The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-21
KILLED FOR ms INSURANCE
Six Men on Trial for the Murder of au Aged
and ThrIflless HegRnr.

LEBANON, Pa, April 20.-The trial OF six
men, woodchoppers. who lived at Indiantown.
sixteen miles from here in the back country.
for the murder OF a thriftless old man on whose
life they had procured an insurance OF $4,000.
has been begun in this town.
The murder was committed in December last.
Some time before Leo Zechman Henry Il.
Weise. Josiah Hammel. and Israel Brandt So
cured policies amounting to $4,000 In differ
ent companies on the life OF an old man named
Raber. Raber was 65 years OF age and so poor
that he would 20 about among his neighbors
begging -four and tobacco.
The idea was that the old man could not in
nature live long but soon after the insurance
had been placed. the conspirators found them
selves unable to pay the interest on the policies,
and il was then, according to the statements OF
witnesses. that the murder OF Rabdr was de-
Together with the four mon mentioned, two
others. Charles Drew and Charles Stchler,
were Interested In the murdcrous scheme. and
IL was bv these two according tO the statement
Of an eyewitness TINT the actual murder WIS
committed. Drew has daughter who is mar
named Peters. Last Decemb r Peters got leave
Of absence. and went to visit his vile. who was
living with her father. H. is the one who first
informed OF the murder He was sitting in n
room in Drew's house one afternoon with his
wife when he saw Raber accompanied 10y Drew
and Suchler. going down toward the creek.
Propositions had been made to him to put
the old man out OF tho way. which he had
refused. As no saw the trio he said 70
his wife that they were about to kill
Raber. She begged him To come away from tho
window. and not be witness OF her fathers
deed. Nevertheless he watched. As Raber came
TO the middle OF plank crossing the
creek. Drew tripped him, and he fell into
until "r hs was 'Sn Srownea y Peters ng wonld l hays
run out to the rescue Of Raber. but
his wife restraining him, weeping aud impor-
Ing him not TO risk his life hy attempting 10
thwart the desperate men. Peters for Il time
forbor- 10 inform Of what he had seen, not
wishing to betray the father Of his wife. but Mt
length his conscience so pricked him that he
went over to Hanover Township and told the
whole story to u Justice. Drew and Stichler
aud tha four others who held the life insurance
policies were speedily arrested.
braNey through the evil war. Through the in
ability Of the conspiratOrs to pay interest on
the policies. the insurance ut the time OF the
murder had shrunk to $4,000.
Joseph Peters. u sOn-in-lnw Of Charles Drews
one Of the prisoners. testified that he saw
Drews. Stichler. and Raber leave Drews's house
on the afternoon Of the murder They went to
the lndiantown Creek. only n few yards away.
and then crossed oyer II on a plank. Stichler
leading; that Strchler turned around, grabbed
Raber 10y the shoulders. and threw him into the
creek, falling into the water with him; that
stichler said in the presence of the Drews fam
lily that he had hard work to keep Raber under
water. He testified that Drews told MIN week
before the murder that lac tDrewsl knew way
TO make pile OF money II ne Peters would
keep the secret aud that murder was tte means
to be employed.
Mr.. sweinhart a life insurance agent. was next
called To- show that Raber had his life insured
In favor Of Weiss. Hummell, Brandt. and Zech-
mnn.
Yesterday. Mrs. Peters. daughter Of Charles
Drew lone Of the prison'r~l. WAS exam mined.
She corroboratrd the testimony OF her husband.
She also testified that Brandt. another Of the
prisoners had reproachec her with the Hccusa-
tiun that she prevented the prisoner tStichl-rl
from drowning kabrr previously TO his actual
murder. and that he tBrandu insisted upon
Rabers being killed before Dec. 10. as the in
surances would lapse on that day. the conspira-
tors being unable 10 pay the premiums.