New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-19
NEW.JERSEY NEWS.
BY AN UNKNOWN ASSASSIN
MYSTERIOUS MURDER OF A WOMAN IN
WEST HOBOKEN.
HER BODY FOUND IN BED BY HER soN-THREE
FRIGHTruI GAsHEs IN THE HEAD. BE-

HER BODY FOUND IN BED BY HER soN-THREE
rRIcurrru. GAsHEs IN THE HEAD. BE-
SIDE WHICH LAY BLOODY AXE.
North Hudson towns were shocked yesterday by
the news Of what the police say Is an atrocious
murder which committed In West HoooKeh
presumably a short time before daylight. The VIC
TIM a dcfenccless woman. was slain In her oeo.
Her body was discovered by her son. VINO SAID
that he went to his mothers room to call her'
The weapon used in taking her life was an axe
which was found the bed beside the corpse
Mrs Madeline Hoffman. the murdered woman
lived with her son. Richard twenty-five years o'n'
on the second floor Of a two-storv frame mouse NJ
Syms-st and Central-ave.. West Hoboken. Inc
only other member Of the household Is John Ense'-
brech twenty-four years old boarder' MIS-
Hoffman was forty-nine years old. and was GER
orally understood TO be widow. but her fear'ui
fate revealed the fact that she had husnand.
William Hoffman. living. from whom she separated
ten years ago Hoffman is said to live at NO. q
Main-st Norwalk. Conn.
The woman slept in a bedroom of the Kitchen.
while her son Richard and the boarder occupied
separate rooms in the front part OF the SECOND
floor Mrs Mary Hart. mothcr-in-law OF Charies
J. Chandless chairman Of the Town Council ana
hi. daughter Miss Mary. live over the hrst moor
Mrs Hoffman early riser IL hao ions
been her custom TO prepare breakfast ana theh
call 'thc boys" who employed In SILK minis
and were obliged to go early to their WORK fioi-
man was awakened at $50 o'clock yesterday morn
Ing by the blowing OF whistles ana jumped W
the conclusion that his mother had OVERSIGHT nc
dressed and went the door OF her room ana
called out that II time for her TO get up lie
received no response, he pushed open the door
and found his mother lying dead in the bed Her
hair was matted with blood. and the pillow ana
bedding were saturated. The axe was lying at the
side Of her head which was gashed In three
places
Young Hoffman Immediately aroused Engelbrechtt
who ran out and called Policemen Doerfer ana
Grill. , ,s
Richard Hoffman and Engebrecht under arrest
suspicion. while Coroner Cornelius Grecneal
made a search of the premises and took possession
OF all the dead womans effects. including pocket
book containing s2s So, which lay on char 6y ,ne
side OF the bed The police assert that the hhdlns
of this purse in such a conspicuous place Is con-
elusive evidence that robbery was not the mo,, U
which actuated the crime. The police are mucn
bore no evidences OF being forciby entered I and
ee@s to on show that the assassin work done
swiftly and silently. and that Mrs norman WAS
EngeI6rech said that he Mrs b Hoffman IO on
SUNDAY night when he h9m sS Youns H
man said that he returned at o'clock sed anS
saw a small dog belonging TO the family lying un-
der the stove The animal was not heard TO pa ARK
,,suaI sounds and knew Of no reason why anybody
should desire kill his mother. . -,
william Hoffman the dead woman's husband they
elerraphed 10 the Norwalk Comm authorities 10
arrest him sight providing it was learned tha ne
was absent from that city Saturday night Inc
couple 1t is said. separated on account OF HON.
mans dissipatcd habits.
Mrs Frank Peetz of No. 7l5 West Demott-st,. a
daughter OF the murdered woman. said that ner
husband who is a carpenter. went TO Norwalk about
two months ago to get work. and so far as she
knew had been living with her father. The police
found two towels in the rear yard and the othcr
in the boarder's room Both bore stains. supposed
to have been blood. IT.,
Coroner Greenleaf lmranelled a jury. which
viewed the body and looked the premises where
the mysterious crime was committed An inquest
will be held al Petermanns Hall. Charles and Gin
ton sts next Tuesday evening.