The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-30
MURDER AT CHURCH DOOR.
ASSISTANT SEXTON GEORGE STELz
KILLED ny A THIEE

Evidences OF n Life nnd Death struggle in tho
Ve-tibuIs OF tho Holy Trinity Roman Catho-
lie Church In williamsburg The CrImo
Evidently Committed with Some Blunt
Instrumcnt The Murderer mt Largo.
George Stelz, tho aged assistant sexton OF tho
Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, ut Mon
trose and Graham avenues. Williamsburg, was
beaten to death last evening by a robbcr who at
tackled him in tho vestibule of the church. prob
ably as Stulz was closing tho doors for the night.
1t was part Of Stelz's duty to close the church
at z o'clock in the evening. Some persons saw
him about the cdihce at $3.50 o'clock.
After that nothing was seen of him until lo:i5
o'clock, when his son Nicholas and the sexton
OF tho church, Andrew ltusst. went to tho
church. They fonnd Stulz's body lying In tho
vestibulo, which was disordered as though it
had been tho scene of a terrible struggle be-.
tween two or more men.
Stelz was dead, and at q glance the discover
ors OF his body saw that ho had been beaten to
death. 1t was plain from the wounds
on his head that the murderer had
used a heavy, blunt instrument. a bar
OF iron, or n billet OF wood, or possibly u large
stone. to kill his victim. The condition of the
vestibulo seemed to show that Stelz had prob
ably been leaning over to fasten the lower
SobSh IL tho uooi "hth ho "ho " hltaNhCl.
The vestibule would have been gloomy at that
time, and 1t would have been easy for a robber
to conceal himself in ono of tho corners and
rush out upon his victim when his back was
turned. 1t is thought that the thief had no idea
that Stelz would resist him strongly.
Stelz was 90 years old, but from the condition
in which the vestibule was when the body was
discovered. 1t was plain that when he was at
tackled he defended himself until he was DO atcn
down and finished.
All about the vestibulo wero spots of blood,
scratches in the walls, and marks of violence,
showing that In his death struggle the old man
had fought desperately. His head was crushed in.
That robbery was the motive of the crime was
shown by the fact that Stclz's gold watch, a
timepiece worth about $50, and the most valua-
bio thing that he had on his person, was
taken from his pocket by the thief. 1t was
probably distracted after he had been beaten
down and lay dying on the floor of the vesti.
bulc. His pockets had been turned Inside out.
AS soon as the discoverers OF the body recov
cred from the shock they summoned Policeman
Buckley OF the Stagg street station, who called
an ambulance.
ton Of the body, said that the man had been
dead probably between two and three hours.
Stulz lived at "a Montrose avenue.
The police said last evening, after carefully ex.
aiming the scene OF the crime. and questioning
all tho persons who had been in the
vicinity during the evening TO whom
they had access. that they thought tho crime
was committed by u man OF whom they had this
description:
Height 5 feet 10 inches. build slight. and thin
face. smooth.shaved; dressed in 4 light-colored
coat and dark trousers, and wearing 4 straw
hat.
The surgeon and police unite in saying that
tho murderer must hav, been stained by the
blood of his rictim, and that his clothes, as wcu
as his hands. must have borne blood spots. The
usual police measures for the capture Of the
criminal were ut once resorted TO.
Stclz had come from the tower after ringing
tho Angelus.
The lights were loft burning in the church.
The keys were found In the keyhole OF The door,
which was locked.