Some Macabre Stories of the Silver Trade

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FRANKLIN B. WILLIAMS

Newark, New Jersey


The authorities are investigating the sudden death by poison of Franklin B, Williams, chief engineer of the Whitehead & Hoag Co., of this city, in his home at 189 Avon St., Newark, on Tuesday of last week. It has not been determined whether Mr. Williams was murdered or took the poison accidentally or with suicidal intent.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th September 1920

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MORRIS VAN RAALTE

St. Louis


THUGS ATTACK JEWELER

Morris Van Raalte Shot and Seriously Wounded by Masked Men Who Attempt to Hold Him Up

St. Louts, Mo., Dec. 22.—Morris Van Raalte, 63 years old, manager of the S. Van Raalte Jewelry & Loan Co., was shot and seriously wounded by two masked men who attempted to hold him up at 6.30 P.M. last Friday near his home, 4217 W. Pine Blvd.

He had alighted from a Laclede Ave car and was taking a short cut by a private walk to his home when, as he reached the alley, two men confronted him and ordered him to throw up his hands. He pushed them aside and started to run. The robbers fired three shots at him. One bullet struck him in the shoulder. He staggered into the rear yard at his home and locked the gate and the robbers did not follow him further.

A member of the Van Raalte family telephoned to the Newstead Ave. police station, two blocks away, and detectives were soon on the ground, but no trace of the robbers was discovered. It is supposed that the men had followed Van Raalte from the store in the Holland building on 6th St. and attacked him in the belief that he carried money and jewelry.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 29th December 1915

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NICHOLAS CIUFFO

Chicago


SALESMAN MURDERED

Chicago Jewelry Firm Says Robbery and Not Vengeance Was the Motive Behind Shooting of Nicholas Ciuffo at Joliet, IIL.

Chicago, Dec. 26—The Naples Jewelry Co., 925 S. Halstead St., resents newspaper stories to the effect that Nicholas Ciuffo, salesman for the firm, was murdered in Joliet last week in a Black Hand affair. Mr. Alberti, of the company, told a Jewelers' Circular reporter that Ciuffo’s murder was for robbery, pure and simple, and that he was robbed of $2,500, or there-abouts.

“The boy was set upon by ruffians and murdered because they knew he had valuable jewelry in his satchel,” said Mr. Alberti. “All newspaper talk to the effect that he was involved with the Black Hand or any of the so-called Italian secret societies is wrong and unjust. The robbers shot him through the head first and then began to rob him. They ran away before they had finished their work, however, and because the police found some valuables on him they a once concluded that the murder had been committed for vengeance and not for robbery.”

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 1st January 1919

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=32464&p=106277&hilit=ciuffo#p106277

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MAX GREENFIELD

Philadelphia


Max Greenfield, a local jeweler, ran a screw-driver in his thumb last week. Blood poison set in and it is expected that the thumb will have to be amputated.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 12th February 1913

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HORACE THOMAN

Woodbury, New Jersey


Horace Thoman, Woodbury, N. J., had his finger amputated in the Jefferson Hospital of this city on Wednesday of last week. Mr. Thoman cut the finger several weeks ago. It healed and he thought no more of the matter until blood poisoning set in, and the amputation was ordered by his physician.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 12th February 1913

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STANLEY KUHTA

Meriden, Connecticut


Stanley Kuhta, an employe of the Bradley & Hubbard Co., had one of his fingers cut off in a press last Wednesday afternoon. He was attended by a physician and taken to his home.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 12th February 1913

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GEORGE WIRTH

St. Louis


After vainly trying for two months to induce his 85-year-old father to enter a suicide pact with him, George Wirth, 45 years old, a jeweler, shot himself in the right temple at his home, 1416 Wabash St. Sunday afternoon. William Wirth, the father, found George dying on the floor. Wirth was dead when a physician arrived. The aged father is unable to account for the despondency which drove his son to suicide. The deceased had money and no lack of employment, but for several months he had been laboring under a depression which drove him toward suicide. He was unmarried. His aged father is left without relatives. He is deaf and almost blind. He had tried in vain to dissuade his son from destroying himself. The deceased had been employed at, different times by several St. Louis firms. Of late, because of his despondency, he had not chosen to work.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 12th February 1913

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ARTHUR W. EVANS

Waltham, Massachusetts


Arthur W. Evans of Waltham was found dead in the kitchen of his home, Dec. 5, by his daughter, Marion. Gas was escaping from a gas range. Medical Examiner West pronounced death due to suicide.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th December 1929

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HARRY NEIERMEYER

Pittsburg


Harry Neiermeyer, 15 years old, a messenger employed by John M. Roberts, 441 Market St., was knocked down and killed by a street car near Bellefield Ave., Monday afternoon. W hen recovered from under the car wheels it was found that Neiermever’s body was badly mangled. At the time of the accident the boy was taking some books to Mrs. E. P. Roberts.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th June 1904

