Omaha daily bee., 1892-10-28
ANOTHER MURDER MYSTERY
Ernest Kunneth Of Melrose, ILL.,, is the Last
Victim.
HIS SKULL CLovEN WITH A CORN KNIFE
To Secure Valuable Papers in tho Ola
Mans Possession Gives Cause for tho
Deed-It Resembles the
smell Case.

CHICAGO, ILL.,. Oct. 21-An atrocous mur-
der, resembling in tnary respects the
slaughter four years ago of Amos j. Smell
was committed last night at Melrose, a sta
ton on the Chicago & Northwestern road
twelve miles from this city. The victim
was Ernest Kunneth, an aged German capi-
tahst, who lived by himself, had no enemies
and bore an excellent reputation as a good
citizen. Kuuneth always kept considerable
money in the house, but none of it was
touched. The murderers for there were two
Of them, did not commit the crime for rob-
berry but to gain possession of some docu-
ments which tho old man had. A box con-
tanning these papers was the only thing
carried away.
saw Horrible Sight.
AT 10 O'CLOCK Dietrecht Woechter, who is a
Tenant of Kunneths called at tho house to
pay his rent. He knocked repeatedly at the
door, but received no response He then tried
IT, and finding it unlocked, Walked in. In
tho dining room close beside the table sit
ting in his chair was Kunneth. His head
and face were covered with blood and the
room was literally covered with dark red
stains. A swift and 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 givon and search
~ the premises made. In the kitchen was
found the weapon which had gone crashing
through the old mans brain. 1t was huge
corn knife with blade fourteen inches
long, broad and heavy. So fearful had been
the blow that the heavy steel was shivered
aud cracked half across. Upon the table
stood u bottle of GIN aud glasses. Two
cnairs were facing that in which
showing that two men must have
been with Kunnetn when the deed
was done. Two half-smokcd pipes were
lying near the bottle of gin. Around the
house were marks OF CORY hands and of feet
wet with blood. Drawers had been pulled
open and their contents overturned. Upon
almost everything the murderers touched
they left the stain OF their victims blood
Money they had found, for il lay in open
sight when Wocchter entered the house but
It was not touched. The only thing MISSING g
was the tin box in which kunneth kept his
papers and which was always beneath his
ped.
Only "a Slight CIew to the Murdercrs.
There is at present only one clew to the
mnrderers. Mrs. George johns, a nelghbor
OF kunneth's, saw him last night i'll company
with German who had been hanging
around the village all day. He claimed to be
from the same town in Germany as Kunneth
and they became very friendly. They were
seen by Mrs. Johns to enter tho old mani $
home and that was the last time he was seen
alive. He is supposed to be one of the mur-
derers. - or the contents Of the tin box
nothing is known, save that it contained
all the deeds to the cid mans property,
his notes aud mortgages. Kunneth had
in his possession some valuable papers in
volving the title of an estate in Wurtemburg,
Germany. in which ho was interested. These
could not be found last night and it is sup
posed that they too We're carried away.
kunneth said some months ago that parties,
whose names he did not give, were endeavor-
! ing TO obtain these papers from him, but
that he had declined to give them up. 1t is
supposed Jha, he lost his life IN the attempt
a re ain them