The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-25
REVEALED AT HIS DEATH.
FERDINAND KOPELKE'S CONFESS
SION OF a MURDER.

SION OF A MURDER.
The Strange Paper Found in the
Trunk of a Man Who Died on Indiar
Street Sunday-The Story of a Grim,
Committed in Magdeburg Twenty
eight Years Ago-The Murderer.
Flight to America and Ris subse
queut Life.
Ferdinand Kopelke, a German betwee
SO and 60 years old, died suddenly day be-
fore yesterday at his boarding house Oh
Indian street. Yesterday morning it wa.
rumored that Kopelke had suicided. Act
ing Coroner Naughtin investigated the cas-
and learned that the man had died from {
congestive chill. brought on from excessive
bathing. Kopelke had not been been vel
for some time, and Sunday he was so heated
from fever that he took seven baths, the
last one causing the chill.
In Kopelkes trunk were found two pa
pers, written in German, containing con-
Iession that he was an escaped murderer
aud giving the details OF the crime, TO-
gether with an account Of the dissolute LIE
be led in the old world.
THE CONFESSION TRANSLATED.
Through Mr.. Fred Kolshorn the MORN
ING News secured translation OF the
documents. which were duplicates. They
were headed THE Life OF Ferdinand Ko-
pelke. " aud started out with a copy OK an
article from a newspaper. the name OF
which was not mentioned. IL reads as fol-
lows: at is announced from Magdeburg
than an immense concourse of the public
has been present for the past few days at
the trial Of Ferdinand Kopelke, who, as is
known on Sept. %, 1868. murdered the
butcher, Frank, from Schwarzenbach-o on
the-Saale. He waited for him in the neigh~
borhood of Kuchen- Launitz, killed him I'd
afterward robbed him. Kopelke was ar
rested the same day aid taken TO jail A
piece of poetry concerning the murder was
found in his trunk, and that poetical vein
was his destruction, for it helped to convict
him.
A RAKE's LIFE.
Kopelke introduced his confession by
saving that in his youth he frequently did
things which be shouldn't have done. After
he was married he lived a happy life. but it
had its share of troubles and SORROWS The
literal translation Of the confession is as
follows:
At the inn Of Reiners I arrived late, and here
was the butcher Frank. OF such a horrible
deed never had a thought. At last 1t struck
tnlnQ TO 10 tD6 Qe6U, ana LHat Thought
staid in my heart. Still it seems like a mys-
terry me. lie left here, walking slowly along the
street toward the small bridge. / followed and
on the way took rail from of a garden fence,
or in q dream. l hid myself in a safe
place where he could not $50
me. and then, with blow of the fence rail l
struck him over the head. He fell and laid
Frank was not deathly injured. got scared in
my heart and stepped alongside of the ditch,
thinking of the great pain the man must be suf-
fering turned back toward home and would
not have troubled him further, but he com
menced to run and cursed all he could. Then
got mad beyond control. / ran at him and shed
the human blood and put his heart to rest.
picked him up as quickly as | could, took the
money that ne had and carried him quickly
down TO the water. The fence rail left In the
field where no lost his ghost On my way home |
counted the money, and what did | find? |
One hundred and ten thaers In paper and 10 |
silver 100 thalers-not as has been stated, that |
the whole amounted to 600 thalers. |
HIS FLIGHT FROM GERMANY.
Kopelke then speaks Of his escape, pend |
ing execution, to Russia and thence to |
America.
After the confession is another extract |
from paper. which, although not credited, |
is supposed to have been published in Wies- |
baden. The article evidently was printed |
sometime before Kopelke killed Frank. 1t |
reads as follows: FTT
The arrest Of Ferdinand Kopelke on sus-
picion OF wanting to kill with poison occasioned |
In our city an immense excitement. Thisma |
mas o1en called on account of his reckless Iife
a pound dog" He is, indeed, as reckless as o
man could be, but no Que world have Thought
he would be guilty of attempting 20 kill any one
with poison. Twenty Yeas OF his life has GER
talnly been checkered career. After he grad-
nated from the teachers school in Friedberg |
and received his diploma he obtained position
in Manz as teacher, but he didn't give any
satisfaction on account of his reckless life
principally upon account of his being enamored |
q member of the demi-monde he gave
Ine board OF education cause to discharge him. |
About this time he received small inheritance
with which he had great time for awhile with |
Lhe woman who afterward became his wife.
After the money was gone Kopelke went to
Wlesbaden. He had no lack of intelligence or
and soon found place as a re-
porter. He enjoyed himself with different
women, and finally made the acquaintance Of
IN English family named Fowler. Mrs. Fowler
ook an interest in him because he conducted
himself with such gentiemanly tact. She |
wanted MN 10 be in constant attendance upon
her. and to perform knightIy service All az
but told her privately that he would gain some
money by the transaction. After
the divorce, however, he and his
former wife seemed to live as happily |
clety with Mrs. Fowler. A mixture of strych-
nine was put in some water for Mr.. Fowler,
but the death candidate discovered it In time to |
save himself. This crime is claimed to have |
been committed by kopelke. On account of |
MS loving Mrs. Fowler it is supposed that it was
ais intention to remove her husband out of this |
world.
THE PAPERS UNSIGNED.
The documents end abruptly, without any |
statement of whether Kopelke was guilty !
Of trying to kill Fowler, and are unsigned. |
kopelke was an intelligent looking man |
and wore long beard. He had been employed |
at the Savannah brewery flor about two
years ana half as n laborer, and was
looked upon by his fellow workmen as a
crank because of his peculiar actions. He
was called Doc" because he claimed 20
have graduated in medicine aud surgery in
VirgiRia several years ago.
kopelke was buried in Laurel Grove yes>
terday afternoon.