The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-20
HE WAS ALSO ROBBED
HIRTH's MURDERER AND PAL
SECURED goo IN THE HOUSE.
No Clew to the Criminals superin-
Mayor to Offer n Reward.

entered the home OF Leo Hirth, on West
Washington street. yesterday morning after
l o'clock, and who, after securing something
over 500 in money, shot and instantly killed
Mr.. Hirth. after which they escaped. leaving
behind no apparent clew that might lead to
their apprehension.
Before Captain Quigley left the house yes
terday morning Mrs. Hirth, the woman who
had been so cruelty and suddenly made a
widow, remembered that her husband had
placed a wallet containing about s245 in the
closet in their sleeping apartment. A search
revealed that the wallet was gone. Mrs.
Hirth now remembers that when she was
suddenly awakened she caught sight of the
men moving through the doorway. as IL they
were about to depart. 1t seems probable
that one of the burglars stood guard with a
drawn revolver While the other was search
ing for the money. Presenting this to be
true, it is not unlikely that Mrs. Hirth moved
uneasily in her sleep before starting up in
bed. The room is small-probably twelve by
fifteen feet-and it would take the men but
an instant to glide across TO the open door
way leading from the bedroom into the Sit
ting room. Almost instantly after she awak-
ened Mrs. Hirth gave her husband a slight
punch to awaken him. In a few seconds he
HdS partially dWdheueu anu StdIltu 10 rise,
when the burglars opened fire. BY the time
Mr.. and Mrs. Hirth reached the door the
men were well across the sitting room, an
other small apartment, and were turning into
the dining room, walking backwards and
guarding their retreat with leveled revolvers.
Without pausing TO grab his revolver, which
lay close at han on a small table, Hirth
started toward the door. His wife was ahead
IF him, hpf+ 1a thrrcf hor AaDI~ snF, ~ 1o1-
ing room and started after the men, who
were by this time in the kitchen. While her
husband went toward the men Mrs. Hirth
opened the door opening out on the entrance
way leading to Washington street, and
screamed for help. shouting Murder! Muir
der! Help! Help! Police!' Just then her
husband had reached the door leading into
the kitchen from the dining room, and was
confronted by the burglars, who were not
more than six or seven feet from him, stand
ing in the outside kitchen door. One of
them fired the fatal shot and Mrs. Hirth
heard her husbands body strike the floor.
A BULLET STRUCK THE PIANO.
Almost beside herself with terror, the Door
woman started to the back part of the house.
When she got opposite the piano. sitting in
front OF the east window in the sitting
~0O AZ vas III dltSC d IL IGNOlNGrS OF
the masked burglars, who still stood in the
Kitchen door. One Of the men was just turn
ing away and the other paused long enough
TO point his revolver at her and shout, with a
frishtful oath, Now I will shoot you -
YOU" He pulled the trigger. Actuated by
some instinct of self-preservation, Mrs Hirth
rushed across the room out of range of the
weapon. and the bullet intended for her
RHO IN Tfnnn Nh II -
the center of the room, where II was after
wards found. Mrs. Hirth ran to the door
leading to the street, and took a flying lean.
landing some ten or twelve feet from the
steps, which rise from the ground about four
feet. Into the street she ran, wringing her
hands and crying loudly for help. Annie
thurman. the servant girl, and Mr. and Mrs.
dirtns Tour children were sleeping in a room
on the second story. They were awakened
by the mothers frantic cries. Annie Huff
man threw up a window and also shouted
living back of the Hirth home. was awak-
ened by the frantic screams of the fright
ened women and children, and ran TO their
assistance IN her bare feet, stopping only
long enough to slip on a wrapper. She
found Mrs. Hirth bent over the PROSTATE
body of the dead husband, while Annie. the
servant girl, stood heiplessly by. The neigh
Dor slipped on a pair OF Mrs. Hirth's slip
pers and then she and the servant girl, the
latter barefooted, started to the street car
stables, a half mile away, to telephone for
tiC BOiCt. utu lQty returned, Two men,.
who had been awakened, were doing what
they could to sustain Mrs. Hirth. In the
meantime the eldest lad, John, ran to the
house Of a physician, Dr.. McGurdy.. who
lives a few doors west of the Hirth home.
But the doctor could render no assistance,
as Mr.. Hirth died instantly, the bullet hav-
ing passed entirely through his body, cut
ting its way through both ventricles of the
heart.
An day long yesterday the Hirti home was
besieged by sympathizing friends and neigh
bors, some OF the latter being drawn TO the
scene Of the tragedy by sheer curiosity.
Again and again Mrs. Hirth vas called upon
TO relate the details of the tragedy. 1t was
a trying day for her, and although she bore
up under the strain with remarkable calm
ness, 1t seemed impossible for her TO avoid
a collapse. Her brother, William Reidy, and
a sister, Mrs. Shea, could not be reached
through the night, but early yesterday MORN
Ing little John, the eldest son of the murdered
man, with a neighbour, went to their home
and informed them Of the tragic occurrence
Hirth's house. Patrick Reidy, another of
Mrs. Hirth's brothers, was notified. The
murdered man has one brother living in this
country. Ohm Hirth, OF Columbus, Ind, to
pected TO arrive last night. Mr.. Hirth also
has an uncle living in Greene county. His
father has been dead for a number OF years,
while his mother resides in Germany.
Leo Hirth was born In Germany, Malsch,
Baden. He was prominently identified with
the German organizations OF this city, hav-
AAAo ~ q vi TIC ALL ~ VII dIu
the Independent Turnverein. II. was his in
tention to have attended the celebration OF
the t~wenty-fifth anniversary OF the Lieder-
kranz at Mozart Hall last night.
Coroner Castor arrived at the Hirth home
yesterday morning at 3 o'clock, and direct
ed DIR. Bigger to hold an autopsy. The au-
ropsy revealed that the bullet which caused
Mr.. Hirth's death penetrated the body on
the left side just over the heart. After
passing through both ventricles OF the or
gan IL came cut near the eleventh rib,
which was badly shattered. The bullet
pierced his undershirt and found
Judgment between tha garment and the
outside shirt. Ii was afterwards picked up
By one OF the officers. Yesterday the under
takers took charge of the body. The bed
was removed from Mr.. and Mrs. Hlrth's
room and the remains taken in there. Can
dies placed at the head OF the dead man
faintly lighted up the darkened room, as
friends were occasionally admitted to be
shown the shelf on which the wallet lay
before 1t was stolen by the housebreakers
A BAG OF SILVER UNDISTURBED.
Detectives yesterday thoroughly examined
the premises in search of some clew that
would lead to the discovery of the identity
OF the burglars, but found nothing that will
be of any material value in their efforts.
theory that the men entered Mr..
Hirth's house simply upon murder bent
is exploded by the discovery that the mon
ey was taken In the wallet were a num-
Der of receipts and papers of no value to
any one other than the owner. A canvas
bag containing So in silver was not