The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-05
THE MEN PLAYED CARDS
HOW TWO ALLEGED HIGHWAYMEN
DIVIDED THEIR BOOTY.
Confession Of Mrs. Morgan Peters at
Police HeadquarterS-A Dia-
mOnd in the Case.

Morgan Peters, arrested yesterday morn
ing by Detectives Asch and Dugan, is held
to answer charges of highway robbery and
grand larceny. The detectives claim he is
the leader of gang of desperate men who
have perpetrated the various 'hold-ups IN
this city for some time. and they say they
have another man, whom they expect to SEN
tence on Porter's testimony, now serving
jail sentence. The astuteness Of the officers
in unraveling the mystery surrounding the
operations Of these men is complimented by
their chief
The crime in which Peters is implicated,
both by his wife's confession and a chain OF
circumstantial evidence neatly connected by
the detectives, was the robbery of William
Austermeiller, Belt Railroad engineer, on
South street, last December. Austermeiller
was first rendered unconscious by blow
over the head and then relieved of his
purse, containing $40. most of it in gold
and a diamond pin. 1t was the finding Of
portion of this pin in Peterss apartments
yesterday that clinched the detectives be-
lief that they have the right man.
Mrs. Morgan Peters at police headquar-
ters last evening made her confession, the
detectives say, only on being assured pro-
lection from her husband who, she said,
would kill her as soon he got out" she
declared that her husband and another man
brought the booty taken from Austermlller
to the rooms that at she and her, her husband ocI
cupied, at No. 237 South East street, ana
divided it. There was q diamond pin LETT
over. she said. and for this the men played
cards. She said that her husband won, ana,
breaking the pin in two, put the end con-
tanning the setting into his pocket ana the
other piece into a ''catch-all' hanging on
the wall OF the kitchen. The piece FOUND
yesterday by the detectives. she declared
was part of the pin In question.
The detectives confronted Peters, who had
not learned that his wife had been brought
to police headquarters. but he refused TO
say anything. The collection Of weapons
and tools taken from a closet al Peters
home contained the weapon with which. the
detectives claim, Austermeiller was knocked
senseless. 1t Is a piece Of airbrake hose,
which Mrs. Peters said her husband cut
from Belt car and loaded with iron. max
ing a deadly slungshot. A revolver was
found and tools that, the police say, may
have been used for burglarious purposes
The manner in which the detectives came
upon the clew was unusual. The diamond
stolen from Austermeiller was of a peculiar
yellow hue and was oblong. 1t had not been
sold at a pawnbroker's. the police records
showed, but the pawnbrokers said that "A
such as this for sale. a Pennsylyania-stree
jeweler who changed the setting OF such
stone from broken pin 10 ring assisted
the detectives In getting a description Of the
man who had offered the ring for sale. IL
found that he had finally disposed OF
the ring TO a travelling man, from whom il
was later secured 1t was Identified by the
jeweler. and the pawnbroker and the de-
tectives then located Peters, whose cOnnec-
ton with the affair was indicated by the
description given by the Jeweler. Peters
claims to have been employed as a collector
for an installment house.
Last night Detectives ASch and Dugan
arrested Edward Johnson living in rooms
at Capitol evenue and Market streets. They
claim that Johnson has been an associate OF
Peters's for some months and that they pro-
cured from him damaging admissions dur
ing his examination at police headquarters.
He first stated that he was in town at the
time of the attack upon Austermeiiler and
then denied IL, the detectives claim. The
description given OF one OF the men By the
victim OF the 'holdup" taliies. IN some re-
spects with that Of Johnson The detect
ives say they win be able TO prove that the
man who shared with Peters in the divts-
ion OF Austermeiller's yaiuables was john
son.