New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-19
MAY BE A DOUBLE MURDER.
BROOKLYN POLICE LOOKING FOR A
MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

THE DEATH OF TWO YOUNG MEN FROM HoBoKEN
IN BROOKLYN HOTEL NOW THOUGHT TO BE
THE RESULT OF A DELIBERATE DESIGN
ROBBERY THE ALLEGED MOTIVE.
Tne circumstances attending the death Of
Henry knappe and John Sems. who were found
asphyxiated by gas in room No. / at Miller's
Hotel. Nos Is and II Broadway, Brooklyn, on
sunday. which was at first believed to have
suited from carelessness the part Of one of
the men, now point strongly to murder. AS
result OF an investigation made by the police Of
the Firth Precinct, assisted by detective from
Hoboken. general alarm has been sent out for
the arrest OF an unknown man Of whom the
police nave an accurate description. and who is
believed to have caused the death OF the two men
by turning on the gas In the room while they
were sleeping. The only motive assigned for the
double crime robbery The dead men were
known to have had $500 in their possession when
they left their homes in Hoboken on Saturday.
and when the clothing was searched after death
only * 80 was found. II was not until yester-
day that the police learned the facts regarding
The death Of the men, the proprietor OF the hotel
and his night clerk Henry j. Tanning, having
kept them from the police.
The dead men were nineteen and eighte en years
oIu respectively. SelmS lNed at NO I NllIoW-St,
and Knappe. until Friday at No ~ Hudson-st.
Hoboken. whore he was employed as a clerk by
Cord +. Langen. sems d messenger in the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
service. TIE register Of the hotel gave the
names ~ Kelly and Ryan.
The man whom the police are now looking for
was registered as c. b. Lutz. He was apparent
ly twenty-five years OLE.
The names werp entered on the hotel register
by the night clerk after the men had retired,
their right names It IL alleged. not having been
asked for by the clerk. 1t on this account
that difficulty was experienced In identify
ing the bodies.
For three days before Knappe left his place the
strange man was seen lettering about the grocery
store and held frequent conversations with him.
Nothing thought Of this. however, by
Knappc's employer. When he left his place on
Friday he received so. his months wages, and
told his friends that he was going West and
that he had drawn $50. his savings, from the
bank
The strange man at the store when
Knappc left his employer. and they went away
together. Where they spent the night Is still
mystery. on the same day Seims was sent. by
Benjamin GARDINER who is an agent for John
H. Starin. and by whom he was also employed. to
y
his employer that ne did not get the money.
Being n trusted emp,oye nothing was Thought OF
his until Saturday, when he failed u appear
and inquiries were made 10y Mr.. GARDINER. which
resulted IN discovering that ne had received the
money.
Detective McKenna. who is in the employ Of
the Delaware l.ackawanna and Western Rail
road was put the case. and learned that
S.iins had spent Friday night at hts home. lie
had RETAINED from leaving the house on ac-
remain at her bedside all night. When he left
the house Saturday morning he told his
n.r.ncr that he was gorg 70 wort. lie kissed
her affcciionAtely.
Come home soon as your work IL done" were
the last words Mrs Seims said 10 her son. This
he promised TO do. Instead Of going 70 his work
as hia mother supposed. he evidently went In
search of Knappe and the strange men. The
trio reached the Brooklyn hotel about O'Clock
Sunday morning The only baggage they had
was the satchei which knappe carried. ana which
contained hts photograph and TINT of young
woman. The laiter's picture was In letter the
writer declaring her love for him and asking MN
II he had yet been confirmed and was SIN
Clerk Tanning assigned Knappe and seims to
room 40 |. and the strange man TO room NO y
Both rooms are the third floor. room No.
being IN the front - the house and room NJ.
In the back. When they went To their rooms the
housckeeper Mrs. Farrell. who was on the noor.
says she heard the strange man bid them good
night That was the last OF the men alive.
A few minutes before II o'clock sunday morning
Mrs Farrell. while preparing the rooms. noticed
that the door or room No. ', ot'upiti ny tHf
strange man. was open. and he was adjusting
his nccktie She paid no further attention to
this and went on about her work When sne
passed the room again the man had gone ne
had left the hotel and reaching the ONCE told
the clerk 10 let his two friends sleep until noon
they tired.
Let them have a good. long sleep. were ms
last words before he left the hotel. The clerk
informed the housekeeper Of this fact. and the
unfortunate men were not disturbed. Al .
o'clock Sunday afternoon Mrs. Farrell smeed
gas and traced 1t to room No. l. The proprietor
was sent for. and when he tried the door II was
found unlocked When Mier opened the door
he was staggered by the rush ~ gas. on the
bed was Seims while Knappe was on the moor
near the door showing that he had tried ID
reach the door. but fell unconscious ana died'
The key of the doo- was lying on the bureau
II s believed that the stranger entered the room
while the men sleeping and after ROD
bIng them removed the Zip from the gas burner
and turned on the stopcock. leaving his victims
10 their fate.
The tn OF the burner could not be found ana
was evidently carried away. The tip was on the
burner when the men took possession OF the
COLONEL j. r. MLRTYy SERIOUSLY III.