New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-19
PRICE THREE CENTS.
MURDER FOR PALTRY GAIN.
THE CRIMINAL CONFESSES.
A WATCHMAN HAMMERED TO DEATH
BY A FORMER FELLOW-WORKER

FEW DOLLARS IN THE TTfre-PoLIcE TRACE
THE MISSING COINS TO HIS RooM-cHARGED
WITH HIS GUILT. THE MAN REcITEs
THE STORY or THE CRIME
Robbery was tn. motive for the brutal murder
OF August Loefer an old night wstchmsn in
the basement Of Henry Heides candy factory
late on Tuesday night The factory is at No 1873
Franklin-st, and runs through the block 10 Nos.
IA and 16 Harrison-st Charles Miller. a young
German who formerly had been employed In the
factory, hid himself in the building before tho
place was left in charge OF the watchman
Tuesday evening. and some hours later he
robbed the cash drawer the ground floor at
the Harrison-st end Of the building. The watch
man may have caught him in the act Of rob-
berry or may have tried prevent his escape
from the Luding later, or Miller may have at
tackled the watchman when the old man was
unaware OF the presence of another person in the
building.
HIS SKULL BEATEN IN
Miller killed old Loeffer with hammer break
ing his skull with Iepeated blows. lie afterward
got out OF the building without being seen by
any one and made his way TO his room in East
Thirteenth-st. The murder OF the watchman was
discovered yesterday morning, and few hours
later the police had the murderer In custody.
Miller made a confession Of his crime later in
the day. but sought to excuse himself with
plea Of self-defence. His confession was not
needed as the detectives had obtained abundant
proof of his guilt.
Loefer was sixty-three years old, native OF
Saxony and a widJwer He came 10 this city
when he was young man. and was soldier
in the Union Army in the War Of the Rebellion.
Several years ago he became night watchman In
the candy factory. He was a small and slender
man. but wiry and determined. Lately he had
lived with his children at No 25l Water-st
THE CRIME DISCOVERED.
The body OF the old watchman was found in
the basement Of the candy factory early yes
terday morning when Frederick Rebman. the
engineer, and Gottlicb Goetz. the fireman. went
there to start up he fires. Loehiers corpse lay
near the Frankn-st end Of the basement
bag had been drawn over the head. and under
the bag was a handkerchief which partly COW
cred the face. Blood had soaked through the
bag and had run over part Of the floor. The
head Of the watchman had been mutilated by
blows with some blunt weapon
The men who discovered the crime immedi-
atey gave the alarm to the police OF the Leon-
ard-st station. Inspector Mclaughlin OF the De-
tective Bureau, was appealed to. and he went 10
the scene of the murder with several detectives
Heide and his employees had arrived at the fac
tory and they were questioned closely. II was
discovered that the cash drawer at the harm
son-st end Of the factory had been broken OPEN
and that the petty caSh, amounting 10 dooul sio'
had been stolen.
WHAT THE DETECTIVES LEARNED.
Andrew Lindner one Of the men employed in
the factory spoke Of having Miller in the
factory late on Tuesday afternoon. Miller for
merly had been employed there and had been dis
charged after quarrel with the Waterman.
Other workmen when questioned. said they also
had seen Miller in the factory on Tuesday ana
none Of them could remember having seen MIN
leave the building Miller had been boarding
with Jacob Grimm. at No. 52i East Thirteenth
st. Grimm worked in the factory. He said thaI
Miller had left his house early in the morning.
He was told to remain in the factory whie zap
tain Doherty and two detectives were sent 10
the house in East Thrteenth-st TO search MIL
lers room. Before Captain Doherty leit the isC-
tory he told that among the COINS wnIch
had been stolen from the cash drawer Were We're Two,
half-dolars bearing the dates 1888 and 1893, ana
a lead dollar with the date 1882. when had pesn
kept there by Ferdinand umbach, the tlme ciefh.
They were the la! gest COINS IN the coieCuoi'
TEII-TALE COINS AND CLOTHING
At Mers room in Grmms home Captain
Doherty found a pair of trousers with piood
marks on them. and in one of the pockets was
a lead dollar with the date 1892. In trunk in
the room he found about $40 in change. including
two half-dollars With the dates 1888 and 1882
Mrs. Grimm said that Miller had been without
work and without money for several weeks anu
was in debt for his board.
In the mean time policemen We're kept near
the factory, and about 10 a. m. one OF me eu-
ployes Miller in beershop at GreehwiGh Nn
and Franklin sts He told ROundsnl3n ooil-
Gan who went into the beershOp and arrested
Miller. The prisoner said he was twenty-hNe
years old He Is slender far haired HSrnldn han
locked up for half hour he was quesuoned
bv Inspector Mclaughlin, who charged MN WITH
'"T WHY iH ql should te?' said Miller. III told.
would be killed anyhow.
His shoes had blood on them when he wa.
arrested and In his pocket was handkerchle,
like the one found on the face or the murdered
watchman. Mrs. Grimm went to the ponce sta @
ton and identified both handkerchiefs Sne
had bought them as a present TOT Mltiet Oh "'S
birthday, February a.
THE CONFESSION COMES OFT.
In the afternoon Miller taken 20 the Gen.
tral Office where he made n confession 10 Super
intendent Byrnes. The confession was written
out as follows:
Nv name Is Charles Miller have been in tbs
country seven years. | had been employed IN IN;
was discharged seven eight months ago on ac-
count OF some trouble | had with August Lcerer:
basement Of the factory and met workman named
Andy ndpe aeG T1n sp nun nm aS0Go on iop o soms
bags OF almonds and went TO sleep About p;
m the watchman woke me up and kicked ana
beat me. -, ~, ..,.,x "a
aruck him several times. He fell at the nrst plow.
| struck him while he was down two or three tunes
more / had a handkerchief around my neck and
feli off or 'he watchman's face. left then and
went straight home | got up at 80 O'Clock this
morning and walked to West and Thirteenth sts:.
where / got on a freight car and rode TO Canal-st
/ got off there and went to saloon at the corner
~ Greenwich and Franklin s.s.. where remained
about an hour when a policeman came and took me
away Some money which took from the desk IN
the Office | took home with me and placed II In .
stocking in my trunk.
Miller later amended the declaration by ac-
knowledging that he was prylng open the time
Laaners desk with a chisel when the watchman
discovered him. He said he found the chlsel