The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-10
MURDER OF CHAS. BR0WE
ANOTHER LINK IN THE CHAIN OF
EVIDENCE AGAINST AUSTIN.
His wife Confesses That Fourteen Years Ago
Austin Told Her He Had Killed Brower
and Thrown His Body ia the Well. where
the skeleton Was Found a Few Days Ago.

PoroHKEEPsIE Sept. 9.-Another link has
been forged In the chain Of evidence against
Peter Austin. accused OF the murder Of his
| farmland, Charlie, Brewer, fourteen years
ago. by the confession Of his wife. who says
that her husband killed Brewer and threw
his body into the well. where his skeleton was
discovered u few days ago. Austin's COM
posure was not disturbed by the damaging
admissions Of hi, wife. He dismissed her
confession with The remark that sho was out
of her mind and that her health had been fall
ing for twelve years past. lie reiterated his
story that on the day Brewer disappeared
he last saw him sitting on a stone wall. lighting
his pipe. after he had opened a gate for him
TO drive his team through. Mrs. Austln's
confession Is as follows:
sept O.. IgOO.-PeIer came home the night the
crime was committed. Tie date / do not
know. / said 10 him; Where Is Charley
Browcr?' Peter told me he had killed him.
Before the crime was committed Peter told
Charley to put up a fence. and Charley said
1 viii put it up this time, but III never put IT
M again Peter told this to me when he came
in that night. After Peter had killed Brewer
he came home and asked me what time tho
moon came up. and said. What do YOU want
to know for?' lie said: 1 want to throw
Brewer in the we'll | asked Peter where he
had put Brewer and he said: In the well by
the chestnut tree ! said: For Gods sake,
what did you do that for?' Peter said he had
killed Brewer before he threw him in the well
After Brewer had been missing quite a while
Peter put on Brewers pants and wore them
out. | said 10 Peter: 1 would be afraid that
Brewer would appear to me-. and Peter made
NJ reply. Last Thursday Peter said to me:
They have dug Brewer up SAID: For
Ends GnLR what will nOy' He Enld Won
Will have 20 do the best you can. ! said L
viii be left all nlone, and Peter made no reply,
but turned and went away. make this as a
confession TO be the truth, 50 help me God;
4. as a witness. heard this confession.
"lHONtS ID. WRIGHT,
"HENIY BAUM"
The motive for the crime. - far as It Is now
established, seems to be quarrels between Aus
tin and Brewer over wages, Austin apparently
he was unable TO pay. They had a scuftie
the year previous 10 Brewers disappearance
which resulted in Brower's left leg being broken
between the knee and ankle, The movements
of Austin and his wife after Brewers disap-
pearance indicate that they knew he would
nottreturn. Mrs. Au~tin's story fully comedies
with the evidence Of Abraham Harris taken
before Coroner Sewer. ~
But little is known OF Charles Brewers ante
Austin and generally went South during the
winter II i suppressed that he had sOmc money
a. he spent but little and was what n witness
before the Coroner described as a gentleman
farmland. No one around Stormville knew
him before lac went TO work for Austin, but il
gers Falls or New H%amburch Al the time
OF his disaupearnnce he was about - wears ~
age. about 3 feet . inches in height and weighed
about one hundred and nifty POUNDS Austin
has frequently contradict'd himself on TIE 9, b.
icet Of Rrower's disappearance. having told
one man that he had received n letter from
Brewer and that h" was doWn South. another
TINT pc was AZ m" 1illy Foster mine, and Il third
that he had never heard from Brewer.