The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-19
THE SUSPECT TALKS.
Strong Evidence That Kost-
rauch Has Confessed.
MRS. RApL OFF TELLS HER STORY
Raiders Suspected Murderer Talks for
Hours With Police-A Me-
dium's Warnings.


implicated in the supposed murder OF Will
lam Radloff, has made confession,
and. it is said, has implicated Mrs.
Radloff in the crime. All day yesterday
Detective Cudihee was hard at work on
the case and in the afternoon Chief jack
son, Inspector Willard and two police cap
tains were engaged on it.
At O'Clock in the afternoon the pris-
oner was brought up from his lonely cell
into the chiefs Office. Writing material
was called for, and later Mayor Ronald,
with a very expectant look on his face,
was admitted. A little later Prosecuting
Attorney Miller put in an appearance,
and then a telephone message was sent
out and in five minutes man arrived
with press for making notarial seals. He
left the private chamber in half an hour
and went away. carrying the stamp
with him. Chief Jackson evidently was
excited. Once or twice he came out OF the
private office and whispered seriously to
the officers. Once a gentleman called !;
but the chief hurriedly excused him
self and then lodged out of
sight again. At 6 O'Clock the mayor, In
spector Willard and Chief Jackson camo
out of the office and one of them said:
at will take Sims until II O'Clock to
write all that man has to say. Get a stem
ographer. 1t should have been done be-
fore''
A stenographer was sent for, and once
more everybody spoke in whispers, and an
air of deep mystery pervaded their
faces and manner. At Z O'Clock the
prisoner was led back to his
cell. He did not look at all concerned and
never spoke word. The chief left i'm
mediately for supper. When questioned
concerning the case, he said:
1.-THE fellow is very gritty. He holds
out well. We will have to put him on
light diet, / reckon."
1t is common talk around police head
quarters, however, that the prisoner has
made a full and complete confess
sion; that he has admitted killing
Radloff and that he duplicates the MUIR
dered mans wife as his accomplish. The
motive for the crime, according to this
story, was to secure the $55, 900 life insur-
ance money, which was to 60 to the wife
in the event of the husbands death. the
woman is in the city, but has not yet been
arrested. 1t is evident that the police
have struck snag somewhere. Chief
Jackson didn't 60 home until II o'clock
last night. Inspector Willard left
headquarters about the same time,
but Detective. Cudihee, accompanied
by Captain Sims, remained at headquar-
tiers all night Today the chief and De-
tective Cudihee will again visit the site of
the burned house where Radlof is be-
lieved to have lost his life.
The wife of the murdered man, Mrs.
Virginia Radloff, accompanied by
her sister, Ida Creviston, and AL
bert Radloff arrived in the city yes
terday morning and at once sought
the advice of Edward P. Edsen, of the
firm of Thompson, Edsen & HUMPHREYS,
who was personal friend of William Rad
loft. Coroner Horton was notified that Mrs.
Radloff was in the city and could be seen
at Mr.. Edsen's Office. He went at once,
and in q short interview made plain the
known facts in connection with her
husbands disappearance. Mrs. Radloff
was nearly i'll from the shock attending
the first announcement of the tragedy
to her while at home in Lake Bay. She
was very angry at the rumors of in
timacy between her and Kostrauch,
the suspect, and, in company with
her sister and Mr.. Edsen, visited
the county Jail for the purpose of
seeing him. Not finding him there, they
went to police headquarters. On inquiry
they found every one ignorant of the pres
ence of Kostrauch, but were referred to
Chief Jackson, who admitted the presence
of the man, but denied any of the party
an interview with him. Mr.. Edsen said i:
"Well, then, suppose the only way to
see him Is to get out writ of habeas
corpus"
The party returned to Mr.. Edsen's
office, and on his advice Mrs. Radloff and
her sister took rooms at hotel
removed from the center of the city. Mrs.
Radioff retired at once. Her sister, Ida
Creviston, received a reporter from the
observation-disclosures, and said that
Mrs. Radloff was too ill to receive
visitors. She had been almost
Frustrated by the shock attending the
news of her husbands death, and was in
dignant at the limitations of intimacy
with a hired man, one who in fact was
kept out of charity. Mrs. Radloff on sew
eral occasions had told her husband
that she did not like Kostrauch.
and wished that he would send
him away. Radlotf pitied Kostrauch and
would not send him away. The love note
that was found on kostrauch was written
for Mr.. Radloff7s autograph album and
no doubt the man had picked
it up. Mrs. Radloff went home about
two weeks ago to prepare for a
journey with her husband TO Germany.
Mr. Radlotf visited his wife at Lake Bav A
little over week ago. relative who
Was medium consulted the spirits and
they answered that the child wouId
not live, neither would Mr.. Radloff
through the year, and it was doubtful
about Mrs. Radloff. Mr.. Radloff was wor-
ried and spoke about the possibility of the
child's death during the voyage. He spoke
of insuring his life. She saw him in Ia.
coma a week ago last Friday evening, and
he had Sl.500 with him. She felt positive
that RadIotf was murdered for his money.
The registered letter receipt found on
hostrauch was obtained from the Fremont
postoiiice by William Radloff about 5 "a
O'Clock Friday evening. Mrs. t. C. Rails.
ton, the wife OF the postmaster. reristered
the letter. She said that when Radloff
registered the letter she told him
that II was too late for the afternoon mail
snd he replied: 'All right; the next will
Go" The documents put in the letter
were too long for the envelope. and had 10
be bent at the ends. Mr. Radloff took the
receipt, and taking long pocketbook from
an inside pocket in his vest placed i,
therein. He then put the book back. but.
toned his vest and went out. About fiE
teen minutes later man, one who was in
the habit of calling for Radloff7s mail
came in and asked for it. There was
none, and he left the Office. Mrs. Ralston
describes the man as being short. not ve-y
thick set and with red cheeks but 6oss