John Muller, self confessed murderer
In the August 31st, 1854, issue of the New Jersey Mirror, a rather strange story was related from Washington Township. It seems that sometime in 1853, two men worked for William H. Sooy. They were apparently Germans, as Sooy had many Germans working for him and was unsure of the names when asked a year later about the men.
At any rate, it appears that John Meyer was accused by another worker, a man named Mulheiser, of mistreating his wife. Mulheiser evidently intervened to prevent what he deemed inappropriate behavior on Meyer's part.
The story relates that Meyer sought revenge on Mulheiser, and went to his cabin with a gun and a knife. Mulheiser evidently fled out the window, and immediately obtained a warrant for Meyer and had him arrested. The other workers intervened at that point, and apparently smoothed everything out. Both men soon left Sooy's, and Sooy believed Meyer ended up working at the Jackson glassworks.
At any rate, a man named John Muller seems to have heard of these events, and fabricated a story about him also working for Sooy, and that he was the man who murdered Meyer. (The paper seems to indicate that there never was an actual murder). Evidently he relied on the large number of German names in the area, and it almost worked, as Sooy himself confessed that though he didn't recognize the name, that the spelling and pronunciations were often different and he may well have hired the man and not remembered.
It seems that Mr. Muller escaped from a Russian vessel at Port-au-Prince (why he needed to escape is not mentioned). He lay in the woods for two weeks before going to the American Consul, and fabricating this story that he was a murderer to secure free passage back to the United States. Meyer and Mulheiser were both, apparently, alive and well. Unfortunately, Muller died of typhoid while in prison, leaving a lot of unanswered questions.
At any rate, it appears that John Meyer was accused by another worker, a man named Mulheiser, of mistreating his wife. Mulheiser evidently intervened to prevent what he deemed inappropriate behavior on Meyer's part.
The story relates that Meyer sought revenge on Mulheiser, and went to his cabin with a gun and a knife. Mulheiser evidently fled out the window, and immediately obtained a warrant for Meyer and had him arrested. The other workers intervened at that point, and apparently smoothed everything out. Both men soon left Sooy's, and Sooy believed Meyer ended up working at the Jackson glassworks.
At any rate, a man named John Muller seems to have heard of these events, and fabricated a story about him also working for Sooy, and that he was the man who murdered Meyer. (The paper seems to indicate that there never was an actual murder). Evidently he relied on the large number of German names in the area, and it almost worked, as Sooy himself confessed that though he didn't recognize the name, that the spelling and pronunciations were often different and he may well have hired the man and not remembered.
It seems that Mr. Muller escaped from a Russian vessel at Port-au-Prince (why he needed to escape is not mentioned). He lay in the woods for two weeks before going to the American Consul, and fabricating this story that he was a murderer to secure free passage back to the United States. Meyer and Mulheiser were both, apparently, alive and well. Unfortunately, Muller died of typhoid while in prison, leaving a lot of unanswered questions.
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