The Morning herald., 1876-01-31
A BLOODY MURDER.
BRooKLYN's LAST HORROR.

A bLvVVI MUkUkk.
BROOKLYN's LAST HORROR.
A Mans Head Cut On-Taken Miles
Away and Thrown I'm Field
His Body Packed In Box
All for One Hum j.
dred Dollars. 1e
BY the American Press Association.
BROOKLYN, Jan. 3O.--A horrible murder
was committed at Greenpoint, yesterday.
The head of man was found lying on
West street, near a lumber pile, by person
passing by. It was taken to the police
headquarters where the phycisians stated
life evidently had not been extinct more
than twenty -four hours. The head was
that Of man about As years old, and was
subsequently identified as that of man
named W. W.. Simmons, Of New Haven,
who has been missing since Thursday night.
He has been working for Henry & Co.,
Wagon makers. The police are engaged
working up the mystery.
LATER-THE MURDERER CAPTURED.
i After the discovery yesterday afternoon
of the head of VIM. W. Simmons in the
ship-yard of John English, in Greenpoint,
the detectives went to work to unveil the
mystery surrounding the fate of the UNI
fortunate man. Many believed that the
head, having been found near the river. the
body must have been thrown into the
water and carried away by the tide. The
police, however, hoped to eventually dis.
cover the body. They interviewed
several of Simmons associates, among
them one Victor Kretz, who was known as
/ Andras Fuchs, who was helper in the
shop with Simmons and an intimate friend
but no one acknowledged TO having seen
, Simmons since last Thursday night.
Kretz pretended to speak very poor Eng
lish: he gave the detectives an account Of
, habits of deceased, and the officers found
that his stories as to Simmons habit OF
visiting females in Greenpoint were only to
mislead them in the station house, Where
he was questioned. He acted suspiciously,
vet the detectives did not suspect that he
knew anything concerning the tragedy, and
, he was allowed to 60. A Watchman about
the docks was also interviewed to day, who
. stated that man answering the description
of Kretz was down near the dock on Sat
urday. Acting upon this information the
: police this afternoon arrested kre:z at his
house in North 3Oth street, Williamsburgh.
9 He expressed astonishment at being ar
rested and denied knowing anything about
l the murder. While being taken to the
station house he cut his hand and 1t bled
} freely. He kept rubbing the blood upon
his pants and it was afterwards discovered
: that in addition to the fresh blood spots,
] there was also another large spot of blood
upon them. Four officers were then dis
: patched to Kretz' house, in hopes OF lind
6 / +hoir rewarded
by the discovery.
They found a trunk locked and nailed so
tightly that it was with great difficulty they
could open it. In this they found the arms
and legs of the murdered man packed, and
in a boiler they found the trunk of the body
81 skinned and cut up. The entrails had been
S removed and quicklime had been put inside
so as to eat the flesh up. There had been
pool of blood on the floor, but aneffort had
been made to eblterate it. The spot had
, been secured pnd secured till the place was
white. Upon dress of Mrs. Kretz which
; had lust been washed were stains of blood.
The officers asked her if she had washed
the floor and she stated that she had done
d so at the request of her husband. Sim
: mons called at the house Thursday night
: and they all had something to drink,
Kretz had prepared three kinds of liquor,
!: the first being strong the second
f medium and the third mild. The
e strong was given to Simmons to drink
l. the medium Kretz drunk and the mild was
drink by Mrs. Kretz. Simmons soon be-
n came stupefed from the effects OF the liquor,
e while in this state Kretz took hatchet and
!. chopped his head off, this was witnessed BY
: his little daughter, Mrs. Kretz being the
second, third or fourth wife of the accused
When Kretz found that tho body had
bsen discovered, he admitted the murder,
:, but said he had murdered Simmons because
he had found him in criminal intercourse
/ with his wife. This story is disbelieyed,
: and furthermore is contradicted by the wo-
man herself, She says this is three or four
timeshe has made. this charge against her, but
= it's untrue. The murder was committed fol
{ robbery, as it was known that Simmons
y carried from $75 to 800 about him.
J The prisoner was also found in pos
l. session of Simmons watch The little girl
says her father took three dollars and some
cents from the murdered man. 'i'
Mrs. Kretz was taken to the station house
and confined in separate cell. The priso-
= ner, who has always been called Fuchs, but
~ who now says his name is Kretz, is an Alsa.
tian, and speaks both French and German
e He is about 40 years Of age, stout built, hve
10 feet six inches in height, and has rather 9
forbidding countenance.
e Receiver Appointed.
BY American Press Association.
is NEW YORK, Jan S0.-Upon the petit
o tion of majority of the Directors o.
c the New York State Loan and Trus
Company, praying for an order per
,s hitting voluntary dissolution of the com