Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1897-11-06

sexton of a wealthy church in VIII
iamsburg?"
George Stelz. assistant sexton OF Ho-
y Trinity church, Montrode and era
lam avenues. Williamsburg. New York
.ity, was murdered Sunday night by
persons who knew the church, who
knew the people in the neighborhood
of the church. and who knew the
murdered man and his habits. In fact.
as the investigation continues. it IS
shown that he was not murdered for
the money in the poor box, but for the
purpose Of concealing the tracks of the
men who were caught robbing these
boxes. That they were desperate in
concealing their tracks is borne out by
the fact that after beating Stelz into
insensibility they fell upon him and
choked him SO that the bones of his
neek were broken and his windpipe
was punctured
That they knew the church Is evident
by their finding their way to the poor
boxes In the vault under the vestibule.
To get to these boxes without passing
through the big iron gates, which are
kept constantly locked. one has to pass
through winding passages that are
known to only few OF the parishion-
ers.
Blood spots on the stairways, in the
vestibule and on the walls of the vesti-
bule show plainly how and where the
murder was committed 1t was Stelz's
custom to sound the Angelus at 7
o'clock in the evening. He went to the
belfry as usual on Sunday evening.
leaving the center doors OF the church
unlocked and carrying the bunch of
keys, which were afterward found lying
by the side of the dead body, in his
hand. The bells were heard tolling for
five minutes or more, then the sexton
descended into the vestibule.
No more of his movements can be
traced, except for the blood spots. II
is supposed that he had descended TO
the vestibule and was preparing TO
lock up the church for the night, when
he heard noise In the cellar and went
to investigate. Then he saw the two
thieves breaking open the lower end OF
the poor box. which ran through from
the church door.
The first spot of blood was found on
the cellar floor. showing that he had
been struck there. Then there were
blood spots leading all the way up the
stairs to the vestibule. Here there
were signs Of struggle. At the height
of mans head blood was smeared on
the walls. There were blood prints OF
mans hand on the floor. as IL the
murdered mans head had struck
there.
On the stairway leading to the second
floor there was a pool OF clotted
4 blood, extending TO the third step, and
on the fourth step there were prints of
two bloody hands. 1t was here that
Stelz fell unconscious. Il was here
that he was choked to death.
Undoubtedly there were two men
concerned in the murder Of the sexton.
The appearance Of the dead mans head
shows that more than two hands dealt
the blows which felied him into insen-
sibility. Both a sharp and blunt in
strument were used in the assault.
There was one wound between the eyes
and one at the back of the head Just at
the base of the skull The wound in
front of the head was made by sharp
instrument, while that in the back was
made by blunt instrument. II it be
that the murder was done by single
person then the weapon was both blunt
and sharp.
Then there were four other wounds
IN the back and top of the head which
were not made with the same instru-