The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-03-14
DRUG CLERK MURDERED
His Head. Hands and Back Horribly Cut By
Ea1ohst

His Head, HandS and Back Horribly Cut by G
Hatchst
NEW YORK. March 7.-Gunther
Weichrung, % years of age. German
drug clerk. at 937 Third avenue, was
struck on the head with an ak early
this morning by an unknown man who
attempted to rob the store. WEIGH
rung's skull was fractured and he will
die. Whichrung said he was lying on
a lounge when the thief entered and
that when he tried to prevent the rob-,
berry the thief drew the ak from be-
meath his coat ana struck him down.
WeIchrung's hands were almost cut OF
in trying to save his head. His assail-
ant has not been arrested. The store
was robbed but the police believe that
this was done to avert suspicion as to
the real motive of the crime. WEIGH
rung was insensible when discovered
and WAS removed to the hospital where
the doctors set TO work 10 try and
bring him to such a state that he
would be able to tell something of the
crime. The Ratchet had an edge five
inches wide. The edge of the steel had
been turned by the force of the blows
upon Weichrung's skull. The drug
store is on the ground flour of the tene-
the murder occurred, is concealed from
the view of customers in the store and
in the rear q window overlookS the
yard. An extension behind the coun-
ter did service as sleeping room for
the clerk.
Weichrung came 10 the store shortly
before midnight, and as far as any one
knows slept there until morning. VIM.
Goulick, a boy who does chores about
the place, rang the bell at O'Clock this
morning and was let in by Weichrung
who was in his shirt sleeves. He went
out to get some rolls for Weichrung's
breakfast and the clerk went whistling
behind the prescription counter to fin
ish his toilet. He seemed to be in a
good humor. Goulick was detained at
the bakery Tor fifteen minutes. Then a
plumber in the basement came in to
get some drugs he had ordered. The
clerk was not in sight, but when
called by the plumber answered family
| from behind the prescription counter.
The plumber waited thinking he had
not finished dressing but at the end OF
| five minutes another customer enter
| ing he tapped with his foot impatiently
on the floor anil again faint voice was
heard. Thinking the clerk might be
sick McCreary went behind the counter
and he had not disappeared moment
before loud cries brought the othel
customer behind the prescription
counter. There fearful sight was be
held. On the floor in front of lounge
lay Weichrung weltering in pool o.
blood. He was literally hacked tt
pieces and from cut in his head brains
protruded. One Of his hands was GU
and pounded into jelly and his coat
was cut in a dozen places where thu
Ratchet blade had entered his back
The walls and furniture in the room
were splattered with blood. The pro
prietor Of the store was summoned ant
the dying clerk placed upon the loung'
where restoratiyes were administered
His senses were not gone and Whel
questioned as to how he had received
the cuts answered slowly and pain
full: He had sat down on thu
lounge when the boy left him
and bent forward to lace his sho
while in that position he received bloV
on the arm and in attempting to ris
was struck in the head. 1nstinctivel
raising his hand to ward off the blOV
the Ratchet in the grasp of the butche
again descended and the member wa
nearly severed. The clerk then los
consciousness. The detectives whe
arrived moment after the police ha
been notified, Immediately took tn
Ratchet and set out to find where it ha
been purchased. The 81 IN the cas-
drawer hal been taken, but the detet
tives were of the opinion that the Grim
had been committed by some one wit
a grudge against Weichrung and not
common thief.
The popularity of the case is foun
in the cut coat. The clerk, when dis
covered, was in his shirt sleeve
and it was hardly pOssibl
that he could have taken off his Goa
after the blows had been inflicted. N
J one present thought of ascertaining
the rents IN the coat correspond to I'll
cuts on the body. Six hours after tn
deed had been committed there ha
been no clue found to the perpetratol
No one had seen any one but the mes
senger boy either enter or leave th
premises about the time of the crime
and the conclusion reached was tina
the assassin came through the real
The suspicion that "a woman is COZ
: cerned in the case is strong in tn
minds of the police, but it cannot
: learned that the clerk had any eI
ttanglements. Weichrug is % years ole
: unmarried and German. He died 4
o'clock this evening in Bellevue hos
pitaI.