Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-28
Resembling in Many Ways the
Slaughter of Smell.
IT WAS NOT DONE FOR MONEY,
The Crime Supposed 10 Have Been Committed
BY COuntrymen
OF The Dead Man, Who Wanted 10 Get Posses.
sion Of Deed TO Tract Of Land in
Germany--A Clue Obtained
and Being Followed.

CHICAGO, ILL, Oct. q. An afro
cious murder, resembling in many re-
spects the slaughter four years ago OF
James j. Smell, the millionaire, was
committed last night at Melrose, a
station on the Chicago and Northwest
ern road, twelve miles from Chicago.
The victim was Ernest Kenneth,
an aged German capitalist who lived by
himself. He had no enemies and bore
an excellent reputation Kenneth al
ways kept considerable money in mis-
house, but none was touched. The
murderers did not commit the crime
for robbery, but to gain possession OF
some documents which the old man had
in his possession. The box containing
these papers was the only thing carried
away.
AT 10 o'clock this morning Dietrich
Wooster tenant OF Kunneth's, accom-
panied by Mrs. Wooster. called 10 pay
his rent. He walked into the little
parlor behind the dining room, di-
| vided from the front by folding
| doors. They were closed but Woes
ter forced them back. The room
was dark and he let the curtain up
Close beside the table sitting ina chair
was kunneth, his head and face was
| covered with blood and the room was
literally covered with dead, dark red
stains. A swift, powerful blow had
cleft the old mans skull clean TO The eye
brows. He never thought or moved
after the instrument OF death came
down. The alarm was quickly given
and search Of the premises was made,
In the kitchen was found the weapon
which went crashing through tho old
mans brain, huge corn knife, with u
blade fourteen inches long. Two chairs
were facing the one In which the blood.
stained corpse was found, showing that
two men must have been with Kunneth
when the deed was done. Around the
house there were marks Of CORY hands
and feet wet with blood. The bureau
drawers had been pulled open
and the contents overturned, a.
II the murderers had made
hasty search for something and had
been a long time in finding IT,
Money was not wanted, for il lay II
open sight when Wooster entered, bu
was not touched. The only thing miss
ing was a tin box IN which kunnetl
kept his papers. After securing thi
the assassins left,
| llltFt - AZ IlNa''AAA hAN NAA' NaNN. -
the murderers. Mrs. George Johns,
neighbor OF Kunneth's, saw him las
night in company with a German VIII
had been hanging around the yillag
all day. He claimed TO be from
the same town in Germany a
Kunneth and they became YER
friendly They were seen by Mrs. John
TO enter the old mans home and tina
was the last time he was seen alive
He Is supposed TO be one of the murdeI
ers. Who the other is, there is no il
dication.
OF the contents OF the box, nothin
exact is known save that 1t containe
all the deeds TO the old mans property
} his notes and mortgages. kunnet
had in his possession some yaluabl
papers, involving the title {
an estate in Wurtemberg, Ger
many, In which he was interested
These could not be found last night an
1t is supposed that they were takei
, Kunneth said some months ago tht
z parties were endeavoring to obtai
these papers from him, but he decline
to give them up while he lived. h
Z kept his word, and it is supposed lo'
his life lie an attempt to retain them
I