Omaha daily bee., 1886-11-12
The West Point NIurdcrers.

WEST PolNT, Neb., Nov. 11.-[Special to
the BEE. Our city has been thrown into
little excitement by the arrest of Franz
Krantz and wife for the murder of f.
Schoger, committed at Aurora, H., in March
last. Schoger was the former husband of
Mrs. Krantz. Your correspondent had an
interview with City Marshal Walker, of
Aurora, who arrived here last evening with
requisition papers, and from him learned the
following particulars: The man Krantz had
been boarding with the Schoger family for
number of years. and was suspected of being
unduly intimate with Schoger's wife. Feb
ruary last Schoger took out a life insurance
policy for $4,000, payable to his children.
This his wife induced him to change in her
favor, and on the evening of the day of the
change he was corpse. krantZ was with
him at the time OF his death. Some suspi-
cion was excited at his sudden death, but the
body was inferred without further lnvestiga-
ton. krantZ was ordered to seek another
boarding place by the grown up children Of
Scnoger, two of whom are married. In July
ried, and the neighbors charivared
them and among the party participating
in those questionable hOnorS were the two
sons and a son-in-law of Mrs. Schoger. She
had them arrested, and the bad feeling al
ready engendered came to a white heat at
these proceedings Krantz and his wife
packed their traps about the middle of
August and came here to West Point. In the
meantime the insurance money had been
paid to Mrs. krantz. krantz, who is printer,
invested part of his ill-gOtten gains in the
Nolksblatt, German newspaper mere, and
became one or the propretors. Ihis was
somewhere in September Three weeks ago
Mrs. Krantz went back to Aurora for the bal
ance OF her household goods and when ship
ping them to this point told the agent to
answer all inquiries as to their destination
that they We're shipped to Cincinnati. This
and other suspicious moves induced the rela-
tives to have the body eXhumed, and the
stomach was sent to Prof: Haines, OF Chi
cago, tor examination. His report, submit
ted about ten days ago. was TO the elfect that
enough arsenic had been found to kill four
men. Warrants were Immediately made ont
for the arrest of krantz and and wife, and
telegram sent to Sheriff Rupp at this place to
arrest them, which he did last Friday, and
they remained in, jail here until
noon to-day, when they were tn ken to
Geneva by the marshal of Aurora. An effort
was made to get them out on writ of
habeas corpus, pending the arrival OF the
Illinois officer, but County Judge Bryant
quietly and fOrclbly sat down on Tie pro-
ceedingS. The Germans In Aurora are fear
fully excited, and the marshal says he viii
have to exercise great care TO avoid lynch
The feeling here is that the woman COM
mitted the murder with Krantl knowledge,
and it is thought he will make n confession
The sympathy of our people is with Mr.,
Geutzhc the remaining proprietor of the
NOlbasblatt, who feels the disgrace terribly,
although an entirely innocent party. What
effect II VIII have on tho paper remains 10 be
seen, II was not in very fiourlshng con-
ditOn before this episode, and II the heirs
| of Schoger Withdraw their capital from tine
concern, it will leave it IN a bad lix: Our
German citizens however, will probably do
| the right thing by Mr.. GeutZhe.