The St. Louis Republic., 1902-09-28
Head of Murdered Man Cut OF ard
Roasted in Furnace, Horrible
Odor Leading 10 Detection.
BODY WAS TO BE BURNED.
Barkeeper, Waiter and Porter Of
Empire Garden, Two Women
and Two Harvard Students
Arrested-Latter Released.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

1
New York. Sept. 27.-James Z. Craft. q
| wealthy citizen of Glencove. L. /. was bru-
| tally murdered this morning in the Empire
| Garden. No. IS West Twenty-ninth street. q
| low tenderloin resort where he had been
| drinking with a woman. His body was
| roughly pulled out OF the cafe. down two
| flights OF stairs to the cellar. where his
head was hacked or and thrown into the
| furnace.
His trunk was stripped, most OF the
clothes that he had worn Were placed in the
fire and an effort made TO obliterate every
trace OF the crime By cremation. Alexander
! McInerney, barkeeper at the Empire. noti-
| fed the police and charged Thomas Tobin
with the crime.
Tobin declined to make any statement at
the outset. but later turned upon McIner-
ney and denounced him as the murderer.
Both men were held without bail by Coroner
/ jackson. Robert Kelly who Is said to be
Tobin's brother. was also held by the Coro-
| ner. He was the porter OF the Empire
Every effort was made by the police TO
place in custody all who could throw any
light on the tragedy. They failed to find
Mary Turner. who well known in the
Empire and in similar resorts. but arrested
her later.
Size is said TO have disappeared at about
the time Craft met his death. and IL is Ike
ly that her sudden departure precipitated
the trouble.
ROLL OF BILLS.
Craft had spent several hours drinking in
Tenderloin resorts. and wandered into the
Empire after the legal hours for the sale
OF liquor. He bought drinks for the few be-
lated patrons and took a seat in the rear
room at n table by the side of Mary Turner.
Ills roll OF bills was watched with env.ous
OrIr n of
He paid for three or four rounds OF drinks
and each time gave tip TO Tobin. who
was waiting on him. McAnierney left the
bar to share in the drinking
He says he had just started TO fill new
order when he heard words between Tobin
and Craft. The woman had Just excused
herself promising to return. Craft presum-
ably missed his money and spoke 20 the
waiter.
You're a liar,' Tobin exclaimed. accord
ing 10 McAnierney. Craft started for the
front door. Just as he reached il he was
felled by a blow. The barkeeper declares
that he next saw the senseless body stretch
ed on the strip OF carpet in front Of the
hall door Tobin. who has long expert
ence in crime. lost no time in attempting
TO make away with his victim. SEEKING the
legs he pulled the body toward the stair
case leading 10 4 Chinese restaurant In the
basement. and McAnierney heard the head
humping from step TO step and then the
through the hail below. More bumps and a
crash followed.
HACKED OFF HEAD.
NcAnierney hesitated for a few moments.
he swears. and then started downstairs. in
tending to rescue Srar; ON 1n IesGning gosn she
trying to hack Crafts head OF. the man
being still unconscious: ,r.,.,. .r,
you're not careful I'll cut your head on
next
man and McAnierney. becoming scared.
darted upstairs and TO police headquarters
During his absence passers-by in the early
morning noticed nauseating smoke COM
ing from the grating In front of the rsstau-
rant.
Policeman Ziegier made a search and
found Tobin sitting on q chair in a corner,
with the window curtain pulled over him.
apparently sleeping as peacefully as child
es were the only evidences OF anything un-
usual in the cafe. but the overpowering
smoke from the cellar led the searchers
GREwsoME FIND.
Turning. around some brick pillars and
to the furnace. from which the smoke
poured. A few bucketsful OF water sufreed
10 extinguish the flames; and then. with a
long poker. the police pulled on; everything |
that had been piled inside.
After dragging out some partly consumed !
fiesh was charred. There was a deep cash |
extending from back Of the lefi ear TO the |
chin.
Under a grating leading 10 the kitchen /
above found the trunk OF Craft.
II had been stripped OF every bit OF /
clothing and scme boards and empty beer l
boxes had been thrown on IL to prevent /
discovery.
There was one deep slash slanting across /
the chest and two smaller cuts close by II.
The fiend had evidently intended to burn
the body p.scemeal. In order TO hide the |
evidence of his crime.
Tohin was taken 10 the cellar. He looked
at the body without showing any emotion.
Ida Craven. the houSekeeper OF the EN-
pire: Stella Davis. habitue of tenderlotn
resorts. and Grace Burnett were all placed
under arrest witnesses.
Two men who said they were Harvard
students and were found in sleeping rooms
on the top floor were permitted &c go after |
making known their Identity.
The three men who were held as prin- |
,ipals We're taken 10 the Coroner's Office
and held without ball
Craft lived in luxury in Giencovc. For
eighteen years he had Travelled Europe. |
South America and the Southern states. |
selling artificial ice plants and was very
He retired two years ago. His |
sen. Walter. 20 years old. came TO the
norgue this afternoon and identified his
Isther's body. He broke down completely
1t the awful sight he had TO face.