The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-28
MURDERED FOR HER MONEY.
r,s PETTY MEETS TIE FATE TBAT
WAS PRBDIoTED.

A w,n.to-do bat Misery snd Eeesrtric ois
Maid Of Newark Knoeksd Dowa ~ Un-
h,ou, Robbers as she Enteres the House
y..r. she Lived Alone and was AZ
,.rv.rs straneies TO Desth-Ths R~-
,.,,, Of May Loug-dess Cats kousa In
IN, uou-e-s,-..ee Hiding Places for
uon.y-ws. she Disappointed In Lovst
In . three-story frame house almost in the
s.ntrs OF Newark Elizabeth Petty. an old maid
-ho wa. mser. and in whose life there was
. romance, was murdered some time between
Saturday night and yesterday morning.
Robbery was the motive. The police at
late hour last night had found no clue to the
murderers II is oniectured that more than
ono man was engaged In the crime II 10 not
LpoUn how much money was obtained. The
murderers were not thorough In searching
the house, however. for after the crime was
discovered yesterday the police found more
than 5000 in small amounts concealed In
many places When Elizabeth Petty's father
died he was supposed to have left her $4,000
or $4,000. Where this was invested and how
much 10 gone has not been discovered.
Miss Petty was robbed and beaten into In
.snsibilty about three years ago. Il was after
the Board OF Health had rAided her house and
attention had been called to the fact that she
had concealed money all over II. When the
neIphbors found her she said that she knew
the two men who had robbed her She refused
70 make any complaint against them. how
ever because they had stolen only few dol
lars.
After that affair the police predicted that
some time she would be murdered for her
money. Her way OF living and her reputed
wealth invited It. For thirty years or more
Ia fHr h..
sccentricities.
She was about 90 years old and was short
and slender. but possessed OF wonderful vital
ity. Her eyes were blue and swapping. her
lips were thin. and her voice was sharp. Her
house at 20 Commerce street Is dingy and old
and In strong contrast with its surroundings.
On several occasions her neighbors have COM
planned OF It as public nuisance She Kept
many cats in II, and never. when she could
prevent II, did she admit human being.
She could tolerate women on occasions. but
she never lost opportunity to show that she
hated men sne wa ib AN R}ntshed her no
and often noted the light moving from room
TO room in herhouse at night; They conlec-
hG %rsry night Miss Petty with lamp or can
to garrett. No lights were seen In her house on
last SATURDAY might. and again on sunday
began s to to- think that the eccentric old woman
must be iii, and they watched the house more
closely. No one thought OF going to her door
Early on yesterday morning the cats ip the
house set up mournful, wauiinE. and at
who lives next door. He knew that she would
starve herself for her cats, and he suspected
William to CLIMB to, the top Of the fence
and sec. II possible. what waa going on in the
had bee1 forced op eD and them Mr. CARA
summoned Policeman Ryan. The two men
pounded a the front door hut there was =, Re,
house and entered It through the cellar. The
deer at hG head the on the ss
SssTs 9! Health aided tSs pisss:
Blood had also been shattered on the wallis and
the struggle evidently had begun. the bali
10 Is,0f SS En- the
bad Sn Witt, to all sop. Junk r Sa
floor beside It was loaf OF bakers bread
R IL sSe
guard the entrance to her house. stood against
the wall near the loot OF the stairs Beside the
Huob that had BEEN xreSc6ed from the front
door. 1t is supposed that she may, have been
purehssins the Loaf Anothsr theory is that the
men spEsng upon her from the pa nIn or
the S Knob Of the front door in her EFFORT to get
out. In the parlor were the bodies OF two cats.
Hs @ s 70 hs dos . s5Ss 81 the The
eries:of half a dozen half-starved cats;
There. IN a narrow room. lying on her back.
the head Elizabeth Pettys body was found.
Chief Of Police Hopper was summoned. with
found six wounds on the womans head. two OF
them looking as IL they had been made with a
wound. wss diTeety ovSf her sTf right eye The
others were little more than, severe bruises;
Ss .nS sSfdd ae d Hs fs
mSSrdsTers had searched IS red. Il Tor Money iS0
stocsines S was pulled down to her ankle. The
body was In such a condition that only SUI
Physician Klllotta examination last night
showed that Miss Petty's skull was not frae-
Three OF her ribs were broken and her throat
sShoEsd the marks o. large muscular hand a q
death after she had been struck down and
carried up ans ss made Ss hS
ON the h head 00I but 9Ses she SSs %ss
not suffieient to produce death. Although she
SUNDAY. the condition OF the body is good evi.
denee that she had not been dead moro than
day night the body would probably 10 badly
deeomposed, for Sunday was warm day
noor i Is Believed i that after the womaa had
been beaten over the head she was rolled over
near the dashboard in the hall and left there
for some little time, possibly until the robbers
had N Ade hRsty search for money. Then she
was carried M stairs. and there. because she
showed signs OF returning life. she was stran-
gled TO death.
The house was so illed with, dirt and odds
and ends OF all sorts that a thorough search
would have meant a nights work. Some
OF the rooms had mot been disturbed.
end were found to be securely locked.
Miss Petty had been seen at various
times to produce a roll OF bills from an old
In Il, but this money was gone. Tile police
made a thorough search oi the house and Il
was curiosity The parloT on the ,nrst hoor.
tanned boxes and bottles and ART
Three cheap chromos with gilded frames
were the only attempt at decoration on this
Moor. Miss Petty and her cats spent most OF
their time on the floor above, There was a
large room hack OF the one where her body
was found. On the door OF IL was seraWled in
chalk some figures such y bil22 "
Si2i7." and "723l T." They NAV have been
plumbers OF bank notes or OF bonds which she
had concealed.
Possibly the police may get some clue to the
missing money through them. No Key to these
riddles Was found yesterday. h0weysL The