The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-08
BUTCHERED WITH A HATCHET.
Mysterious and Horrible Murder and Mutila-
tion of New York Drug Clerk.

NEW YORK, March 7.-Gunther WEIGH
rung. twenty nine years of age, German
drug clerk at No. 937 Third avenue, was
struck on the head with an ak, early this
morning, by an unknown man who at
tempted to rob the store. Weichrung's
skull was fractured and he will die. WEIGH
rung said he was lying on a lOunge when
the thief entered, and that when he tried
to prevent the robbery the thief drew the
AK from beneath his coat and struck him
down. Weichrung's hands were almost cut
Off in trying to save his head. His assail-
ant has not been arrested. The store was
robbed, but the police believethat this was
done to avert suspicion rs to the realmotive
of the crime.
Weichrung was not insensible when dis
covered, and was removed to a hospital,
where the doctors set t1 work to try and
bring him to such state that he would be
able to tell something of the crime. The
hatchet with which the deed was done was
new. 1t had an edge five inches wide and
a handle foot long. 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 floor of tenement. The
prescription counter, where the murder
occurred, is concealed from the view
of customers in the store, and at its rear
a window overlOOks the yard. An extern
sion behind the counter did service as q
sleeping room for the clerk. Weichrung
came to the store shortly before midnight
and as tar as anyone } 1?. knows. slept there here
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 rolls. for Weichrungs
breakfast, and the clerk went whistling
behind the prescription counter to finish
his toilet. He seemed to be in good humOr.
G0ulick was detained at the bakery for
fifteen minutes. Then q 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 coun-
ter. The plumber waited, thinking he had
not finished dressing, but at the end of five
minutes, another customer entering, he
floor and again a, faint voice was heard.
Thinking the clerk might be sick, Nc
Creery went behind the counter. He had
not disappeared moment before loud cries
brought the other customer behind the
prescription counter. There fearful sight
was beheld. On the floor In front of q
lounge lay Weichrung. weltering in pool
of blood. He was literally hacked to pieces,
and from a deep cut in his head the brain
protruded. One of his hands was cut and
pounded into Jelly, and his coat was cut
in dozen places where the hatchet blade
had entered his back. The walls and furni-
ture In the room were spattered with blood.
The proprietor of the store was summoned
and the dying clerk placed upon the lounge,
where rest0ratives were administered. His
senses were not gone, and when questioned
as to how he had received the cuts, an
swered slowly and painfully. He had sat
down on the lounge when the boy left him,
and bent forward to lace his shoes. While
In that position he received blow on the
arm, and in attempting to rise was struck
on the head. Instinctively raising his hand
TO ward Off the blow, the hatchet in the
grasp of the butcher again descended, and
the member was nearly severed. The clerk
then lost consciousness. The detectives,
who arrived q moment after the police had
been notified, Immediately took the hatchet
and set out to find where it had been pur-
chased. The S11 IN the cash drawer had been
taken, but the detectives were of the opin-
ion that the crime had been committed by
someone with a grudge against WEIGH
rung, and not common thief. A peculiar
ity of the case is found in the cut coat.
The clerk, when discovered, was in his
that he could have taken off his coat after
the blows had been inflicted. No one pres
ent thought of ascertaining if the rents in
the coat cOrrespOnded TO the cuts on the
DOuy. Ok HouIs dittI the uteu uau Deell
committed, there had been no clew found
to the perpetrator. No one had seen any,
one but the messenger boy enter or leave
the premises about the time of the crime
and the conclusion reached was that the
assassin came through the rear The sus-
piciOn that woman is concerned in the
case is strong in the minds of the police,
but it cannot be learned that the clerk had
any ENHANCEMENT. Weichrung is twenty
nine years old, unmarried, and German.
He died at o'clock this evening, at Belle
vue Hospital.