1902-09-23-New York Times-Will Wave Extradition

New York Times

23 September 1902, page 1

WILL WAIVE EXTRADITION.

Young, on Verge of Collapse, Is Overcome by His Fathers Message -- Watched to Prevent Suicide.

DERBY, Conn., Sept. 22.--William Hooper Young, who was arrested here last night, has admitted his identity, after having pretended all day thta his name was Bert Edwards. Not only has he acknowledged that he is the son of John W. Young, Wall Street promoter, but it is stated on good authority that he has made a confession of the murder of Mrs. Anna Pulitzer in his apartment, 103 West Fifty-eighth Street, New York City, last Tuesday night.

The prisoner did not know where he was, when two policement took him in custody, while he was walking along the railroad track with a tramp named Cunningham. He did not know where he had been during the last few days. He was crazed with drink and stood the officers at bay like a hunted animal until they managed to frighten him into submission. As far as is known, he not only failed to account for his movements since he left his flat after the murder, but he would give the New York detectives, who came here to get him, no information as to his movements during the time the body of the woman remained in his room nor any description of how he disposed of the body in the Morris Canal, near Jersey City.

When the local Chief of Police notified Capt. Titus of New York that a man resembling Young had been caught, the New York official sent Detective Sergt. Findley here to see if the suspect was really the right man. With Findley came Gustav A. Ernest, a young man who is employed in the Brooklyn gymnasium of Mac Levy, the instructor, who gave Young work recently, having previously had him as a patron. Ernest was taken to the prisoner's cell by Chief Arnold. After looking Young over he retired, and said to the police officers:

"I'm sure its Young, but I can't swear to it, because he has shaved off his mustache. He has tghe same hands and eyes and voice, though, and I don't think there's any doubt about it."

Until Ernest saw him, Young had not had any intimation of the particular suspicion under which he reseted. He started visibly at the sight of the new-comer, who had worked with him for a little while in Levy's establishment, but retained some measure of composure and looked away. The information that Ernest had partially identified him was telephoned to Capt. Titus, who sent another Detective Sergeant, Hughes, together with Mac Levy himself, to complete the identification.

"HELLO, HOOPER!"

Levy and Hughes arrived soon after 6 o'clock, having left New York on the 4:02 train. The athletic instructor was taken into the jail corridor, and Young was led out of his cell. When they met, Levy said:

"Hello, Hooper!"

There was no response. Young turned his eyes on the speaker deliberately and looked hard at him, with no sign of recognition. If there was any effort in his assumption of indifference it was not visible. There was a long pause. Finally, as if he thought he was expected to say something, he answered:

"I don't know you."

"Of course you know me," said Levy, placing his hand on his former friend's shoulder.

Young, without a trace of emotion, responded:

"You should be sure of your identification. This is a terrible crime for which I am held."

After this, at the command of the officers, the prisoner divested himself of his clothing, so that Levy might make the identification more certain. He did not undress altogether, however, but was led back to his cell in a few minutes. Max Levy and Hughes went with him and told him formally the cause of his arrest, dwelling on the mention of the crime, for which he was committed to jail. It was then that the man admitted for the first time that his name was William Hooper Young.

While the three were talking, Dixie Anzer, the Hoboken newspaper man with whom Young used to be associated in the publication of The Crusader, walked through the corridor outside the cell. As he passed the door, the prisoner raised his head and exclaimed:

"Why, there's Anzy!"

Confinement told on Young early in the afternoon, and he showed signs of nervousness soon after Ernest had seen him. When first arrested, though the dark rings around his eyes and the wild expression on his face gave evidence of prolonged mental and physical strain, he was game to the core, and the police officers managed to get him only after he had tried to throw red pepper in their eyes. As he reached for the pepper they thought he was after a pistol, so they made him hold up his hands. After he had been handcuffed he told them that he would have blinded them if they had given him a minute longer.

One of the first good reasons Capt. Titus of New York and the local police had for believing they had the right man was the fact that red pepper was found in the trunk sent by Young to Chicago. Capt. Titus telephoned to Chief Arnold during the afternoon, before any identification had been made, that the trunk, when opened at New York, was found to contain a package of the pepper.