Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-03
REPKE'S AVOWAL.
1t Results in Warrants for Sew
eral Arrests.
THIRTEEN MEN ON THE BLACK LIST.

Plot to Kill Molitor Is Alleged to
Have Been Hatched-A Woman Con-
firms Repke's Charges = Something
About the Murdered Man-How the
Shadow of a Crime Pursued One of
the Perpetrators.
PETosKEY, Mich, Aug. 3.-The prose-
cutting attorney of Pressure Isle county
Saturday issued warrants for the arrest of
the following men whom William Repke
claims assisted him to murder Albert
Molitor and his clerk, Ed Sullivan, of
Rogers City, sixteen years ago. Herman
Hoeft, Andrew E. Banks, John Bander,
Redmond Bruder, Frederick Bruder,
August Grossman, Carl Noegler, Gottlieb
Menda, Charles Weissengert, August
Sorgenfry, August Furman, Fred Johns,
and Henry Jacobs. The confessor, Repke,
was already in prison. The men are all
well known and some of them hold public
offices
Was One of the Ringleaders.
Herman Hceft is one of the oldest and
wealthiest citizens of Rogers City, and
was for several terms the county treasurer.
He was, 50 Repke says, one of the ring
leaders in the conspiracy to murder Moli-
tor. Repke asserts that Hoeft wanted to
get rid of Molitor because of business
jealousy The county was at the time
sparsely settled, and at that date it re-
quired a new courthouse and many other
improvements. In procuring these Noli.
tor took N active part, and considerable
debt was necessarily saddled upon the
county. This fact Repke alleges, was
used to prejU lice the minds of the people.
and was partly instrumental in inducing
Others to become participants in plot to
kill Molitor.
Not on Hand at the Murder.
Another leader, according to Repke's
confession. was Andrew +. Banks ex-
circuit court commissioner and tx super
visor. now residing in Moltke township a
few miles from Rogers City. 1t was in
his house. ReDke SIS tes, that the meetings
were held and the conspiracy formed. an
where the oaths were administered bind
ing the men to stand as one The con-
fessor Repke. states that neither Hoeit
nor Banks was with the party the evening
of the shooting. Repke says that Banks
had promised, if the shooting was success
full. the men were to receive the reward
agreed upon. and that it had been depos-
tied at some place known to them.
Repke's story Corroborated.
\ German woman named krau>. who
lived near Banks house, said that she saw
frequent gatherings there, and becoming
inquisitive crept into an addition adjoin-
ing the house one night and claimed she
overheard the whole conspiracy. She had
mentioned tnis but fearing harm might
come to her if she divulged too much
never gave any names, but her story now
appears to be confirmed by Repke She
removed TO Detroit last fall, where she
and her daughter now live Augu.
Grossman of Bismarck township. who is
one of the accused, has been for many
years supervisor, and Henry Jacobs #
Belknap, an eX-supervisor. is also impli-
Gated. Repke says the latter is the one
who fired the fatal shot.
Molitor a King. Natural Son.
1t Is asserted that Molitor was natural
son of old King William of Wurtemburg
and came to this country while quite
young, being banished for trying to steal
a plan of lhe Notifications at Chlan.
After coming here he enlisted in the army
and soon rose to a place on Gen. Siegels
staff After the war he went to Detroit,
married. and formed partnership with a
man named Rogers. They came to this
county, built a mill, importing Ger
mans and Poles to work it. The burning
of the mill caused Rogers to draw out.
He left Molitor without money.
Had One Kingly Attribute.
BY his influence with the Germans Moli-
tor got himself elected treasurer of tie
county, and it is said that by manipulate
ing the money and juggling with the
funds rebuilt the mill and acquired a great
deal of money. He refused to make any
accounting. and ruled the people with a
rod of iron. bringing upon himself. so
many people say, the fate he met. Repke
is fairly intelligent German farmer. and
thinks he viii 90 to prison. but says he
prefers death rather than carry the secret
longer.
His Crime Pursued Him.
In his confession he says the only reason
it was made i that ill-lu2k has pursued
him the last few years. His children have
been drowned. his barns and house burned
without apparent cause, his investments
| all turned out bad, and his horses died.
All this would not have made him con.
fess, he says, but Of late he has been una
bic to sleep nights from thinking of the
crime and he could not stand the strain
any longer