The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-23
THE ISLAND MURDER.
An Accomplish Caught and
Tells the Whole Story.
RICHARDS DEATH STRUGGLE.
The Man Who Helped to Hide the d ody
Confesses-The sheriff on the
Murderer's Trail.

The mystery of the murder OF George
Richards on Mercer island has been cleared
up and the guilt fixed on Antonio, the
Italian who worked for him. Through
the skillful detective work of Sheriff WOOL
cry, suspicion was fastened upon Joe Puc-
IA, friend of Antonio. He was quietly
arrested and, in mortal terror, confessed
having helped TO conceal Richards body,
and related the story of the murder as it
was related to him by the murderer him
self as they were engaged in their ghoul-
lsh work. The sheriff is on Antonio's
trail and expects to capture him in few
days.
At the time the mutilated body Of
George Richards was found floating in
Lake Washington, near the shore of Mer-
Ger island, Sheriff Woolery was in Walla
Walla. He returned the following
night and read of the affair in
the papers. Early next morning
he visited the scene of the murder, made
close examination of the cabin and its
surroundings. talked with those in any
wise acquainted with the late occupants,
and then returned to the city. Following
a certain clue, which he has not disclosed.
he went to Port Blakely. but failed to
locate his man. He Immediately came
back TO this city, and in a short time had
suspected parties. At II o'clock that
night the sheriff was aroused by q mes
senger with the information that one of
them was in the city. He and the messen-
ger Immediately started in search of him,
and on entering the Columbus house
saloon, on South Third street, the sheriff
saw his man-Joe Puccia, close friend of
Autobiography drinking at the bar.
Woolery walked up to him and said in q
low tone:
"Joe. I'm after you. You must come
with me-"
Puccia trembled and was plainly agi-
tated, but walked out without resistance.
The arrest had been made so easily and
quietly that few, if any, noticed what had
happened. The prisoner was taken
through back streets and lodged in the
county Jail.
At II O'Clock the next day Joe Puccia
was taken from his cell and brought into
the sheriff's private office. Woolery's
penetrating gaze had a strange effect on
Puccia. He trembled like leaf, and in
response to the words "Sit down, Joe,"
sank into chair. The first few questions
were answered in q manner that led the
sheriff to believe Joe was trying to con-
ceal the truth. Knowing that he was mas
ter of the situation, he said sternly:
"Joe. either tell me the truth or say
nothing
He followed up this warning by telling
the thoroughly scared man some cold facts
about the murder. Puccia could not stand
the strain and made a clean breast of it.
Puccia lived in a cabin on the west side
of the lake. near the water works. He
had not seen his friend Antonio since a
week after Easter, when one morning the
latter came over from the island, showing
by his appearance that he had just had 8
desperate struggle. He told the tragic
story of his final quarrel with Richards in
the latter's lonely cabin on the island,
ending in his numbering his employer.
According to Antonio, he was cutting ba-
con for breakfast, when Richards shouted
at him with foul epithet:
'1f you can't do your work better than
that you had better get OUT
He took Richards at his word, threw
down the knife and the bacon and began
rolling up his blanket, in preparation to
60 at once. Still further enraged, Rich
ards sprang at him and seized him by the
throat. Both reached for the knife and
both got hold of it. Then death struggle
came, each striving to get the weapon
away from the other and the two probably
rolling on the floor in their efforts to over
power one another. Antonio finally
secured the knife and stabbed his antagon-
ist again and again. Then his murderous
fury having been thoroughly aroused, he
took shotgun and fired into the wounded
mans face, killing him instantly.
He seems to have no sooner committed
the crime than he began laying plans to
conceal it. He needed assistance in getting
rid of the body and his thoughts turned to
his friend and fellow countryman, Puccia
He rowed across the lake to the latter's
cabin, told him the horrible story and Sc
cured his assistance. About 10 O'Clock
that night they rowed across to the island
By the dim light of lantern Puccia saw
the evidence of the tragedy. Richards
dead body lay on the floor, his face rid
died with shot, i. body full of gaping
wound. and his clothes saturated with
blood. The condition of the cabin showed
what a struggle had preceded the murder.
The scanty furniture was knocked over,
crockery, cooking utensils and clothes
were scattered around, all was confusion.
Having taken in the scene at a glance,
the two men set TO work to put the body
out of the way. Puccia holding the Ian
tern, Antonio tied n rope around the neck
and dragged the body 10 the water eight
rods distant. They tied a rock on the
other end of the rope, rowed out to deep
water and sank the body, trusting to the
lake TO conceal it. The rope rotted from
the rock, the capricious currents of the
lake brought the murdered mans body to
the surface again and tossed II ashore near
the scene of the crime, thus betraying the
criminals despite their precautions.
Joe Puccia and his friend returned to
the city and parted company, and the
former went into the Monte Cristo mining
district, returning 10 the city just in time
TO fall into Sheriff Woolery's clutches.
The morning after Puccla had confessed
Sheriff Woolery and Prosecuting Attorney
Miller took the prisoner across the lake 10
the cabin and then asked him 10 show
them where Richards body was sunk
Puccia followed the course over which the
body had been dragged and pointed to the
spot where it had been sunk, which was
about forty feet from where it had been
found. AS the rope was worn off and the
action of the water would have moved the
body, the test of Puccia's story was salts
factory.
The Italian named Antonio disappeared
the day following the murder. and al
though still AT large will probably be
caught within a few DAYS The sheriff at
| first thought he was in British Columbia,
but on thorough search has discovered
that he was wrong. A private communi-
cation was received yesterday notifying