The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-10
HIS WIVES DIE INSURED.
SEVEN DEATHS FOR This PRIsoNER
or THE POLICE TO EXPLAIN.

"@A"e'
Charles Zanoli. 81 years old. of o4s East l25th
street, was arrested Yesterday afternoon By
Central Oaice Detectives Aloncle and Carey on
tho charge of grand larceny and forgery. The
complainant in tho case is the Metropolitan
Ilfe Insurance Company. The prisoner was ar
raigncd before Magistrate Meade In the Centre
Street Police Court and rcmanded to Police
Hondquartors.
The charge 10 a technical ono and was made
simply for tho purpose of holding the prisoner
until the detectives have time to Investigate
moro serious crime. There will be no dificulty
in holding tie man upon the charge which now
stanes against him, for he admitted his guilt to
Cart. McClusky last night.
But the crime Of which zanoli is suspected Ia
murder, not one murder. but three at least. Two
OF tho supposed victims were Zanoli's wives.
Since 1883 the man has been married nyo
times. Four Of his wives are dead, and each Of
these was insured. After the death Of each
Zanoli collected the insurance. Besides this.
zanoli buried a man under his own name ana
then collected the insurance on a policy he had
taken out on his own life. He also buried a
mother-in law and u daughter. both insured.
and collected.
On the morning of Nov. 25 last two BARRIERS.
6. Fl. Ycomans OF 3Os West Thirty sixth street
and Theodore Schyab of 134lo East Twenty.
seventh street, called ut THE Sun office and
said that a friend OF theirs. n barber named VII.
liam Schmidt, had died under suspicious circum-
stances on July Ia. 1896. at the sbou OF Charles
Brauno. BY whom he was employed. at 4e5l,
Tenth avenue. Tho men said that they had
neither tho time nor money to investigate the
case and asked THE SUN to helm them. In tho
next few DAYS tho following facts were learned.
Schmidt seoured em~plovment from Rrauno
early in April. 1896. At frst schmidt was to
work only on SATURDAYS and supdays. Later he
vorIed every dav scbm,d, me, scbwah md
yeomans several times IN the earIv summer
and then thew lost track Of him altogether. Late
in October ono OF scbwab's friends asked him n
he tncv that willie Schmidt wac dooa Sohv,h
was greatly surprised. and asked for further In.
formation. He was told that Schmidt had died
several months beforo and had been buried
where. the friend did not know.
Schwab. with Yeomnns and another friend.
went around to Braune's shop and asked II IL
yere true that Schmidt was dead. Braune said
that Il vas true, and that Schmidt had died IN
July. Of sunstroke. Pressed for more ~narticn.
larn. Braune told the following storv.
The vook of July IL. 1896. WAS very hot. On
July Ia. in the morning. Schmidt was overcome
- L..SLt,. ..N- -. - ~
~sieepine apartments were back of the shop, and
Braune had him carried there. Then he sum.
monod DR.. Thomas j. F. Murphy of 4s7 West
what sohmid. had complained. and DR.. Murphy
pronounced the case sunstroke and ordered the
pa.ion. packed in ice. This was done. Schmidt
On July IS Braune had sshtoidt buried in Cedar
was james a d. =. Mason Mason 49, s Eighth a.. avenue nue.
o few cents in his pocket and feeling sorry for
him. he had paid schmidt's doctors bills and
Braune's. own lot.
sohwab bs.housht himself to ask: WAS
ecnm'at iie insured! hrauneiausned ~ the
TIE srx ,s,rn.s ne.. that III. man I'm.
Zanoli. A. Least that vaa the nam. Rranns
gave the undertaken. The undertaken also said
that the body was in such a condition as to lead
him to suppose that shortly before death zanoli
was ~r.at tT4 distoO Ot.%' 'f't in' A''0"eh
schmidt was hurled on Julv u. On ,Ju,v -
Brsune called at the claim department of the
presented a policy taken out on the life of
far sss, 5snO RrsN MITE rs Marie; The = p ,ht was
ance company, that. he was the Srother.iniaw Of
<65ia Tenth avenue. which was a barber shop
o ofsp zs ~ hrTS s.Le ara that cb III wa eb ths su aaanM
After the conpanv had reeaiyed what !. c"nsid..
Grad nroner nroofS ~ desth ana ~ fbe identia.
cation of Braune AZ the nernon he renresentad
himself 10 he. they gave Ia hin the comnSnv'a
check for the face ace OF the policy. inc 'o"pAnS'
Braune was living then At 5O9 West Thirty
sixth street. He Was a Widower Of a few
months ON Jan. 1 of this year he sold his sbon
and moved To 21a East i3Sth atrSet Ne TIA
the man 10 whom he Sold that he wantsd 10
move ont Of the neiohborhood because the men.
pie there had made remarks to the effect that
he had killed his wife. He also said that he ex.
nectsd tn 90 IN Gsrmanv shortlv as he haS col-
fected sone life insurance money and he nre.
ferred to live in the old country on a small in.
to he statemsnt Of the man To whom he so%iaa
out. Brsune also said:
the bow that knows how To collect IT, ~AN
The sun reporter found Brsune running a
barber shon ~ tbs aanthaast corner ~ Waresn
street. and West RrosS Way RrSnns aid 70 ne
reporter in answer to questions:
"Wiiiiam Schmidt. Ia dasd He dad asvaral
months ago. he had only 81 cent? in his pocJtet