The herald., 1898-09-14
DISGRACES ALL HIS COMRADES
IN ARMS
PRIVATE WALTER RossER
Arrested at Sam Francisco for the Un-
provoked Murder Of Huckster's
Clerk
Associated Press Special Wire.


soldier killed him outright.
Soon after 6 o'clock tonight Walter Res
ser. private Of the Tennessee regiment,
entered the Spreckels market which COM
prises number Of stalls. Rosser ap-
preached the stall of A. w. Fink & Co.,
dealers In butter and, eggs. and leaning
against the slight partition, looked in at
Henry Hildebrandt one Of the statesmen.
The latter, fearing that Rosser. who was
noticeably under the influence OF liquor,
would break basket OF eggs piled near his
elbow, cautioned him.
"Say, are you going to wait on me?" de-
manded the soldier. slightly annoyed at
the warning.
Hildebrandt turned to receive the order
of the prospective customer, and as he
faced Rosser, tho soldier whipped out 81.
caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and shot
Hildebrandt In the breast. The wounded
man dropped to the floor and expired I'M
mediately.
Not at all ahashed with the result Of his
act, Rosser shot again at the PROSTATE
man, whose heart had just ceased to beat.
The second shot almost hit butcher boy
In the adjoining stall. who was badly
frightened, but unhurt.
Rosser was at once taken to the city
prison. where after being charged with
murder. he was locked up.
Hildebrandt, the murdered man, was 28
years old, married. and the ia ther Of one
child.
The members of the Tennessee regiment,
who had received their pay today and who
were scattered about town. we're greatly
agitated when they heard Of their comrades
ac.. Colonel Smith was completely upset.
The soldiers are greatly excited and fur
ther trouble Is feared.
A provost guard Is now searching the
city for Tennessee soldiers, ordering all 20
report to their colonel within forty min
utes. although they have been given leave
of absence until z o'clock tomorrow morn
Ing.
Friends Of Rosser, the murderer, state
that he is we'll connected in the east. He
was born at Mobile Ala, about twenty
three years ago. He enlisted at Nashville
Tenn, and his father is said to be the su-
perintendent OF a railroad running out Of
that city. His record in camp. however,
It is declared has not been good. and he
has several times been under arrest for
minor offenses.
A few moments before killing Hide
brandt, who was an entire stranger to him.
Hc OUStTNeu u .COlOEcu LudH III tdlc IIisi net
where the crime was committed. Draw
Ing his revolver. he presented 1t to the ne
gro. who. with great presence of mind, or
through excess OF fear, remained motion
less. Thereupon the soldier lowered his
pistol and moved on among the stalls un-
til the fatal encounter with Hildebrandt
occurred. A late account of the trouble
says that dt originated over a mild protest
made by the victim at the refusal of Rosser
to pay for mutton pie which he had picked
up from the counter and was eating.
A crowd OF Tennessee soldiers, members
Of Rosser's regiment assembled tonight
around the prison where the murderer Is
confined, and wild threats of an attempt
at rescue were INDUCED In. A large force
of police were hurried to the scene and the
prisoner is being we'll guarded. The police
from the outside districts have been or
dered to come in to the center Of the city,
and the authorities do not doubt their
ability to maintain order.
When Walter Rosser, the murderer Of
Henry Hildebra ndt. was booked at the city
prison he began to sober up. He handed in
a lady's gold watch and $e5 in coin, and
asked that the yaluables be cared for. Then
he wept and said he realized his deep dis
thing about the shooting.
"My father and mother are alive" he
said, .'and are living in Stevenson, Ala. MY
father Is superintendent Of the Nashville.
Chattanooga and 81. Louis railroad.
IT am a member of the Sigma Nu fra
ternity and graduate of the Vanderbilt
university, and am entitled to the degree
Of M. d. When the war broke out was a
", als sccfru h,at Of srb bnn n ~ or
listed dn the Tennessee regiment at Mem
phs. My kowledge Of medicine gained me
the position Of steward Of Company B,
which position stll hold.
II have telegraphed my father. and ex-
pect him to come here at once
Later In the evening Judge J. H. Query
Of Georgia, who has lately come to this
state to practice law, called on the prisoner
and rendered his services as friend Of the
family, and he was accepted. He will ap-
pear in court tomorrow when Rosser Is ar
raigned.
The murdered man was q years old and
had been married only short time. He
had never seen Rosser before the fatal shot
was fired.
The boy who narrowly escaped death
when Rosser fired his second shot was
Hildebrandt and asserts that the bullet was
aimed at his heart by the old soldier, who,
after firing 1t, walked toward the rear en-
trance Of the market, exclaiming: "What's
the matter with TENNESSEE"
On reaching Stevenson street Rosser lev
eled his pistol at Nels Johnson. waiter.
who had pursued him. and another murder
might have been committed had not po-
lice officer grabbed the soldiers arm. The
murderer fought against arrest and almost
succeeded in escaping in the excitement.
having slipped one hand through tho steel
handouts. While waiting for the patrol
wagon he Is said to have pushed the dead
body Of his victim with the toe Of his shoe.
Colonel Smith of the Tennessee regiment
deeply regrets the odium which the crime
has cast on his command. He will compel
all the men to surrender their weapons and
may restrict their liberty in future.
The detachment Of twelve men and the
provost guard OF sixty-four volunteers sent
out tonight to bring back drunken soldiers
to camp created much excitement In the
down town districts. They patrolled the
streets In squads, fully armed, standing up
every soldier who was met and invading
all the saloons on Market street and ada
cent thoroushfares. Such sight has never
been witnessed in San Francisco before.
In attempting to take care Of whisky
stricken soldier Corporal r. M. Conley Of
Company Of the Seventh disputed the au-