Newspapers and journals: Murder of William Gumbleton, Chicago USA

Ziegenmeyer Has He the Right to Executive Clemency?

Ziegenmeyer was given a life sentence for the murder in 1871 of Gumbleton, an Irishman, and, as previously reported, efforts are being made in certain quarters to obtain a gubernatorial pardon. However, Joseph Dixon, through whose particular activity Ziegenmeyer was apprehended and convicted, strenuously objects to any movement favoring a lesser punishment.

As the nationality of the convicted man is likely to arouse especial interest among the readers of the Illinois Staats-Zeitung, a resume may be justified. The following compilation of facts is based on Chicago newspaper reports about the murder trial and Dixon's verbal statements.

Alfred Ziegenmeyer was born in Brunswick in 1850, an illegitimate son of a tavernkeeper's daughter. His father, supposedly, was a noble merchant. His mother received a very fair cash settlement and then married Ziegenmeyer, a sugar refiner, who settled in Wolfenbuettel, Brunswick, where he followed his vocation. Alfred adopted his stepfather's name, obtained good schooling, and then became an apprentice to a merchant.

From early youth Alfred Ziegenmeyer was regarded as a ne'er-do-well, and he fully lived up to his reputation by stealing from his principal and others. There-upon he was sent to sea and thus became a sailor on the "Forelle," a vessel hailing from the city of Bremen. In 1870 he left his ship while in Baltimore, and shortly after made the acquaintance of a prosperous gentleman who had recently arrived from Ireland, William Gumbleton, who interested himself in the young German and became his benefactor. Gumbleton gave Ziegenmeyer an opportunity to learn telegraphy and made him his confident. The former was a man of considerable means and his funds were made available by letters of credit. It was proven that Ziegenmeyer often tried to induce Gumbleton to change his letters of credit into liquid funds, but the latter's bankers advised against such a procedure until Gumbleton had definite use for his money. In November, 1870, the two did not live together.

On November 16, Ziegenmeyer told the landlord that he had found a job in Richmond, Virginia, and that he was to leave for that destination; then he hired an expressman to take his belongings to the railroad station, but prior to that he had the teamster stop at Gumbleton's address, where the latter joined them and added his luggage. Using two railroad tickets for Chicago which Ziegenmeyer had purchased ahead of time, he and Gumbleton departed on the evening of November 16. On the morning of the same day, Gumbleton had sent a large part of his effects by express to Manhattanville, Kansas, where he intended to settle.

They arrived in this city (Chicago) on November 19, and stopped at a lodginghouse at 10 West Randolph Street. On the evening of November 21, both were in a basement saloon at the corner of State and Madison Streets. Ziegenmeyer remained sober but encouraged Gumbleton to drink until he was so intoxicated that he could scarcely mount the stairs when the tavern's closing hour necessitated departure. Both were observed walking toward the lake shore, and that was the last time Gumbleton was seen alive. Ziegenmeyer returned to his lodging house at about one o'clock.

The next day Ziegenmeyer paid the bill and told the lodginghouse keeper that his companion departed suddenly for New York and that he himself intended to follow him. A few hours later Ziegenmeyer rented a place on Dearborn Street, representing himself as William Gumbleton. He tried to cash a deposit slip for three hundred dollars which Gumbleton had obtained at the bank in the presence of Ziegenmeyer on the day after their arrival in Chicago. Ziegenmeyer was informed that Gumbleton would have to affix his signature before the money could be paid, whereupon Ziegenmeyer said he would send the paper to New York, Gumbleton's present address, and that the gentleman had left the slip for Ziegenmeyer to cash. Six days later Ziegenmeyer appeared again at the bank with the apparently proper signature and received three hundred dollars.

In the interim he wrote--as Gumbleton--to the banking house of Blake Brothers and Company in New York, where Gumbleton had $7,981 on deposit, and received this amount on December 15, through the Traders' Bank, where he also introduced himself as Gumbleton, On the same day he left for Kansas, as the people he rented from believed.

Ziegenmeyer also appeared at the United States Express Company, pretending to be Gumbleton, and ordered Gumbleton's effects, which were sent by this Company from Baltimore to Kansas, to be forwarded to Chicago. The various articles he disposed of, in part, at a pawnshop on Wells Street, where he also bought a hook for a silver chain which later proved to be the property of Gumbleton.

On January 3, 1871, Gumbleton's body was found in Lake Michigan, near the foot of Madison Street. The fact that the clothing bore evidence of prosperity, that a watch was missing, a buttonhole of the vest torn, an inner pocket of the vest turned wrong side out, indicated murder and robbery. Papers in another vest pocket established the identity of Gumbleton.

Joseph Dixon investigated, and at the very beginning uncovered the fact that a young man whose description did not correspond.at all with the appearance of the dead man, was impersonating Gumbleton. Dixon made it his business to find this young man, and followed the trail backwards--to Baltimore, where he found a photograph of Ziegenmeyer, which the bank officials and the landlady identified as Gumbleton. Through a former sailor of the "Forelle," Dixon obtained additional information about Ziegenmeyer and ascertained that he must have relatives in Brunswick; at least money was sent there.

In the interim inquiries were made about Gumbleton's relatives and they were located, living in Cork, Ireland. On the strength of all this, Dixon obtained a warrant for murder, and procured extradition papers which were sent to the General Consulate in Berlin. In the early part of April, Ziegenmeyer was arrested in Brunswick.

[Before this] Ziegenmeyer had returned in January to his native land a rich man. He gave seven thousand thalers to his stepfather, supposedly the result of a fortunate speculation in railroads. Ziegenmeyer kept about two thousand thalers for himself, using it to take refuge in every conceivable technicality to balk the extradition proceedings. Meanwhile, Dixon had traveled to Germany. He arrested his man on May 3.

Ziegenmeyer was brought to Chicago, admitted forgery but obstinately denied the murder. Gumbleton fell accidentally into the lake and drowned; fearing difficulties, he[Ziegenmeyer]tried to conceal the truth. However, he[Ziegenmeyer] did not attempt to make restitution to Gumbleton's heirs. The latter, after a lengthy process, obtained the money from Blake Brothers.

After a four-day trial Ziegenmeyer was convicted. Judge Booth declared, as he pronounced judgment, that from what was unearthed at the hearing, he regarded the defendant as a cold-blooded murderer, the worst in the annals of Cook County--there was no doubt about his guilt.

This, briefly, constitutes the facts on the strength of which Ziegenmeyer was sent to the penitentiary.

Joe Dixon asserts that the stolen money is being used to obtain a pardon, but does not think it will prove helpful; and, he declares, that the State's Attorney, Charles Reed, who conducted the trial, will also oppose a pardon petition.

As Ziegenmeyer offered no defense, except his denial, and as a new trial was refused by the court, it appears very improbable that a pardon can be obtained because of any doubt of his guilt.

Illinois Staats-Zeitung -- January 20, 1879
20 Jan 1879

People mentioned

• Mathew William GUMBLETON