on Way to Mass. She harbored -her trying suspicions until Sunday, whien she determined to know the worst. Her suspicions were somewhat allayed by Martin's conduct In reading calmly of the murder and commenting on the fiendish brutality of the crime. But when they started for mass she suggested passing the scene of the murder, Martin consented to go in front of the place, she accused him. Again he allayed her suspicions by pro testing that he was incapable of such a crime. While praying that he was Innocent, Mrs. Martin said the suspicion returned to her after mass and late in the day she remembered of his having returned to his home after the tragedy with a complete change of clothing. She de manded an explanation of this, and a stormy scene followed, for he told a weak story of having left his other clothing at a saloon because of the blood from the fight over cards, whereby he accounted for the cuts on his face and head. "I feel you did this awful thing." she told him. "For God's sake, leave me," she added, when her suspicions became more pronounoed. "Don't bring any more disgrace upon me than you have. Leave m. I tell you." 'Just to prove to you that I am telling the truth. I will go down to the saloon and get those clothes, and then I know you will believe me," he told her, and left the house. He did not return. Mrs. Mar tin has not seen him since. After her husband's arrest Mrs. Martin was taken to the police station on re quest of District Attorney Manning, but she begged that Martin be kept away from her and that she be excused from even looking at him until she has re covered from the terrible shock of the day's developments. Believes HusbancTTs Guilty. "Do you think ft was your husband that did this thing?" Mr. Manning asked her. "fm afraid It was." she replied In a barely audible voice. On account of the deep distress that was apparent In her manner, she was ex cused from the ordeal of close examina tion for the time being, it being apparent that she had no idea of protecting her husband In the investigation as to his Innocence or guilt. Mrs. Martin Is hardly the woman that would be looked for as the wife of a per vert such as Martin. She Is a woman of education and plainly of refined bringing up. She is a devout Christian and during the three brief years of their married life she has sought constantly to help Martin overcome his weaknesses and vices. She is about 28 years old, decidedly comely, a brunette, alight of build, and dresses very plainly, but with good taste. She did not break down and cry or become hysterical yesterday, doubtless being In ured to suffering, but there was a pathos In the expresison of her face which told of a sorrow mors profound than could be told by hysterical tears. She was ac MRS MARTIN companied to the police station by her unmarried sister, and left with Rev. Father McDevitt, who did what he could to comfort her. History of the Martins. Martin and his wife were married at Syracuse, N. T., in May three years ago. Their marriage was a romantic one. Mrs. Martin was a trained nurse In the hos pital where Martin went with an attack of dysentery, an ailment which he had frequently, following his Army days in Cuba as a Second Lieutenant of Company A, Twenty-first United States Infantry. After a brief courtship the nurse left the hospital and they were married quietly. They came to Portland from New York In October a year ago, and have lived mainly from remittances sent the young man by his father, a retired real estate broker of means. It Is known that Mrs. Martin has tried patiently to help her hu.iband overcome his weaknesses for drugs, but the habit which hold Martin In control refused to be shaken, off. Giving up In despair, she tried to get a divorce more than a year ago In the East, but the affair was smoothed over and they tried to get along together again, Martin being very much in love with his wife and unwilling to give her up. During their married life Mrs. Martin says her husband has done many peculiar things while under the Influence of drugs, but never before has suspicion connected him with a- peculiar crime. A statement made by her in this connection which may prove of Importance is a description of his frequent action in arming himself pwBMW t jiiiiuiiiwiiMiHwiimii Wuiji mm mm'm mjt'HW9fmy--Mmtmm.i.,wm-m ui.iUi CURIOUS CROWD WHICH GATHEREU OUTSIDE: THE CITY JAIL, with a hatchet while under the influence of cocaine or morphine. Many times in the night, she says, he has arisen, se cured a hatchet, and, standing in his night clothes at the window, waved the weapon at imaginary enemies, saying: "There they are they are after me they are following me." TTJX1 STARTED FOK REWARD Business Men Subscribe to Bring About Conviction. A petition was circulated yesterday among business. men, subscribing to a fund for the reward of those who should arrest and convict the murderer or murderers of Nathan Wolff. No fur ther subscriptions were solicited after the arrest of Edward H. Martin, charged with the murder. The sub scription list follows: Coleman's Nlghtwatch Service, by J. B. Coleman $10.00 F. W. Mulkey 10.00 Beeman, Spauldlng, Woodward Co. 10.00 Lang & Co 10.00 New York Outfitting Co. (N. & S. Weinsteln) 10.00 J. Holsman 10.00 I. Gevurtz & Son 10.00 Taubenhelmer & Schmeer 5.00 A. Rosensteln, Red Front Store.. 