The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-27
KUGAnT'S CRIME.

Kugadt was convicted Of crime com
mlttcd Monday. October ~. 1896. but
which was not discovered until THURSDAY
October %. when Lem Harris, o colored
farmer, was passing through the woods
on Jackson's creek, three miles above Whit
man. Harris saw what he took TO be a
camp fire in thicket about fifty yards
from q little netsbtorhood road leading
through the woods. Wondering what a
fire was doing there, he went TO It, and dis
covered the eharred remains OF a human
being, whedher man or woman he could
not tell, He Informed Justice Moore, and
an inquest was held. and DR.. Brewer was
called upon to make an autopsy.
1t then developed that the body was that
Of woman, at hrst thought To he a
stranger. but portions of clothing and other
articles found near the fire were identified
as the property of Miss johanna kugadt. n
half-sIs of Charles Kugadt. shoemaker
who lived at Washington.
Up to the time that the body was found
10 be woman Kugadt had shown great
interest In the case. but when DR.. Brewer
told him the result OF the autopsy kugadt
was agitated and walked away: that was
the last seen OF him In the neighborhood
OF his crime. He was seen afterwards ~
Millican, and then disappeared entirely.
Photographs and descriptions were sown
broadcast and every once in while some
innocent person would he arrested only TO
be released again.
The crime was committed on Kugadts
i3d birthday The murdered woman WAS
Sbout GO years of age.
Mis- Kugadt within the last few months
before her death had often spoken OF re-
turning to her native home, fomlnern.
Germany, and had written to ascertain the
cost of transportation, and when the ships
sailed. etc 1t was al last decided, after
much consultation aud preparation, that
Miss kugadt was TO take passage on the
Halle, which sailed from Galveston Oh,
Tuesday October 20, 1856. So bright and
early October 10, Charles Kugadt, his sis
ter and his sisters large emigrant chest,
packed full OF her clothing and such odds
and ends as she thought best TO carry to
her old home were loaded In wagon, and
at $50 o'clock started for Brenham. Al
Whitman the man. woman and chest were
seen at about o'clock. ana Kugadt spoke
TO Constable John Ewing, and told him he
was on the way 10 Brennan,
In starting away. however, he took the
wrong road, and Ewing called and told him
so, but he replied 1t was all right as he
was gorg that way TO avoid "A bad mud
hole. 4 no uOXt seen of kugAdL was near
Kuykendall creek, between IL and | o'clock
Monday. MIR. Countryman was sitting down
beside the road kindling fire to make
some collee. when kugldt came walking
from Tue NITtcAlUu Vi iuc A'c
fer water and was offered coIfee; he re-
mllned about forty minutes at Country
mans camp. and then went back In The di-
rcction from whence he came. and got Into
his wagon, which he had left when he Came
% ask for "A drink Of water. In the wagon
was large chest, bur there was no woman
to be seen Countryman did not go close
To the wagon,
The next seen OF bin was at the Are In
the wood. when Martha johnson saw
man near the fire, but saw no woman or
box.
Az A llttle before shutdown Monday West
Babor a negro, saw Kugaft coming in
wagon from the direction OF Brenham
across Jackson creek Bsber over
took him, and they jouraeyed as
companions until Baber's road turned oil
Kueadt vas alone in the wagon.
His wife saws ne reached home after
nightfall, and told her that he had been 10
Bronham and his sister left safely for Gal
weston.
Mere than that. Miss Kugadt had about
500 in xreenbaeks when she left home.
Krgidt was seen on Tuesday at Washing
ton with large roll Of money and he told
the folks there that he had been 10 Bren-
ham the day before. and Tax Assessor
Lsnghammer had paid him 5000 for his
work as deputy assessor. Kugrdt was not
In Brenham Monday. and Langhammer had
not seen him for more than week. and no
did not pay him the money KugaH Claimed
10 have gotten from him.
When Miss Kugadt left home she was
attired In dark. reddish brown wooen
dress A scrap Of cloth picked up ~ 'ue
ERE corresponded ws,h this description
ON February 81, 1897, sheriff league re-
celyed Telegram frcn Napl, Cal, an
nounclng that he had been arrested.
Two or three weeks before the arrest
bystander happened to be at the postoihos
ia Washington on the Brazos when WI
lie Kugadt son Of Charles. called for his
mail aud then called for the mail OF Emil
Neunfeidt; this was new narne In the
neighborhood and attracted attention. The
bystander saw the postmaster hand out
letter which was addressed Emil Neun-