Topics in Chronicling America - The Guldensuppe Murder

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• June 26-27, 1897. Half a human torso wrapped in cloth is found in the East River in New York City. The other half is found in a wooded area.
• June 30, 1897. William Guldensuppe, a Turkish bath attendant, is identified as the victim.
• July 1, 1897. Agusta Nack, a lover of Guldensuppe’s, and her lover Martin Thorn are arrested. Zealous reporters of New York’s “yellow” papers produce many of the preliminary clues in the case.
• December 1, 1887. Thorn convicted of first degree murder.
• January 11, 1898. Nack sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• August 1, 1898. Thorn dies by the electric chair at Sing Sing prison.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Guldensuppe, Thorn, Nack, Sing Sing, murder
• It is important to use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "A Queer Murder Mystery," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), June 28, 1897, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Murderer Hid His Trail," The Sun (New York, NY), June 29, 1897, Page 2, Image 2, col. 1-3.
• "Butchered by a Maniac, Startling Theory to the Headless Body Mystery," The Sun (New York, NY), June 30, 1897, Page 2, Image 2, col. 1-3.
• "New York's Murder Mystery Solved," The Record Union (Sacramento, CA), July 1, 1897, Page 1, Image 1, col. 7.
• "Head Only is Lacking," The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA), July 2, 1897, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Celebrated Murder Case," The Times (Washington, DC), September 27, 1897, Page 2, Image 2, col. 4.
• "Puts Guilt on Her Paramour," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), November 11, 1897, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1-2.
• "Thorn's Love for Mrs. Nack," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), November 30, 1897, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1-2.
• "Thorn Found Guilty," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), December 1, 1897, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Criminal Matters," Daily Capital Journal (Salem, OR), January 11, 1898, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
• "Thorn Put to Death," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), August 2, 1898, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.