6.00 J. L. Cllne 5.00 DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY Martin Completed Course at West Point in 1898. VANCOUVER, Wash., May. 6. (Spe cial.) Edward H. Martin, arrested at Portland for the murder of Nathan Wolff, was a classmate at West Point of Manus McClosky, captain of artillery at the Barracks here. Captain McClosky says that Martin was bright in hia studies and was graduated with merit In 1898. He was court-martialed and dis charged from the Army a year later at Sandy Hook for conduct unbecoming a gentleman and an officer. It was thought at the time that money matters had something to do with the young man's disgrace. He was known to be adrug fiend then. Hts parents were living in New York and were well-to-do people. TAX ALL CLASSES ALIKE Mr. Campbell Points Out the In iquity of Exemptions. PORiTIAND, May 5. (To the Kdltor.) H. D. WaKiion jilmiu the Injustice of the proposed tax Teform as applied to th sup posititious farmers "A and B," who would pay equal taxes on very unequal amount of property, but Justifies this condition by claiming that th slnr'e tax. when enacted, would bring; great benefits to the community at large. If the single tar Is to produce such great results, why is it not proposed at once, in stead of this unjust and confessedly inequit able measure now before us for discussion? t'n less. Indeed, It be upon the theory of cutting oft an lnchi at a rime from the dog's tall in order to save the poor animal from the pain of a complete amputation of the wholo member at one operation. Hi. Wagnon has nothing to say as to the Injustice ot taxing one klnfl of property, which' requires little or no protection from the state. In order to protect another kind of property which would pay no tax, but which must be protected and is protected by the state at enormoua expense for Sheriffs, police officers, jails, courts and all the costly appliances employed for the prevention and punishment of crime. The principles of a "square deal," of " Justice to all," require that we deal wtth all people alike, and with the owner of personal property the same as with the owner of real estate. If a farmer or manufacturer should not be penalized for his Improvements and ma chinery whloh are really his equipment for mejeing money at his business, neither should a railroad be penalized for its Im provements In the shape of roadbed and rolling stock, which are Its equipments for making money. Neither should we virtually fine a man for being poor by exempting from taxation. & larse amount of property for the rich man and only a email amount for the poor man. If we would do the fair thing, xxualee the exemption equal In each case. The pity of the whole scheme is that It Is necessajry to have any tax at all. If some one could only devise some method oy -which we could escape this burden and then would devise a free water, free bread and free meat scheme and free everything else, we would have more time to growl at the existing order of the uni verse and perhaps call the Initiative and referendum on the law of nature that re quires a man to die before he can find out what Is beyond the great divide. J. W. CAMPBELL. Tans! Tans! Tans! at Rosenthal's. TALKS III HIS CELL Martin Tells Story of Career in the Army. DRUG FIEND FOR YEARS Man Who Commanded Company at San Juan. Hill Sits in Wild-Eyed Agony AVithln Shadow of the Gallows. Seated on the edge of the lower iron frame that serves as a bed. Edward H. Martin looked the picture of despair last night at the City Jail. His shoulders were drooped, his head had fallen forward and was supported by his hands, with elbows on knees. His gaze seemed riveted on the floor and at times shifted to a vacant stare into space. The noise of the door opening at the end of the corridor and the echo of the heel taps of visitors .on the stone floor failed to arouse him from his lethargy: His face was pale and haggard. The mouth was drawn, the eyes narrowed and the. expression one of pain sup pressed. - The corners of the mouth trembled and the eyes pleaded when he turned his face toward the door in