Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-10-18
IS LANGN[R GUILTY?
Quane|ed With Miss En-
merSOn the Fatal Day.
STRUCK HER LIGHT BLOWS.
An Admission Which Lifts q Veil of
Suspicion from Hoffman.

| fusitiHe for over sixteen months, August
Langner, indicted "a year ago Oh the charge
OF killing Miss Mary Emmerson. at Ded-
ham, June 2, 1891, was locked up in the
Dedham jail last night by State Detectives
Pratt ana Wnitney, TO await the pleasure
OF the court, which is to try him for his
life.
And out Of his own mouth he has al
most convicted himself, for be has done
what the police could not do with the evi-
dence at their disposal at the present time;
that is, placed himself vt the Emmerson
house on the morning of the murder, and
sven acknowledged assaulting her by
striking her ON the face several times
with his hand. More violence than that
he Will not admit, however
The Prisoners Story
Is interesting in many respects, although
IL places him in "A terrible position. He
says that he came TO Boston and was hired
in an employ ment Office 10y Philip Hofi-
man to 90 to work in Dedham for Miss
Emmerson. That was two or three days
before the murder, and the intervening
period he spent in doing odd jobs about
her little farm.
On the fatal morning, he says that Hoff-
man arose while he was yet abed, ate his
breakfast which was prepared by Miss
| Emmerson, and then left the house.
Langner then told how he arose and
dressed himself and went down To the
morning meal. He says that he made
somc comment on the scantiness OF the
| fare, and that Miss Emmerson resented il by
seizins knife and making a lunge at him
with IL, at the same time saluting him
nil Ia fl., h..t 3 mt ha
Admits AssauItiny Her
but pleads self-defense as the excuse.
When she ran at him with the knife he
says that he grasped her wrist and forced
her luto chair, then struck her two or
three blows on the face with his open
hand. He claims that these blows were
not at all violent, and that he left her at
the table while he went upstairs, packed
up his belongings and left the mouse. He
first went to Boston, but he says that he
remained ip that city bur few hours be-
| fore he started on foot for Providence.
He tramped back through part OF Ded-
| ham, and, becoming hungry. stopped at
the house OF German family, where he
was given some food. While he was cat
| ing one of the children came In with a
| copy OF a Boston newspaper containing
the account of the murder. This, he
| claims. was the first news he had of the
| OLD woman's terrible end, and he was so
overcome 10y the information that he left
| the unfinished meal and ran away.
Continuing his tale, Languer related
| how he took train for Provideis'e and
| then reached New York city, where he OBJ
tanned employment for time at restau.
rant and then went to Cuba on fruiter.
| There he left the vessel and went TO work
on sugar plantation. While so EN-
ployed he
Was Stricken with Fever,
and for six weeks lay at the point OF
death. When hesrecovered:hetr hetreturned to
| New York, where as he was wandering
| about the streets, he met his old acquaint-
ance, Gentefohr. The latter acceded to
! his requests for shelter, and then deliv-
cred him up to the police.
What has been detailed above Is in sub
stance Lagner's history of himself on and
since the day Miss Emmerson was MUIR
dered. He places himself in the house on
the morning Of the murder and admits a
quarrel which resulted in blows.
The strangulaton Of Miss Emmerson
and the crowding OF her body into the
closet leading off the kitchen are circum-
stances which he not only will not admit,
but which he says he knows nothing at
| all about.
Ono Happy Feature
| OF Langner's capture and admissions Is
that it lifts the veil OF suspicion which
has clung about Philip Hoffman. He, too,
IL a German, and he was formerly em-
! ployed by Miss Emmerson. He later on
found that he could do better at the Chill
dren's hospital on Huntington avenue,
| Boston, so he went To work there; but
Miss Emmerson liked him so well that she
asked him TO board at her house as n pro-
lection 10 her This he did and he hired
Langner to take his place.
Hoffman was at first suspected OF the
deed because he was understood to be the
old lady's heir and the one, therefore, to
profit most by her death. For nine weeks
he lay in Jail before he was freed by an
order OF Justice Holmes on point Of law
| brought out by his counsel.
Langner must remain In Jail until the
sitting OF the Norfolk county grand jury
In December, when he will be called upon
to plead to the indictment of murder As
that il a charge which the attorney gen.
eral must conduct, it II hardly possible
| that the trial can come off until next
! spring or summer.
In the meantime, Gentefohr must re-
main a prisoner also, a. a witness on the
case, and the $500 reward for which he de.
! livered up his friend he must wait for un.
| til after the latter's conviction.
DvD or a.rrnnn,S n.DruIDsv