The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-01-26
| SILVER SNUFF Box
It Solved Mystery and Saved
Paul Kunkels Life.

resident of the Lehigh valley, "a silver
snuff box which, although handsome
and valuable. is not esteemed by it's
owners SO much on that account as for
the manner in which it came into their
possession, and for the remarkable
story connected with it. On the inside
of the lid is engraved the single word
Cooper That word solved the mys-
terry of frightful tragedy, and solved
it in time to prevent another tragedy
about to occur under judicial sanction.
MANY years ago the farmers OF some
of the border counties OF Pennsylvania
and Maryland had been for long time
victims of horse and sheep thieves, who
despoiled them OF much valuable prop
erty. A young German named Conrad
Winter, who was bound to q woman
named Goodwin, of Parkston, Md,
was arrested, charged with being con-
cerned in the thieving, and he was
convicted and sentenced to six years in
the penitentiary. This was in 1s43
One day in the fall of 1910 Mrs. Charles
Cooper wife of prominent farmer
who lived near Parkston, went to that
village to do some shopping Among
other things that she purchased was a
pair OF shoes for herself of peculiar
make. When she left the village to
walk home it was nearly dark She
carried an alpaca umbrella with yell
low stain on one side of it. Her pur-
cilases were in a paper package. Mrs.
Cooper was fond of snuff. and always
I'D -s1
snuff box, which she had had filled at
the store on this visit to Parlston.
Mrs Cooper did not reach home that
night. Next morning search was made
for her, and towari evening, in lone
ly spot by the roadside, covered with
brush, her dead body was found. The
back of her head had been crushed in
by blow with some heavy weapon.
Her uni rella and paper parcels were
missing, as was her silver snuff box. A
stranger had tramped through the vii
lage in the forenoon, and it was remem-
bered that he carried an umbrella and
paper parcel Efforts were at once
made to get trace of the stranger, but,
beyond the fact that persons travelling
over the ROAD between ParllstOn and
York, Pa, harI seen two men going To-
ward the latter place in cOmpany-each
with an umbrella, each with Il paper
parcel, and each in the iolliest of humor
wherever scea-nothing to give the
people Of p;irilstol clew to the
stranger with an umbrella and paper
parcel cOuld DC discovered. Then de-
tcctivcS from Baltimore were put on
the case.
paul kunl1el, when he died only a
short time ago in York, aged 70 years,
was one Of the most conspicuous and
respected citizens Of that city. In 1S40
he had been q citizen Of York for sew
eral years, and was an Industrious man
with character beyond reproach. He
had wife and three children, and all
were devOut Catholics. In the fall of
1910 brother Of his who had been IN
York for some time, made up his mind
to return to Germany. AS he intended
to take the vessel at Baltimore, Paul
accompanied him to that city, and
after seeing him on board the ship
started to return home on foot. He
left Baltimore early in the morning. He
under his arm a paper parcel con-
tanning articles he had bought in Bal
timore for his wife and children. His
course took him directly past the spot
where Mrs. Coopcr's body was found q
few hours later in the day. He passed
through Parkston, and q mile or so be-
yond came up with man who was
sitting by the roadside. The stranger
arose, spoke to Kunkel and as he
was also q German and travelling to-
ward York, the two walked on together
ut was not long before the men were
quite we'll acquainted. The stranger
told KunlIel that his name was Conrad
Winter. lie had an umbrella and q
paper parcel. He offered to exchange
the umbl ella he carried for Paul's. Win
ter's umbrella, although it had Il big
yellow stain on one side, was much
better than his, and Kunkel did not
hesitate to make the exchange. Kunllel
was il man of jov:;.l disposition, and
Winter fell into his mood, SO that every
person they met was amused at their
merry greetings and snatches of song.
When they arrived ut York, Winter
said he Wouid HE to remain a dav or
SO in that place before he continued hi,
Journey, and kunkel invited him to ac-
cept the hospitality OF his household,
which he did. lie was treated witt,
the greatest kindness at hunkel's
and remained with the family two
days, during which i.sae he created no
lite amusement By his persistence in
t1,.,, /
paper parcel he carried i..r things of no
possible value or uaa to him. lie traded
new pair OF WOincI;'s Shoes of odl
pattern, to Mrs. kunnel for an old
flannel shirt, and insisted on present.
ing kunl1el with a silver snuff box.
This kuni1cl would not accept. nor let
his wife accept
1.-Two days after Winter went away
Kunhel was followed home from his
work one day by two men. They were
detectives, and they arrested him on
the charge of being the murderer of
Mrs. Cooper. The house was searched.
The umbrella with the stain on it, the
peculiar shoes, and other things were
found and identified as the property of
the murdered woman. Kunkel had
heard of the murder through Winter.
and when he found himself charged
with the terrible crime, he saw at once
that he had been made the victim of
the real assassin. The effect of this
sudden revelation, and the fearful stu
alton he was in. deranged Kunkers
mind SO that he was unable to give any
lucid or even connected explanation of
the circumstances that pointed so nal
pably to him as the murderer. His
wife could tell nothing about the meet
ing of her husband with Winter no.
cause he had tod her nothing about il.