response to a call from Captain Baty. He had been deprived of all drugs for perhaps ten hours and he looked the perfect pioture of the "fiend" fighting the craving with which he was battling body and soul. "Well, Ed," said Captain Baty, "how are you feeling now?" Martin rose. It was more of a stagger than anything else. He stood with eyes blinking, an ashy color creeping about his mouth. Story of Blighted Life. "I don't feel very well," said he. "I wonder if my wife is home all right. I am worried about her." Here the hands clasped -and unclasped, trembled, sought his face, were lowered again, then raised to the brow and from then on until he was through talking and his visitors had taken their departure, those hands were Incessantly on the move. Not once -were they quiet. "If I could only What's that? Was I evei" in the Army? Yes. I was a graduate of West Point and served as an officer In the United States Army for several years. I don't believe I care to tell all about my Army life hut if I don'C some one else will. I was appointed by the President as a cadet to West Point in 1894. My appointment was secured on the recommendation of William' Ryan, of New York City, Congressman for the Sixteenth Congressional District of New York. ' ' 'I entered the class of '98 and was known by all my classmates as "Mifty" Martin. All college boys you know get some sort of nick names during their I , - -: r-r ! - - I '.--A i Y.- - il - : ' : ' " i'-'-i $ "j" . " rV'sifv tW" :fSf ' . r ' - A - v ' I t 1 r . school days and I was "Mifty." I gradu ated in 1S!8 and was sent immediately to the front in the Spanish-American War as a Second Lieutenant in Company A of the Twenty-first Infantry. I remained In the front during the Cuban campaign until a year later. While a Second Lieu tenant I commanded Company A be cause we were very short of officers. I was in the thick of the fight at San Juan 11111 and engaged in many of the skirmishes before and after this event," Took Drugs as Medicine. ' "In 1899 I was stricken down with a lot of other fellows with the yellow fever. It was while convalescing from this dis ease that I became ' addicted to taking drugs. One night when I was suffering the agonies of the damned I begged a doctor to give me some morphine and from that I contracted the taste for h, "During my convalescence I was sent back to New York City and on being able to do duty I was assigned as an aide on the staff of General Merritt. Com mander of the Department of the East, with headquarters at Governor's Island, New York harbor. I was soon trans ferred from there to the Artillery Corps and assigned to Sandy Hook, where from 1899 to 1902 I was employed as an expert In the Artillery Corps on interior and exterior ballistics. "In 1MX! I resigned from the Army. Yes, I was forced to resign. Practically that. The Medical Department knew that I was addicted to the use of drugs and although I was not court-martialed I was given a chance to resign. People AKTKK M-tRTIVS ARREST. who take drugs cannot stay In the Army, so I got out. Has Classmate at Vancouver. "Captain Manus McCloskey, of the Ar tillery Corps, who was stationed at Van couver Barracks a short time ago, was a classmate of mine. He no doubt will hear of this. He may still be at Van couver, for all I know. "My family? No. I won't tell you any thing about them. You will have to find that out for yourself." Martin is confined in a cell on the top floor of the City" Jail. This Is a portion of the jail set aside as quarters for pris oners charged with more serious felonies and murders. In a penitentiary it would be called "murderers' row." It Is much more heavily barred than the ordinary portion of the JAl. The cells are only seven feet long and six feet wide and are built to accommodate two prisoners. At present Martin Is the only occupant of the City Jail's "murderers' row." As It is isolated from the other parts of the jail and there Is only one jailor who is on duty downstairs all the time except for occasional visits to see that "all's well in "murderers' row," Martin Is com pletely alone, with no one within the sound of his voice. AETNA TERRIFIES SICILY Eruption and Detonations Drive the People From Villages. MESSINA, May 5. The eruption of Mount Aetna continues, accompanied by numerous earth shocks. The de tonations have terrified the people living in the villages in the vicinity t of the volcano and they are camping in the open air. ARRIVAL OF MARTIN AT d t lie1! i ' - Police Captain Moore. SsT inn- fK. Ul PendeTn, l' ' y divid i this year year. (Continued From First Page.) curately gauging the outward play of emotions of a man accused of such a crime, guilty or innocent. Only, after talking with him for