The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-02
DEAD FOR A DUCAT.
The Tragic Result of Quarrel About
Dollar and a Half
A Boston Weaver Chops Creditor to
Pieces with an Axe-A HOr.
ribIe Crime.
From the Boston Globe, 27th.l

From the Boston Globe, 27th.l
The developments in the tragedy at the
Highlands, where the Swiss, Samuel Kuhl,
met his death in horrible manner recorded
yesterday, are many, and again show on
how slight provocation mans life is
blotted out. The detectives were engaged
throughout the day yesterday in col
lecting the evidence and in carefully exam
lining the premises where the murder was
committed. From Ziegler's wife it was
learned that he came home late on Sunday
nighs and lay down without removing his
clothes. Mrs. Ziegler has greatly assisted
the detectives by stating all she knows of
the case, and has made a full explana-
ton of the facts in regard to her
Sunday. She said that he gave her
sums amounting to $50 and watch, which
she has delivered to the detectives When
arrested he had but about So or 81 on his
person, and he can not account for any sum
larger than $45. Mr. Jacob Nauer, the pro-
prietor of the beer saloon on fremont street,
says that Ziegler came TO his saloon Monday,
and as he was not accompanied by Kuhl, as
it was supposed he would be, he was ques-
toned in regard to the matter and said that
Kuhl had gone, intending to convey the i'm
preston that he had gone to Europe. Yes
terday noon the detectives engaged in the
case found Zeigler's Sunday clothes and two
handkerchiefs in the dye-house on George
street slowed away on beam, the panta-
looms and vest being quite literally stained
with blood. About $40 of the money which
Ziegler took from his victim has been traced,
it having been spent by the murderer since
Sunday.i lZiegler is still confined in Sta
ton TX, and none but the detectives are al
lowed to converse with him. The large
amount of liquor which he has drank lately
has greatly affected him and
CAUSED HIM TO ACT RATHER STRANGELY
since his arrest. He slept soundly Wednes-
day night, and awoke yesterday morning
with an attack of what appeared to be delir-
ium tremens, but it is said that this was in
vented. During the forenoon he walked up
and down his cell. muttering incoherently,
and occasionally exclaimed Twas struck
At 4:3O yesterday afternoon Zeigler seemed
quite rational, and he was taken from his
cell at Station TX. and conducted to a room
up stairs, where, in the presence of coroner
Morse and detectives Dearborn and SHELTON,
Ziegler made the following detailed confess
sion of his crime:
ZIEGLERs CONFESSION.
Ziegler said be was 40 years old; born in
Switzerland; saw Kuhl on Sunday; Kuhl
came to the dye-house, and after he (Ziegler)
had his dinner they went off together; went
to Swiss singing club'on fremont street;
to Jacob Nauer's saloon on fremont street;
then went to a place kept by Nicholas
Berresheim, No. Prescott place, near the dye
house; stayed there till ABOUT III p. m. went
down and stood in front of Mrs. Steppers
house on the same street. This was about
IL 80 O'Clock, and Mrs. Stopper says she saw
Ziegler trying to get Kuhl to go along with
him. Both of them were pretty full. "
Went back to the shop about 11:30 o'clock;
he (Ziegler) was chopping wood for the fur
mace so as TO have it ready in the morning;
Kuhl owed him so; they had bottle of
brandy and they drank about three-fourths
of it, then they got into a quarrel about
the $3.50 Kuhl owed him; Kuhl
wouldn't give him but 81 and he
got mad and hit him (Ziegler) and
kicked him in the stomach. [Ziegler illus
trated the operation in pantomime at this
point Got up and took Kuhl by the throat
and took the axe and hit him over the head,
and Kuhl lay down and was mo good
(dead); got bag and carried Kuhl up stairs
and laid him on the lounge; took his money,
which had fallen on the floor in the boiler
room, where the quarrel took place; put the
money in his pocket and went home;
couldn't sleep; got up at $50 the next
morning; went back to the dye-house;
PUT THE BODY IN A BAG
room, buried it in the rubbish and went
away Came back again and went up stairs,
and took chlorate of lime and soda and tried
to wash away the blood-stains from the sofa
and wall. Ziegler further stated that he
only struck Kuhl one blow with the axe; but
the skull shows that number of blows were
dealt. He says he has given. his wife some of
the money and spent lot of it himself. The
detectives do not believe that the murder
was committed down stairs in the boiler
room, as Zeigler alleges, as the blood
was all spattered on and about the
lounge up stairs, the partition
wall and even on the ceiling, which is nine
feet high--a fact which would seem to prove
that TIE deed was done while Kuhl was ly-
ing on the sofa and, as is supposed, asleep.
The detectives say that the murder was done
for money, and not in the heat of a
sudden quarrel, as Ziegler says was the case,
though it is admitted that both men were
thoroughly drunk at the time. On the
morning following the day of the murder
Ziegler tried the experiment of burning
some oyster shells in furnace for the pur
pose, it is believed, OF creating an odor which
would overpower any scent of the corpse,
which might have attracted attention to the