Evening journal., 1897-06-22
A BRUTAL BUTCHERY.
Rioh Farmer Shot While at Work
In His Cornfleld
NEICHBOR SUSPECTED OF THE CRIME
After the Shooting the Farmers House
Was Robbed - The Supposed Muir
derer said to Have Been n Rival
For a Young Lady's Hand.

derer said to Have Been n Rival
For Young Lady's Hand.
Newburg. N. Y. June 22--The coun-
try side Is stirred up by what is evil
IDENTIFY one OF the most cowardly muir
ders that has been committed in this |
neighborhood for years.
William Gardner. a we'll to do farm
er, who lived near Plattekill, Ulster
county, was found dead In his corn
field, with more than so bullets In his
breast and body Joseph Decker, a
mountaineer neighbor of the murdered
man, is supposed by the police authori-
ties TO have committed the crime.
Gardner was employed in his corn
field Saturday afternoon. He was
planting and engaged in his usual
work, and when he did not return
promptly there was no especial sig
nihcance attached to his tardiness, 1t
being thought that he had fingered on
TO take advantage of the light He did
not come home that night, and Sunday
morning searchers went looking for him.
His body was found where IL had fallen
between the burrows.
From the position of the bullets and
| the appearance the body presented
! when found, Il is evident that the muir
/ QtftI tOulu nOl DdNt Dttn llNit AiAtAH
/ 10 PAGES away when he fred the shots
which ended Gardner's life The attack
apparently found Gardner unprepared.
for his farming implements lay beside
him. where they had fallen from his
hands. Coroner Hasbrouck at once set
his men at work on the case. 1t was
soon ascertained that in addition to the
murder a robbery had been committed
at the house of the farmer.
A gun which Gardner carried in his
hunting expeditions in the enearby noun
tains. a brace of revolvers, two silver
watches and a quantity of small jewell
ry have been carried off, evidently by
the person who murdered Gardner.
Gardeners horse had also been taken
from the shed, hltched to a light road
wagon and driven or.
On the Trail.
Sheriff schartz put his men on the
case, and one Of them learned that a
man was seen driving the horse in the
direction of Newburg Saturday night
The police followed to Newburg and ar
rived there too late, however to inter-
cept the man who drove the stolen rig
into town. He was Joseph Decker. a
mountaineer. 25 years old.
When Decker reached here, he went
at once to the house of A. II. Pickens,
in South street, where his sister Amelia
Decker. is employed. He had a confer
ence with his sister and then drove the
team to the livery stable of Brown q
Jones' He told the proprietors he was
going to leave the place and wanted 20
dispose of a horse and wagon which he
had been using In the mountains. A
deal was finally made and Decker re-
ceived s25 for the team, $40 In cash and
a check for SIS on the Columbus Trust
company.
After disposing Of the stolen property
( Decker fingered around the town wait
ing for the trust company to open It's
doors so that he might cash the check
] It was while he was walking through
North Water street that he met his
father and mother. News OF the muir
4 der of Gardner had just reached the
4 town. and Deckers father warned him
5 that he was suspected Of the crime.
! Suspected Man Disguises HIMSELF
Decker Immediately made his prep
as-atlons for departure. He shaved on
his beard, but allowed his mustache e
t remain intact. Before taking the Wes
, Shore train for Kingston, he stopped or
= the way and disposed of the jewelry
i which had been stolen from Gardner
a house. p. e. Van Inwegen and brick
. yard man from ROsetOn purchased th'
e property, after which no more was seer
}, Of Decker. 1t is thought that he hai
8 gone to the mountains, where the Off
3 cials say they will have no difficulty IN
n locating him, Kingston was his frs
objective point.
Amelia Decker told Policeman Mile
yesterday morning that after break
3. fasting with her Joe said he was goinl
g to Kingston. Decker and his siste
q Amelia were out walking. Amelia car
: ! ried a large bouquet Joe had bought 70
d her at a florists. Decker has anothe
n sister. Miss Jennie Decker, who lives II
- this city.
d The body of the murdered man ha
l. been taken to Clintondale by an under
taker from that place.
Gardner was a widower and had M
children. He was counting a certaii
:. young woman In the vicinity Of hi
n home and II is said that Decker wa
- also in love with her
Joseph Decker has been captured b.
officers in the town Of Esopus, Ulste
u county and lodged in the county ja
- ot TCtnpctou