three hours, Mr. Manning was more convinced than ever of the man's guilt, as were the majority of those who were present at the ex amination. The room was kept clear of all persons excepting newspapermen and officers. When the party reached the deteck tives' room Martin seated himself easily in a chair assigned to him. threw him self hack and began studying the cell ing. He was plainly striving for self possession, and quickly got control of himself, his nervousness being manifested only by. a slight trembling of his hands and the muscles of his face. "I am Mr. Manning, the District At torney, and I wish to say to you that anything you say will be used against you should your case come to trial. You are not required to speak, but you may be examined at this time If you wish," said Mr. Manning. "Why, yes, I am willing to answer any questions and tell anything I know," responded Martin, withdrawing his gaze from the ceiling and looking squarely at the official. In answer to preliminary questions he said his name Is Edward Hugh Mar tin, that he came to Portland a year ago last October, that he Is 34 years of age, son of Hugh Martin, of New York, and who is now traveling in Europe; that he came here from Syra cuse, N. Y., where he lived only six days and . was married, that previous to that he was In Atlantic City for five weeks and previous to that in New York, where he was born. He said he graduated from West Point with the class of '9o. having been appointed by the President in '94. He was at once commissioned a seconu lieutenant and assigned to service with the Twenty first United States Infantry, going im mediately to Cuba, where he became acting company commander his Cap tain being assigned as Regimental Quartermaster and his First Lieuten ant being on detached service as Lieutenant-Colonel of a New York regi ment. In Cuba he fought through the San Juan campaign and later was stricken with yellow fever, he said. While a sufferer In Cuba he was given MARTIN ACCUSED OF WOLFF MURDER THE POLICE STATION E. H. Martin. Detective Hellyer.' slCiJ J I A T " tfte hoIfWo c taife vie, ?ph CornZT -PSal end of Pany of 0"J mat the Said July 6, ion 2 "'ucrs of 1908, during WVn it ... F- Graves, cocaine and has been addicted to the use of drugs on and off ever since. s to his parents, he said they are wealthy, his father being a retired real estate broker. He made no men tion of the fact that his father was at one time Captain of' Detectives In New York City, which developed last night. His father and mother are now in Eu rope. He heard from them several months ago from Rome and again from Palestine, but did not know their pres ent whereabouts. Becomes a Medical Student. After his marriage to a hospital nurse at Syracuse and the lapse of a short period spent in the East, he came with bis bride to Oregon and began a course In medicine at the University of Ore gon. He made no mention of his res ignation from the army prior to his marriage or to the fact that he was a First Lieutenant in the artillery corps after the Cuban campaign and that he was regarded at Fort Mason as an ex pert on heavy armament. As a medical student he said, he became acquainted with Dr. Josephl, Dr. Wheeler, Dr. Zan and others. "How. did j'ou support yourself and wife during this time you were study ing medicine," Mr. Manning asked. "Well, my father deposited money for me with the Oregon Trust Company. I drew iS a week and my father sent money to- pay the house rent besides. After the bank failed I did some work. I was employed first as chalnman by the City Engineer's ofTlce, receiving $76 per month, and later was made draughtsman at $90 a month. Last March I took the examination before the Civil Service Commission for the position of City Sealer of Weights and Measures." "Where were you May 1?" said Mr. Manning, suddenly changing the trend of his questions. Martin, who had grown quite at ease, settled himself far back in his chair, threw hfs shoulders well back, and, af ter a moment's hesitation, said: "Well, I left home about 8:45 and got back about Ave minutes to . I was about town and saw different people." ' "Well, whom did you see in partlcu- lar?" . "Let's see. I saw Judge Cameron for one. That was just about 3 or 4 o'clock. I talked with him for some time." "What about?" "About his campaign and about the fact that some carmen were going to make a fight on him for District Attorney be cause he fined a couple of men in a cer tain case." "Where did you go when you left him?" "Well, I went to Turn Halle and after wards went home." "Where were you on Sunday?" Had Quarrel With Wire. "I wont to mass with my wife. Sunday night I was at the Imperial. I remember that because I had a quarrel