Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-09-16
A MURDER IN ORLEANS.
Ludwig Herman, an Old Soldier Meets
with Myiterious Death at His Home
ON Sunday Morning.

ious as the one which occurred las
Sunday morning at very early hour
Ludwig Herman, an inoffensive Ger
man, aged SO years, was the victim of q
most brutal murder. He was an ole
soldier, member OF Wm. II. Borden
Post OF lonia and had left his little
farm about seven miles southeast o
this city near the Pitt farm, Saturday
morning, and went To Ionia where he
drew his pension, amounting to $24
Being man of jovial disposition and
addicted to the unfortunate habit oi
drinking intoxicants, he remained in
the city all day and visited several
saloons. Late in the afternoon he pur-
chased some groceries, paid some small
bills he was owing to different mer-
chants and was seen around the city as
late as 1915 o'clock, at which hour he
endeavored To get lodging at the
American and Union hotels and was
last seen by Mr.. Callow, proprietor of
the latter, as he was crossing the street
after banging on his door. He was re-
fused admittance because of his condi-
tion. 1t is supposed he then started
for home on foot, probably reaching
there between one aud two o'clock
Sunday morning.
Herman lived alone in a small house
back from the road and besides farm
ing it In a small way, made chairs and
baskets which he sold through the
country. Isaac Waite was the nearest
neighbor and was also a good friend of
his. Not noticing Herman around the
place as usual Sunday morning, he
called there about seven o'clock and
found the back door open, and on en-
tering, he was Mortified to find Herman
lying on the floor in pool of blood
and dead. Herman was in his under
clothes, having apparently hung up
his outer garments preparatory TO get
ting into bed, when the murderer dealt
the blow. His skull was crushed in
the back part just above the neck, and
just back OF the right ear was gun
shot wouAd, the hole being the size of
the muzzle OF the gun. 1t was thought
that Herman was hit on the skull first
from behind with an iron Is inches
long which was found on the floor.
This iron Herman used in making
cane chairs, and it was brought from
his workshop in an adjoining room.
Herman kept his gun standing at the
head of his bed. This the murderer
had evidently grabbed up and fired one
cartridge at SO close range that the
flesh was burned. The shot went clear
through Herman's head and lodged
under the skin over his eyes.
Mr.. Waite SAYS that there was no
particular disorder in the room where
the dead man lay The body lay along
side the bed, one arm doubled under,
the gun on the floor. An open bible
was on the bed. In the adjoining room,
from which the back door was left
OpSui butIt Wdp jar VI IuOuiiOCi
pickles knocked over, chair over
turned, and some other evidences as
though some one might hastily have
entered or left ly the open door.
Mr.. Waite at once notified the neigh
bors and that forenoon justice of the
peace, Bert Clark, held an inquest
with John Morton, Thos. Murray,
Henry Kelly, Guy Beach, John Van
Gieson and II. Clark as jurors. The
inquest was adjourned until Wednes-
day. Neither tie sheriff nor prosecut-
ing attorney were notified until after
the inquest, consequently no officer
was present or saw the lay Of things as
the murderer left them. After the
jury had adjourned the general shift
of things was male, SO that the officers
have TO work on the stories as told
them by neightors and the jurors.
Eleven cents and the dead man S watch
was found on his person.
The funeral WIS held Tuesday and
the remains buried in the G.. A. r. lot
at Ionia. The oily relative present
was a son, Lewis Herman, of South
Blendon, Mich, vho says the family