The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-04
WAS TAKEN TOTOLEDO
Mrs. George Kohler Wanted as a
Witness Against Her Husband.
Peculiar Method by Which the Perpe-
traitor of an Old Crime
Was Detected.

Chief of Police Raitz. of Toledo, O., has
been in this city looking for Mrs. George
Kohler and located her yesterday after
noon at No. 10 North Alabama street. Mr..
Raitz wanted Mrs. Kohler to return with
him TO Toledo and testify against her hus-
band. from whom she is divorced, in a muir
der case and she has agreed to return with
the officer.
On Dec. 20. 1884, Mrs. Gotlieb Stahl, a
woman seventy years of age, was muir
dered by strangling i'm her saloon on Mon
roe street in Toledo. The motive was rob-
berry and the murderer secured $1,1W for
his dastardly crime. The crime caused a
sensation in Toledo at the time and a de-
tective named Mcmahon endeavored to
fasten the crime upon two young men
named Mortimer and Fordham and sue
ceeded in working up a strong case against
them. but they established their innocence.
After this a storm of public Indignation
drove McMahon from the city and he never
returned. The police received their infor-
nation leading to the arrest of Kohler from
a man named Harper. After her divorce
from her husband Mrs. Kohler lived with a
man named Keary, who is now serving a
term in the Detroit workhouse for larceny,
and she told him Of her husbands guilt. A
young boy named Finn worked for Keary
and overheard the latter say at one time
if Kohler did not leave his divorced wife
alone he (Keary) would send him to the
gallows. The boy afterwards told Harper
what he had heard. Harper, to secure the
reward offered for the capture of the muir
derer, cultivated the acquaintance of Koh-
Ter and wormed into his confidence. He in
duced Kohler to compa him to Bunker
Hill in this Stofa rrhar Mrs IXab1ar xrnc
at that time located. AS Harper supposed,
Mrs. Kohler became very angry when she
thought her divorced husband was again
following her about and wrote him a letter
in which she threatened to expose his muir
der of Mrs. Stahl if he did not at once
leave the town. Kohler is illiterate and
Harper read the letter to him. Harper and
kohler started to return to Toledo and the
former telegraphed the authorities at that
place TO meet them at the train and arrest
kohler. A detective, was detailed and when
they arrived at Toledo both men were placed
under arrest. Harper was Immediately dis
charged. his arrest merely being for the
purpose of throwing Kohler off his guard
as to the cause of his arrest.
H EVENTS AT BUNKER HILL.
About six weeks ago Frank G. Drake
and Mrs. Kohler, posing as husband and
wife, came to Bunker Hill, a small town
eight miles south of Peru, and rent
ed the Park Hotel. They did a good bus
mess, and the place was always full.
Christmas night they had a dance, during
which time some of the boarders became
boisterous, and they were accordingly ar
rested and fined. A few days after this
q daughter OF Mrs. kOhler, name unknown
and a grass widow, came to Bunker Hill
to live with her mother, and with her
also came a, love-stricken youth by the
name of S.. NJ. Shook. On Saturday morn
ing last George Kohler and j. Harper also
arrived. Mrs. Kohler discovered the hus-
band first. and the first thing that the
nnOnIn of the iii "a know wa a SlOn on
the door Of the hotel that it was closed
The blinds were all drawn and no one al
the lay. Kohler attempted to secure a
warrant for the arrest of his wife'S para
incur and attempted to forcibly enter the
premises This state of affairs brought in
the town marshal, M. A. Lawless, who did
some good work, but failed to grasp the
idea that he could make an arrest and
also secure the reward. LawleSS was the
bearer Of notes between the people. Gull
minating in the following being sent to
Kohler by his recent spouse: You must
go away, George, and not modest me, or /
will tell what L know about the Stahl muir
der. Can you prove where you was on
that night?" Kohler being unable to read.
had his friend Harper translate it for him.
Harper induced Kohler to return to To-
ledo with him, claiming that it was for his
best interests to do SO, and they drove to
Peru Sunday evening. Kohler was taken
to a hotel and Harper opened d CORES
pondence with the chief of police at To-
ledo by telegraph, with the result that he
11d4 Ills INV 40 eN 49, VI
that city on their arrival. 1t is stated, but
not known, that the daughter and Harper
both had a finger in the pie, but hardly be-
lieved, as she is in love with Shook. Late
last evening Drake, Mrs. Kohler, daughter
and son, also Shook, left Bunker Hill for
Indianapolis. Their household goods were
shipped on Tuesday. From the history as
given by the chief of police OF Toledo it
would seem that Drake was a farmer near
that city. He sold his place for s., 700 and
went to live with the Kohlers. This was
about a year ago.. One night Kohler re-
turned and found his wife and children
missing. 1t took him a year to find them
FIRST they went to Muncie, then to Crown
Point, Chicago, Anderson, Logansport, and
finally to Bunker Hill: Harper had a stu
dio at Toledo, and in his employ were
Shook and Kohler's daughter. Shook
bought a revolver at Bunker Hill with the
avowed intention OF killing Kohler, but
this was taken from him by the marshal.
The chief of police at Toledo was in Bun
ker Hill yesterday, and left for Indianapo-
lis to try and secure evidence from the
wife. There is a strong chain of circum-
stantial evidence woven about Kohler, and
it would seem pretty thoroughly shown
that he is the man who killed Mrs. Stahl.