with my . recnr ecord on the nird quarter tv wife and we decided to separate for a time." "When did you first meet Nathan Wolff?" Martin met this question calmly, saying he met him when he first came to Port land. He took a watch In and pawned It. "When did you next see him?" "As near as I can remember It was about two months later. I went in to ask him to hold my watch for me until I could get It out." "Did you ever see him again?" "No, not that I can remember of. I think that was the last time I saw him." "What room did you kill Wolff In?" The question was dropped without a moment's warning and the District Attor ney leaned, forward and looked intently at Martin. Denies Killing Wolff. The suspected man writhed In his seat and looked hurriedly at the table. Then he turned, leaned well toward Mr. Man ning and met his eyes with a steady look. "Now, see here, Mr. Manning, I didn't kill Mr, Wolff," he said In a much louder tone than he had been speaking before. "Well, there's no use In your trying to stave this thing off. I've got you In a hole and you Just as well tell the whole thing," persisted the prosecutor. "You haven't got me in any hole and I'm telling everything I know just as It happened," was the firm response. Mar tin had a hard struggle for self-control at this point. "Where did you get those marks on your Jaw?" was asked abruptly. "Well, about five years ago " "Oh, no, no those marks are fresh," put In Mr. Manning, Impatiently. Martin Becomes Contused. Here Martin became thorougftij- con fused. He ran his hand to his Jaw, folt of the broad scratches and pondered with great deliberation. "Those scratches, do you mean?" he asked slowly and In a manner which seemed to indicate he was playing for time. "Why, let's see, I'll tell you about them. It was like this. We have a cat over at our house." "Oh, a cat didn't make those marks," put In Mr. Manning. "I'll tell you about that. We have a eat. Saturday my wife brought home some chops and laid them on the table. The cat had never done such a thing be fore, but It jumped up on the table and grabbed a chop. I grabbed at the ca: and It bit my finger. I threw up my hand and the cat clawed my face." "And did the cat make that cut on your head, too?" Martin was asked. "No; that happened like this" an4 Martin again indulged In a thoughtftd pause of several moments' duration. '1 was splitting wood with a hatchet. The blade flew oft and struck my head and made this cut." "Are you sure,, it was wood you were using the hatchet on?" was asked, with suggestive inflection. "Yes, and the blade flew up and cut me, Just as I said a moment ago." City Physician Zlegler entered at this moment. "Examine those marks on this man's face. He says they were made by a cat," said Mr. Manning. Martin arose and submitted to the ex amination, but the hitherto slight trem bling of his hands became more pro nounced and his face twitched nervously. "Those are not the scratches' of a cat," was Dr. Zlegler's decision after a minute inspection of the lacerations. "They are too broad for that. As to the cut on his head, I find it extends nearly to the bone." "How recent are those marks and the cut?" Cuts Freshly Made. "T should say they had been made within the past three or four days." "What time. Mr. Martin, did you get home Friday night?" pursued Mr. Man ning. "Five minutes to 6. I am sure of that because r had a little quarrel with my wife and left again, returning home shortly before midnight." Plainly, Martin did not know his wife had already In formed the detectives that he did not get home until nearly midnight. "What clothes were you wearing at that time?" "The same suit that I have on now." "How long have you been wearing that suit?" "Since last week." "And are you sure that you haven't changed it for another?" "Certainly I am." "Have you any money about you at this timer' "Yes I have about $40." "Put it out there on the table ani let's see It." Martin drew out two 5 gold pieces, one $10 gold piece and several silver dollars. He explained that this was mostly money he had borrowed from Ashley and Rummelin and that he had saved it for his wife. He had given it to his wife once before, after pawnitm several articles, so as to make her believe he had drawn a full month's salary, he said. "How much did you give your wife?" "In all I gave her S5. I got $52 back on Sunday night. We had decided to try living apart for a while, say for a year or so, and see how we would get, along. I took that money and left her the home. I was to shift for myself." Confronted With Rifle. At this moment a rifle with which Wolff's head was beaten during the tight with the murderer was brought in. It was a ghastly object, clots of blood and 4