The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-10-31
THE NORRISTOWN TRAGEDY.
Gathering Evidence Against the Husband
Of the Victim.
PROBABLE INSURANCE SWlNDLE
Detective Geyer, of Philadelphia, Who
Worked the Case Against Holmes, De-
clares There is a Strong Case
Against the Accused Man

NoRRIsTowN, Pa, Oct 3l.-The eternal
feminine is not lacking in tho Kaiser case.
Mysterious mention is heard Of strange
woman, with the inevitable black eyes,
who was at Kaiser's store last Monday,
when she was heard to express an inten-
ton Of leaving town. Again, on Wednes-
day night, she appeared, and was observed
in the town while the thrilling tale of the
highwaymen was on every lip. This time
she was accompanied by a man wearing
fashionable Clothes even to kid gloves,
and in need of a BARRIERS services
Interest in this story pregnant as 1t is
with suggestions of mystcry, waxed
stronger yesterday when the dark man
with the hirsuth face came into sight once
more. At the time Kaiser was closeted in
the burgess Office with Detective Geyer,
Of Philadelphia. During a pause in the
searching inquisition the accused husband
glanced ont the window. As he did so
the dark man passed, perhaps casually
Instantly tremOr seized the prisoner, and
he entreatod tho dctectivo to screen him
from the eyes of the man outside "Hc is
my worst enemy" he declared.
The detective replied that the man re-
ferred to had engaged a lawyer for Kaiser,
indicating a friendly feeling for him, but
ANttlHtI ItlbtIdJtu1 WlIn letllh4t JnNU no
did not want to sec him.
These incidents strengthen the belief of
the authorities that an insurance swindle.
with Mrs. Kaiser's life as the forfeit, had
been contemplated, and that tho strange
man and woman were consprators with
Kaiser, 1t has been learned that five
policies had been issued to Kaiser and his
wife. Two of these were for s., 600 each,
one on each life the sum total of either to
go to the survivor in case of the deathTof
one. Then there was a joint policy of
$1,000, with a like agreement and two
other separate policies for $500 each. All
these, it is said, were taken out last sum-
mer, and SS4 is the aggregate amount of
premiums thus far paid in. On two of
them S54 would have become due next
month. As it is known that Kaiser is not
in good financial condition, the detec-
tives believe thai he meant to close out
the transaction by putting his wife out of
the way.
Another strange fact has como to light
Two months ago the couple mude joint
will, under an arrangement similar to
that in the policies, but there was a clause
inserted at Kaiser's suggestion, it is said,
to the effect that their bodies should be
cremated. The police intimate that Kaiser
had intended to profit by this arrange
ment by the use of poison, but that his
pecuniary embarrassment coming upon
HING she used the medium Of lead and CON
cocted the highwaymen story
Yesterdays Incidents, apart from the
episode of the dark man, were partial
hearing of the case by the coroner and an
autopsy on the woman's body As re-
suit of the hearing Kaiser was committed
to prison without bail, pending a further
investigation. The chief Of police was the
only Witness and his testimony was con-
fined largely to the finding of the watch,
pocketbook and pistol on Thursday.
The autopsy was to determine in partic-
ular vital point-whether the shot which
sent the bullet crashing through the young
woman's brain was fired on level with
head or from a point below her. This is
to determine the strength of the theory
sbat Kaiser fired it while sitting beside
hs wife in the carriage, or whether it was
fired by one of the vapory footpads, stand
ing on the ground. So Gar IS could be
learned, the evidence adduced leaned to
the former supposition.
Detective Geyer, he of Holmes fame, is
using some of the methods which brought
such success in that celebrated case. From
the notorious multi-murderer Geyer ac-
cumulated weird collection of state
ments, including variety of confessions,
and in each of these he found little truth
which pieced out damaging narrative to
to the arch confessor. Yesterday the de-
tective secured signed statement from
Kaiser but he will not indicate the ma
ture of its contents, although he said there
is a strong case against the accused man,
according to his belief