The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-02-04
Il NesC York Tragedy.


A MAN LITERALLY CUT TO PIECEs-HIs
HEAD FOUND IN A LUMBER PILE AND HIS
BODY, ARMS AND LEGS NAILED UP IN
TRUNK-DIsCOvERY AND CONFESSION OF
THE MURDERER.
NEW YORK, January 29.-W. w. SIM
MONS of Derby, Connecticut, Tor some
time past employed in a wagon Inanufactur-
ing establishments ia Brooklyn, e. d., has
been missing since Thursday last. This
afternoon bis head, partly wrapped in a
piece of newspaper, aud severed from the
BODY, was found lying between lumber
pile and fence in that city. Physicians say
the man was murdered at least twelve
hours previous to the head being found,
and that an hour elapsed from the time of
the murder till the bead was severed from
the body. The police are now looking for
the missing body aud the murderers.
NEW YORK, Jan. 30.-Detcctives were
working busily to-day on the Greenpoint
murder case, in which the head of VIM. w.
Simmons was found in the ship-yard Of
John English, on Milton street. From the
proximity of the head to the river it was
thought the body had been thrown in the
water. Inquiries were made at places
where Simmons vas in the habit of visiting,
but no person acknowledged having seen
him since Saturday night. Among those
with whom the murdered man was most
intimate aud to whom the officers looked
for the most authentic information, was
Victor KretZ, who was known also by the
name OF Andreas Fuchs. He was q helper
in the same shop Simmons and worked
by his side, and was also believed to be an
intimate friend of deceased. He appeared
to be uneasy under the questioning Of the
police, and pretended to speak very poor
English He told the detectives of Sim
mons being i'll the habit of visiting some
female friends in Grecnpoint, but on max
ing inquiries this was found to be untrue,
and was told by Kretz to mislead the po-
lice.
Kretz was detained in the police office
two or three hours, and was anxious to get
away. stating to n friend that he was afraid
he was to be locked up as witness. De-
tictives did not think that Kretz knew any
thing about the murder, and he was allow
ed to go home. Among others interviewed
were the watchmen on the dock on Satur-
day morning, and was quite positive about
his identity. Detectives then supposed if
Kretz was not the guilty man he knew
something about the murder, and they
went to his house at 9S North Third street
and arrested him. On his way to the sta
tiou house he purposely cut his hand. 1t
bled freely, and he kept rubbing it on his
pants. When this was observed an eXami-
nation OF his clothing was made, which re-
vealed large spot of dried blood on bis
pants Detectives then visited his house
again, and found a trunk locked and nailed
/ together SO tightly that it was opened with
greatsdifficulty. In this they found packed
! the arms and legs of the murdered victim,
and in boiler they found the trunk of the
/ body skinned and cut up. The cntrails
/ had been removed and quick lime put inside
to cause speedy decomposition.
! There had been pool of blood on the floor.
! but efforts had been made to obliterate it
by scraping until the boards were almost
white. Upon the dress of Mrs. Krets,
which had just been washed, were stains
of blood. She said she scraped the floor al
the request of her husband, that Simmons
called at the house OH Thursday night, and
they all bad drinks together, Simmons
drinks being made stronger than those oI
the others, and that when he was stupefed
with liquor Kretz took hatchet and chop
ped his head off, the act being witnessed
by his little step daughter. Mrs. Kret1
said that she herself was then up stairs.
When Kretz heard the body was dis
covered he admitted his guilt, and said h,
had done it because he had found the vic
tim in criminal intercourse with his wife
but this Mrs. kretz denies. The murde
was no douSt committed for robbery, a
Simmons was always known to have none,
on his person. The prisoner WAS also fount
in possession of Simmons watch, and tn,
little girl says her father took three dollar
and some cents from the pockets of tn,
murdered man. Mrs. Kretz was taken t,
the station house and locked in a separat,
cell. The prisoner, who says his real nam,
is Kretz, is an Alsatian by birth, abou
forty years of age, stoutly built, five fee
six inches in height, and has rather for
bidding aspect.
I