New-York tribune., 1900-08-20
4 MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
GIRL BEATEN TO DEATH WITH A HAM
NfER BY UNKNOWN AssAILANT.

Catherine sharf, twenty-five years old, was
beaten to death with hammer in her home, on
the second floor of No. 674 second-a ave. some
time between and II p. m on Saturday night
The body, lying face downward on the floor
of her bedroom. was found by her brother Fred
erick. on his return home at an early hour yes
terday morning. Miss Scharf and her brother
lived together in three small rooms She was
employed in the Eagle Pencil Factory at Four
teenth-st. and Avenue r. while Frederick. who
Is eighteen years old. is learning the printing
trade. The girl did not go to work on Satur-
day. as she complained of feeling i'll Neighbors
saw her washing and hanging out portieres on
the line. Frederick went to visit friends who
live in The Bronx. 1t was after midnight when
he returned He startled on putting the
key in the lock Of the door and turning It to
find that the door was unlocked, which was un-
usual. as his sister invariably locked it,
He entered the bedroom and saw the body
Near by on the floor lay blood smeared ham
mer, the weapon used by the murderer The
rooms had been ransacked OF everything Of
value showing that the object of the deed was
the looting Of the rooms, or else that the 1nur-
derer had been surprised at his work Of robbery
and turned on the girl to prevent her giving an
alarm. She was fully dressed, and on a table
were a number Of parcels, to show that she had
Just returned from shopping tour. On the
floor were hatpins, hairpins and combs which
made it appear as though she had been struck
just as she was removing her hat
A surgeon from Bellevue Hospital, who was
called at once said that the girl had been dead
for several hours The cause of death was
stated to be fractured skull. the result Of
number OF blows from blunt instrument. From
the murdered girls brother the police learned
that she should have had 81 in her purse and
that she owned q gold watch and two rings
cOull Vin 100
had evidently been stripped from the fingers.
The police also found a mask, evidently a home
made one. They think this Will prove a clew to
the murderer's identity. An Italian who keeps
e fruit stand near by declares that the girl pur-
chased a couple Of pears from him about Z
o'clock on Saturday night, and Mrs Carlson,
who lives on the floor below, is authority for
the statement that not long after O'Clock when
two little girls called with the weeks wash
ing. they received no response to repeated ring
ing Of the Scharf bell, nor to knocking at the
door.
any unusual noises or saw any strangers about
the house Saturday at any time that night.
The top floor is occupied by two tailOrs named
Strandhaden and by Mrs. Thiel On the same
floor with the Scharfs lived Mrs. Annie Kehoe
and her sister, Miss Conlon. The entire floor
belew is occupied by Mre Carlson At II o'clock
on Saturday night Mrs. Kehoe and Miss Conlon
returned home, after a two weeks stay in the
country. All Of the others aIlege that nothing
occurred on Saturday that was out Of the or
dlnary
The brother, Frederick Scharf, was placed un-
der arrest late last nlght When ne called at the
East ty-ffth-st station to ask for news.
He had been under constant surveillance. In
spector Harley decided to arrest him. Sergeant
Shire and Inspector Harley both examined the
boy. but he was unshaken in his story. He said
he had gone TO Yonkers Saturday, and had
returned on a Union Railway trolley car In
stead OF going downtown to his home. he went
10 the home OF his sweetheart, Miss Nettie Ku-
bin, at No. 6S1 East Observation-Disclosures sixty
second-st. He first went to the place OF business
of Miss Kubin's father, Joseph, who makes
monuments at Elton-ave. and One hundred and
forty-ffth-st. He accompanied Mr.. Kubin home
and had dinner there. He remained on the
porch with the Kubins until within a few min
utes Of midnight. Kubin was seen and verified
the boys story as far as his visit TO the Kubin
house was concerned. Sergeant Shire in
clined to think the boy innocent
The police also arrested Lincoln Price. thirty