The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-24

AN HONEST MANA WARNING AGAINST EN-
TaRTAIxIxa STRANGERS.
HARRISBURG, Pa, June I9.-In 1S4S a
Young man named Conrad Winter wss seht
70 the pcniteutisry for six years from one
Of The border counties OF Maryland, 1t bav.
inc been proved that be had been engaged
for a long tine In an organized system on
sbeep-stcsl,pg in the nelghborhood, oy
which the farmers had lost mach valuable
stock. Winter YVES at the time bound 10
woman named Goodwin. who nseu peaa
Parkston, Nd, and be claimed tnat w nau
committed the crimes OF which DC was con
y;eted under orders from bis mistress. At
ter his imprisonment there was no more
sheep-stealing in the community, ana WIN
ter and his crimes were soon torgoi.eh'
~ farmer named Charles Cooper, who
lixca about two miles from Psrkston. was In
The village making some purchases. she
bougbt. among other things, pair OF
shoes for herself. When she left the store
10 walk home It was nearly dark. She car
rid an alpaca umbrella with stain on one
side Of II. Her purchases were In paper
package. Mrs. Cooper was fond OF snun'
and carried handsome silver box, wbich
Che mad had filed st the store. She ala not
reach home that night. Search being maze
Tor nor. her dead body was found
next evening in lonely spot by
the roadside, covered up with brush.
THE hack OF her head had been crushed
in nv heavy blow with club or stone.
Her umbrella and package were gone a.
was also her silver snuf-boX. a stranger
hsd trnmped through the village 10 tne
forenoon, and IL was remembered tilat ne
had an umbrella and paper-psrcei. IL
was AZ once believed that he was the MUIR
t:erer OF Mrs. Cooper, and measures were
taken to capture him. Beyond the TACT tbat
travellers gowing toward Parksion on the
York road had met'two men travelling To-
gether, both carrying umbrellas, ana eacn
with a parcel, and both appearing in the
iolIiesi OF humor wherever seen, no trace OF
apy suspicious stranger could be found.
Detectives were then employed 10 iDyesil-
gaze the case.
PAUL KUNKEL, IN 1S49,
had been resident OF York, Penn, FOR
several years. He was an industrious man,
bearing character beyond reproach. de
had wife and three children, and the
whole family were deyout Catholics. They
bad comfortable home, and the genial ma
ture OF Paul made him great fsvorite. In
the fall eli lS49 brother Of his, who bad
been in York for some time, resolved to re-
turn TO Germany. AS he intended to take
the vessel at Baltimore, Paul accompanied
him 10 that CITY, and after seeing him of
started to return on foot to York, leaving
Baltimore at a very early hour in the morn
ing, He carried common umbrella,
and had under his arm IA paper pack
aee containing articles he had bought
lin Baltimore for his wife and children.
Paul passed reilly by the spot where Mrs.
Cooper's body was found few hours sub
seoueptly, and went on through Parkston.
A mile or so beyond that place be came up
10 man sitting by the roadside. The
stranger arose, spoke 10 Kunkel, and as he
was aIso German and going in the drec-
lion OF York. the two walked on together.
IL was not long before the men were quite
well acquainted. The stranger said his
name was Winter. He had an umbrella
end small parcel. He offered 10 exchange
hi, umbrella for the one kunkei carried,
cpd as the former was much more valuable
than Pauls, he had no hesitation IN agree
ing to the trade. The men trud8ed merrily
along the road, attracting the attention OF
all whom they met by their singing and
good.natured greetings. When they reached
York, Winter expressed desire to remain
In the place day or two, and hunkel in
place. Winter accepted the invitation. He
was treated with great hospitality by the
Kunkel family. He remained with them
TWO DAYS, in the mean time creating no lit
lie amusement for them by insisting on ex-
changing valuable articles in his possession
for others OF little or no value belonging to
the family. He traded new pair Of wo-
mems shoes for an old flannel SHIRT, and in
sisted on presenting one OF the children
with a handsome silver sDuf-box. This
Kunkel refused 10 permit him TO do, on the
ground that the child had no use for a
snutf-Dox. After leaving number OF arti-
Giles with the family Winter took his leave.
TWO DAYS AFTERwARD KUNKEL
was followed home from his work by two
men. They were detectives, and arrested
bin on the charge OF numbering Mrs.
Cooper. The house was searched. The
umbrella with the stain on twas found and
identified as the property Of the murdered
woman. The shoes were also found. Kun
kel had heard OF the murder from Winter,
and when he found himself charged with
the terrible crime he saw at once that he
had been made the victim OF the real assas.
sin. The thought OF his fearful situation
80 affected hts mind that he was unable to
give any connected or lucid explanation of
the circumstances that pointed so strongly
TO him as the murderer, and bis wife could
tell nothing about the meeting of her bus
band with Winter, as he had told her no.
thing in relation to IT, She told how the shoes
came to be in the house, but in her terror
made her story contradictory and mystic
rious, and IL had no effect. Kunkel was
lodged in York Jail and was subsequently
taken to Baltimore. He was i'm prison ten
months, during which time he could not
be brought to give any satisfactory account
OF his movements after leaving Baltimore,
and his counsel and friends had nothing TO
rely on for their case except his good
character. This availed nothing, and Paul
Kunkel was convicted OF the murder and
sentenced to be hanged the following Sep
TENDER, about year from the time the
crime had been committed. Executive
clemency could not be obtained, although
the Bishop OF Philadelphia earnestly
interested himself in Kunkle's case
among other prominent and influen-
tial persons. All hope was gone
for the unfortunate man, when, eight days
before the day set for the execution, Kun
kers counsel was astonisbed 10 receive a
message from the doomed man soliciting an
immediate interview. The counsel, on en-
tering Paups cell, saw that most remarka-
bic change had come over him. His mind
had cleared, and for the first time he seemed
to realize the horror OF his situation. For
the 6rst time. also. be was able to give his
counsel connected statement OF bis move
ments from the time he left Baltimore. He
described Winter minutely, and satisfied bis
counsel at once that he was the victim OF q
hcartless scheme. Detectives were imme-
diately set to work In all directions search
inc for Winter but no trace OF him could