The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-17
KILLED HIS CHILD.
Joseph Hefner Arrested For
Causing Death of Infant.
While in Drunken Condition
Fell on the Little One.
AT MOTHERS BREAST.
Babe Held Close While Father
RaVed.
Three Times Fell ON Wife and
the Child.
SECOND TIME 1T CRIED.
Placed in the Cradle 1t Gasped
and Died.
Drunken Father Arrested on
Charge of Murder.
SECOND TIME 1T CRIED.
in the Cradle 1t Gasped
and Died.
Drunken Father Arrested on
Charge of Murder.
Before CorOner's Jury Wife
Tries to Shield Husband.

u
arrested by Officers Boyles and Hum
bert, no bond. is the way it is registered
on the police docket
The charge means that Hoefner is ac-
cused of killing his little girl baby, aged
two months, and one of the sweetest,
prettiest of babies.
The patrol wagon was called Sunday
afternoon about L o'clock to go to the
corner of Quincy and Curtis streets, in
North Topeka, where a murder was re-
ported by Officer Boyles. When the
wagon arrived a crowd of curious peo-
pie We're assembled around the house,
striving to satisfy their curiosity. They
were driven away by the officers, and
the house was entered. In the house
was Mrs. Hoefner, the mother, and the
dead child, while around them were
grouped sympathetic neighborS and
friends. The coroner and the police Of
ficers soon cleared the place, and the
most important witnesses and the body
of the child were taken in the patrol
wagon.
1t appears from the evidence given at
the inquest this morning that Hoefner
had been drinking Sunday morning and
that he went home in a. beaStly state of
intOxication. He demanded dinner and
when his wife told him that it was ready
and that he should sit down and eat he
asked what she had cooked for the meal
She told him and he cursed her, saying
that he would go to her mothers and
get something fit to eat. He attempted
to quarrel with his wife, but she was
nursing the baby and tried to quiet him.
Hoefner fell around the room, and in at
tempting to strike his wife, fell on her
and crushed the baby. Three times did
he fall on the wife and child, and the
second time the little one cried out
After that it was still. The mother laid
the child in the cradle after the drunken
father had left the house and, as she
of f1a
last She at once called to the neigh
bors and they found the child dead.
When Hoefner was taken to the police
station he did not realize that he was
charged with a more serious offense than
drunkenness and in his maudlin cOndi-
tion he was very talkative. He gave his
age occupation and residence without
a murmur, much as if he was acqualnt-
ed with the procedure at the police sta
ton, and he asked no questions as 10
why he had been arrested In fact, he
did not know why the police had arrest
ed him and he did not care; he was so
full of the whisky which is sold in the
Joints on the north side. When he came
into the rooms where the corOner's jury
was sitting this morning he presented a
very different appearance He looked
worried and thoughtful, and he did not
glance at his wife, who was sitting near
him; his eyes were on the floor. The eff
feet of the liquor had worn off and the
reaction was on.
The wife ATTEMPTED to shield her hus-
band as much as she could and testified
that he was a good man and a LOVING
father when he was not drunk She said
that he would drink almost every pay
dav he is a blacksmith employed at the
Santa F'e shops, and that when he had
been drinking he was very quarrelsome
and woull try to fight with her She tes-
titled that he was in a QuarrelSOn.e
mood yesterday, but insisted that he did
nothing that a drunken man does not do. |
She evidently drew her conclusions OF
the actions Of a drunken man from the
frequent sight of her drunken husband.
She said that he came home in the
morning just before dinner time and
that he began abusing her by calling he'
vile names, but she denied that he had |
threat tened to kill her or the child STE |
said that he kicked over the table, broke !
out a window light with his fist and !
kicked over all the furniture within his |
reach but she seemed to be loath to say /
anything that would make it hard for !
her husband. when he fell across me- /
the second time I thought the baby was |
asleep" she said, "for it had been nurs- /
ing and had paid no attention to the |
noise he had been making. After he fell !
over me the third time he went out say |
ing that he was going to my mothers. 1t !
was then that / laid the baby in the /
cradle and saw it gasp for its last |
breath" She said that her husband had |
a habit of striking her whenever he was |
drunk and that he would say cruel I
things to her. When the jury insisted /
the vile terms between her /
sobs. But he is a good man when he is |
not drinking she said, ssfor he loved the |
baby and he loved me-
Joe Thomas, the brother of Mrs. .Hoef- |
ner, was one of the first men examined /
by the police yesterday and at the coro-
ner's inquest this morning he told the
same story He said that Hoefner had
been drinking and that he had attempt
ed to injure him before he (Hoefner) had
the trouble with his wife. He testified
that Hoefner had frequently abused is
wife and that he had gone to the house
yesterday with the intention Of Guieting
Hoefener whin he had heard was drunk.
Hoefner come out of the house and start
ed towards Thomas who pulled a revOf-
yer from his pocket and shot q blank
cartridge with the revolver pointed |
towards the ground 1t was this shot
which called the attention OF the police |
to the place. Thomas then left the place
and knew nothing more Of the affair un-
Ill the police arrested him and took him
n Hac CT