The evening world., 1894-04-18
LAST EDITION..
HIS SKULL CRUSHED.
Watohman Loefler Murdered in Q
Franklin Street Factory.
Body Found with a Bag Drawn Over
Head and Shoulders.
Police Have Made an Arrest, but
Refuse to Give the Mans Name.

~ " IN was COHlIUIke
ted some time last night In Henry
Heide's big candy mandatory, at IN
Franklin street.
The victim is August Loefler. the old
night Waterman. who has been en-
ployed there for the last five years.
The body of the old man was found
early this morning lying in a room In
the basement near the Franklin street
end of the building.
He was stretched out on his back Just
at the entrance OF the store-room. A
pool OF blood surrounded his head and
his face was terribly mutilated.
His body was cold. and he had evt-
IDENTIFY been dead for some time.
Loefler was sixty-three years old and
a widower. He lived at 251 Water street
and has several grown up children. The
police have made ar arrest in the case.
but they refuse to give the name Of the
prisoner.
The appalling discovery was made
by Frederick Rebmann. the engineer Of
the establishment. who came to his work
about 6 o'clock this morning. The fire.
man, whose name Is Gottlieb Goethe. u
said to have arrived shortly before
Rcbinann.
The latter. after attending to his du-
ties in the enGine-room, which. IL located
in the basement, at the Harrison street
end Of the building. went back towards
the franklin street side to get m
found .Loeiier's body. Without stopping
ened back and went out into the street.
where he found Roundsman Leonard. or
the Leonard street station, who made
s ao c snrts'i Boherty and at s rsSpo At II. the case
the s"s ca ssi'o ins pses yeS NcA sse,sena n a0f I.
bSeteetive Hf Baresn. with the several Ssast OF 81 i his
men, went down to the Leonard street
station to assist in the investigation.
Goetse were detained at the sa Station AT ~
morning. and were with the police ON
Gals in Capt. Doherty's private room
until noon, undergoing a most search
guard the factory, and they had in
body OF Loefler remained ali this time
iying in the basement, just as 1t had
been found.
saw Mr. Heide, who is the head OF the
candy manufacturing establishment. He
had been instructed by the police not to
'a He e deeln %eH'a h say very that hate he was
absolutely certain that neither the en-
gineer nor the fireman had anything to
| 10 with LttlIltT y ut8 IN, ana tnat Incy
THE police are only OBTAINING them
as witnesses. have not seen the body
il. 1t, is too horrible. Yes. he must
nave been murdered"
Inspector Mclaughlin, just before
noon. after completing his Investigation
OF Engineer Rebmann and Fireman
Gottlieb Goethe, said:
There is no evidence at all against
either, the engineer or fireman. They
have been released from detention.
"One arrest has been made. I decline
TO- state the name OF the prisoner. The
circumstances are most suspicious md
point undoubtedly to murder.
The facts are these: Loefier's body
was found at 6 o'clock this morning by
basement about fifteen feet from the
windows, on the franklin street side.
with both arms extended.
"A burlap bag was drawn over bis
head as far as his shoulders.
"A white handkerchief was tied over
his eyes. There were two knife cuts
not very deep on the chin. one on the
left upper lip and one on the forehead.
There was a fracture of the temple
There was nothing to indicate from
the surroundings that there had been
any struggle or fight. Loefler carried
The murdered man was a native Of
SaNony and had lived in this country
thlrty-fve years. He served in the I'M
u army uuIlHk Tic NlNll d
He lived at PSI Water street, with his
son-in-law. Fred Gebhardt. a saloon
keeper at that place, who is married to
other children are Edward, twenty
years old Annie, sixteen years Did, and
Martha, fourteen years old. who all live
The police sent word to the family
early this morning of their fathers
death, and they were horror-stricken at
| mpllatHlN TO the station IN LEONARD
street.
He said that his father-in-law had no
killed him.
The investigation OF the premises made
by the police and the Coroner this morn
ing points conclusively to robbery as the
motive for the crime.
Coroner Dobbs visited the scene of the
murder at 3 o'clock this morning and
permit for the removal of the body, to
street. This Vas done shortly after
An examination of the body showed
that beside the knife bate cut iri a9ou, fhe head
blow in the left side Of the head with
some instrument, probably an axe or a
Ratchet, which had crushed in the en-
lie was probably attacked from behind.
This blow would have produced instant
Their motive, no doubt. was robbery.
for the drawer and the time-keeper's
desk was opened. its contents thrown
about and the watchman's keys were
gone.
There were several hammerds and
| hatchets lying around In the. packing
room. where Loeftier's body was discov-
cred, but none of them bore the marks
OF blood. It. is said that the drawer
which was found open. had contained
| $26, aond that this was gone.
| The prisoner under arrest 10 guarded
most mysteriously by Inspector No