The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-22
A BURGLARS KNIFE.
Grocer Luca Is Brutality
ButChered in His Home
in Brooklyn.
VAIN EFFORTS OF HIS WIFE.
Awful Struggle in the Light Of
Early Dawn---The Murderer
Caught Red Handed.

Christian Wilhelm Luca, well-to-do
German grocer, who lives with his family
over his store at the corner OF Jay and
High streets, Brooklyn, was literally
hacked to pieces with bowie knife in the
hands of Charles McElwain. who had
burglariously entered his store about
$50 this morning McElwain, it is said,
had two accompnceS.
The burglars had entered the yard in
the rear OF the house and put a ladder up
to the second story window. McElwain
opened the window. crawled in and made
his way to the front room. AS he reached
the passageway the noise awakened Mr..
Luca, VINO got up to see what was the
matter. On entering the dining room he
saw McElwain and grappled him at once.
The noise of the tussle aroused Mrs.
Luca, who rushed into the room, followed
by her young son.
A TERRIBLE STRUGGLE.
Her husband was on his knees and the
burglar was over him with cleaning
knife. She seized the 1obber around the
waist and held him fast. While the man
struggled to break away he pushed the
blade deep into her husbands shoulder
five times in rapid succession. Then he
sank down exhausted.
Just before Mrs. Luca gave up the
struggle Meta Preus, the servant girl,
came down from her room on the third
floor. She gained access to the kitchen
by going around through the parlor,
which is on Jay street, and then through
the bedroom. She was Mortified at the
sight which met her gaze and almost
tainted. But when Mrs. Luca called her
to assist in holding the burglar she
rushed forward and grabbed him about
the leg. Mrs. Luca meanwhile had not
loosened her hold about the young mans
waist.
The burglar saw that he must now act
quickly or all would be up with him. The
household was alarmed and any moment
he might be taken. His grip on the
blood-stained knife had not been loosened
and as he held it dripping with the warm
blood of his victim he shouted
VAIN ESCAPE.
"Let go or I'll cut you open as I did
him." McElwain then jumped out of the
window and ran down the street. Luca
died about ten minutes afterwards
As McElwain ran down the street he
was caught with the bloody knife in his
possession and tai.en to the station house.
AT the station house the prisoner was
fully identified by Mrs. Luca, and after
some hesitation McElwain confessed he
stabbed Luca and told where he lived,
No. 143 High street.
Martin Diveen, one of the two men who
waited outside the house while McElwain
entered, was arrested this morning in
New York, and on being arraigned in the
Essex Market Court was handed over to
the Brooklyn police.
Diyeen made confession to Inspector
Byrnes showing his implication in the at.
tempted larceny, bnt says he knows
nothing of the murder beyond seeing
McElvain jumping from the window.
SEVEN STAB WOUNDS.
Luca was forty years old Besides the
five stab wounds piece of flesh about
three inches long and two wide was cut
out just below the muscle of his arm, and
another stab wound just under the heart.
McElwain is of medium height, has a
smooth face, and brown hair and eyes.
He has the appearance of being a thor
oughbred tough, and the people who know
him best say that is just what he is. His
wife went to see him in the cell this morn
ing, but did not stay long.