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ANTON M. HARTWYCK

Montclair, New Jersey


Anton M. Hartwyk, who has a jewelry store in the Montclair Theatre building, 632 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, was found in his cellar at 1.30 o’clock last Friday morning overcome with illuminating gas. He was taken to the Mountainside Hospital, Glen Ridge. He is now recovering. Mr. Hartwyk returned to his home, 127 Fullerton Ave., Montclair, about midnight, but did not go to his room. After a time his wife went down stairs to see what he was doing but was unable to find him. Calling a married daughter who lives with them they began a search, which led to the discovery of Mr. Hartwyk in an unconscious condition in the cellar. The cellar was was filled with gas and the gas jet turned on. A patrolman who was passing was called, and he in turn called a physician. On examination of the cellar he found a rubber tube on the cellar bottom. Neither Mrs. Hartwyk nor her daughter has seen it before, but denied that there had been any attempt at suicide. Mr. and Mrs. Hartwyk were both found unconscious in their room eight years ago from the effects of an open gas jet, and did not recover consciousness for several days.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th June 1904

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EMANUEL MORSBACH

Cincinnati


Emanuel Morsbach, watchmaker, living at 217 W. 6th St., recently became mentally deranged, and in a fit of anger shot several times at Mrs. Wilson, of the same address, with murderous intent. Morsbach declared he was being injured by Mrs. Wilson. A patrol carried him to jail.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th June 1904

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ROGER'S - WASHINGTON

A surging crowd blocked the sidewalk in front of Roger’s jewelry store this morning and peered through the big windows at a ghastly spectacle within. Stretched out in an elegant casket lay what seemed to be the corpse of a young man, with closed eyes and hands folded across his breast. Only the closest inspection showed that he still breathed, and the crowd was informed that he had been hypnotized by Professor Davis, and would not be awakened until to-morrow evening. Vigorous protests being made against such an exhibition, Police Chief Warren ordered the man removed to a private room, and the crowd dispersed.

Source: Spokane Chronicle - January 1898

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ROBERT FISHER

Greensburg, Pennsylvania


The death of Robert Fisher, of Greensburg, Pa., on January 11th, is deeply deplored among his many friends in Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Fisher drank corrosive sublimate in mistake for witch hazel and recognized his mistake instantly, but it was too late. He leaves a wife and four children. He was connected with the most prominent families of that locality. Mr. West, of West, White & Hartman, was a pallbearer.

Source: The Keystone - February 1898

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HENRY J. BISHOP

Franklin, Indiana


Henry J. Bishop, for nearly forty years a resident of Franklin, Ind., was almost instantly killed a few weeks ago in Indianapolis by a street car striking him. Deceased was about seventy years of age and was afflicted with deafness to a considerable extent, and this malady no doubt contributed to his not noticing the car that killed him.

Source: The Keystone - February 1898

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C.W. McCONNELL

Ritzville, Washington


C. W. McConnell, in the employ of William Weiand, Ritzville, Wash., during an attack of insanity, July 5, wandered away from his home. Large organized bodies of searchers scoured the country and McConnell was found two days later along the Northern Pacific railroad tracks, about six miles west of Ritzville. He was in a wretched condition, mentally and physically, his clothing being literally torn to pieces. He has lost all power of reasoning and does not remember any of his former friends or relatives.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 20th July 1904

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ANTONIO NARDEZZO

Providence, Rhode Island


Antonio Nardezzo, 19 years old, and at one time employed by W. R. Dutemple & Co., shot and killed Mrs. Filomena C. Piedoladi in East Providence, Sunday. The man had had an altercation with the woman’s husband over money matters, and when the husband went for a gun, and the wife held Nardezzo, he produced a revolver and fired two shots at her. She was almost instantly killed. Nardezzo is under arrest.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 20th July 1904

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GEORGE HAUG

New York


Watchmaker Arraigned, Tries Suicide

George Haug, 34 years old, a skilled watchmaker, pleaded guilty, last Sunday, to a charge of grand larceny at the West Side Police Court, New York, and was placed under a $1,500 bond for trial by Magistrate Moss. Joseph Brenauer, of G. Brenauer & Son, jewelers, corner 71st St. and Columbus Ave., the prisoner’s employers, told the Magistrate that he suspected Haug of taking jewelry worth $1,000 which he missed after having taken stock. His suspicion was aroused by seeing Haug drop a pawn ticket. He then went to the police and detectives were placed on the case.

They discovered in the prisoner’s possession a pawn ticket for a pair of ear rings, which Mr. Brenauer identified. Upon investigation about fifty pawn tickets were found among the personal effects of the accused. Haug, confronted with the evidence of his guilt, broke down and confessed. At court he tried to kill himself with a knife, but a policeman knocked it out of his hands.

When seen by a Circular-Weekly reporter Mr. Brenauer said that Haug had been in his employ about two and a half years, during which time frequent disapperances of jewelry were noticed, but the watchmaker’s display of faithfulness disarmed all suspicion. All the pawn tickets show the goods to have been pledged under his name, which fact may indicate that Haug intended to redeem the jewelry.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 20th July 1904

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WILLARD BARNEY

Attleboro


Willard Barney, a well-known jeweler of the younger generation, was painfully hurt and somewhat disfigured last week. While harnessing his horse, the animal became fractious, knocked him down and trampled on his face.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 13th July 1904

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W.E. RICHEY

Los Angeles


W. E. Richey, Los Angeles, Cal., while riding a bicycle over a railroad crossing, a short time ago, was struck by a switch engine and dragged a distance of nearly 100 feet before the engine could be brought to a stop. Mr. Richey escaped with only a few cuts and bruises, but his bicycle was torn to pieces.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 24th May 1905

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ALBERT SCHURMAN

New York


Albert Schurman, a watchmaker, who lived with his wife at 58 E. 120th St., committed suicide, last Wednesday, by shooting himself in the head. Ill health prompted the act.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 24th May 1905

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