Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-19
YOUTHFUL DEPRAVITY
A Boy of 16 Deliberately Murders a
Girl a Year Younger, After
TRYING TO POISON THE FAMILY.
The Deed Skillfully Concealed, and Not
Discovered for Weeks.
COMPLETE CONFESSION OF THE CRIME

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.)
MILWAUKEE, Oct 1S-Three weeks ago
Annie Kodatz, the 15-year-old daughter of
the tenant on farm just north of the city,
disappeared. Last night her body was
found in hole beneath the COW stable on
the farm. The discovery was made by the
father and mother of the girl. The latter is
nearly crazed by the shock. Early this
morning Albert Kohts, a boy of 16 years,
employed on the farm, was arrested on a
charge of having murdered the girl.
He confessed to-day. His story was told
with stolidity remarkable in one so
young AT no time did the boy show any
signs of emotion, and discussed the terrible
details as though talking of everyday af-
fairs He said that he had been intimate
with the girl, who was not very bright, and
fearing the anger of her parents he deter
mined to kill her. On the day of the muir
der Kohts said he went out to the barn with
a hammer and nails to fix broken place in
the COW stable
DETAILS OF THE DEED.
Annie was there, and he asked her to hold
the board for him to nail. She complied
and as she stood STOPPING over he struck
her on the temple with the hammer. The
girl fell to the floor and as she was not dead
the boy struck her again. He then went
out In the yard and remained 10 minutes
when he returned and raised some boards in
the floor of the barn, which he had pre-
viously loosened, and threw the body down
into the hole, after which he covered 1T a
foot deep with dirt.
Then, replacing the boards, he nailed
them down and went off to work in another
part of the barn. The abnormal GOODNESS of
the boy was shown by what occurred a half
hour later. The day before the murder an
attempt had been made to poison the Ko-
datz family. Paris green was placed in the
soup, but so much was used that the father,
who ate first, was made sick, and no one else
touched the soup. 1t is now believed that
Kohts was the one who put the poison in
the soup. He denies it, but admits that he
determined to kill Annie three weeks before
the time of the murder.
AT that time, however, it was thought the
girl might have used the poison, as she
could not be found. Kohts was called to
see if he knew where she was. He told the
officers she had been out in the barn and
held a board for him to nail, after which
she left.
HOW THE CRIME WAS DESCRIBED.
As proof of his story the boy took the
officers to the barn and showed them the
board. While he was telling his story the
party stood over the dead body of the girl,
who had been missed less than half hour
before. During all this time the boy showed
no signs of nervousness or excitement,
though he now admits when called
he supposed the officers had
come for him. The body was
buried in corner of the barn near the door
and not 20 feet from the home of the Ko-
datzs, which stood adjoining the barn. Yes
terday Mrs. Kodatz thought there was a
peculiar smell about the stable. When her
husband returned from work she spoke to
him about it, and, taking shovel and Ian
tern, they went to the stable aud began
taking up the floor.
When the first board was removed they
found the pile of dirt. Stirring this they
uncovered one of the girls limbs. Horror |
stricken they fled to the farm house and
awakened Mr.. Brown, who, stopping long
enough to verify their statement, notified |
the police. Kohts' arrest followed. The |
boy is understood with big black eyes and
an unpleasant face. He has worked on the !
farm two years, and was noted for his will j
ingness to work and quiet, gentle ways.