New-York tribune., 1902-03-13
KILLED MOTHER, THEY SAY
POLICE DECLARE THEY CAN CONVICT
YOUNG VOEPEL.
HE is ARRESTED AFTER coRoNER's JURY
RETURNS VERDICT LAYING CRIME
TO UNKNOWN PERSON.

Charged with the murder of his mother. John
VoepeI was arrested at ) ?. m yesterday at his
newsstand at Hudson and Christopher SITS. by
Detectives Enright and Kneirin, Of the Charles
st. station. who gathered evidence within the
last week which. they say, viii surely convict
him.
The detectives entered the newsstand. beck
oned him to step outside. and then told him he
under arrest.
At the Charles-st. station where he was ar
raigned on a charge OF homicide. he answered
the usual questions in a most stoIid manner.
Captain Martens and everybody in the station
house remarked on his coolness- He was not
excited or agitated in the least. and after his
pedigree was taken the doornan took him by
the arm and led him to q cell. He walked
across the floor with a brisk step, and down into
the cellroom
Captain Martens said that from the first he
was sure that the lad murdered his mother. and
that now he has evidence which will convict
him. The evidence on which the arrest
made the detectives refused to disclose.
For the first time since the murder Of his
mother young voepel broke down after he had
been placed in the cell. He burst into tears and
cried bitterly. He refused to talk TO the detec-
tives, but when questioned by Captain Martens
he suddenly said between his sobs:
Every dog has his day. and you'll have yours
yet"
The police say that they now believe young
VoepeI committed the murder through jealousy.
Detectives learned that on February II Mrs.
Voepel intended TO give party, il being her
sons birthday. They are inclined TO believe,
however. that Mrs. Voepel intended TO get mar
Tied on that night and that the preparations she
had been making We're for a wedding party.
Yesterday forenoon the inquest on the body Of
Mrs. Voepel was held before Coroner Brown
and a jury OF twelve men. Young Noepel was
one of the early arrivals in the courtroom. He
was accompanied by Edward Weiss from the
Office of Cantor. Adams & Mcintyre. EX-As-
sistant District Attorney Mcintyre is the boys
counsel
He seemed unconcerned as he in the
courtroom, chatting gayly with q companion
of about his own age. He had been summoned
by subpoena issued by the District Attorneys
Office.
Assistant District Attorney Lord OF the Dis
trict Attorneys homicide bureau, who has
worked on the case. personally examined the
witnesses.
voepeI was called as the first witness by MI
Lord.
May IT please your honor" said Mr.. Weiss
addressing the coroner. both the police and
newspapers seem TO have the murder fastened
this boy He is here. represented by coun-
sell and the advice of his counsel he refuses
10 answer any questions"
Mr.. Lord said he was not in a position TO OBJ
3ect. and the coroner said it was the boys right
10 refuse 10 take the stand
Mrs. Mary Pf1uger, who lives the floor
above that where the murdered woman
found. testified that between and O'Clock in
the morning John Voepel asked her to go down
stairs with him, his mother was dead dy
ing After finding Mrs. Voepel. she told John
inform the police He had remained in the
half an hour before doing 50.
Charles Phuger her son. corroborated her
story. save that he fixed the time Of the Voepel
boys arrival in his home at nearly 10 o'clock.
Charles Watts, a real estate agent, Of No.
1901 Park-ave., Hobo6en, declared that he
10 Mrs Voepers home on February II 70 see her
about her Weehawken house He rang the bell,
but got no response He went to the newsstand
and told John He went TO his home and soon
came down and said: Some one has killed my
mamma, the only friend I have in the world"
Policeman Murphy. who accompanied VoepeI
TO his home after he had reported the murder
ar the Charles-st. station. told Of the conversa-
tion he had with the boy and the conduct Of
the latter while in his home. He said the boy
had asked him his way the house If he
would have 10 inform the insurance company.
saying his mother had $500 or 81 900 insurance.
He told me his watch missing. and that
the murder must have been committed for the
sake Of robbery. He hurriedly and excitedly
pulled out all the drawers in the dresser maxi
ing believe that he looking into them
7 object" shouted Mr.. Weiss, Ito this sort of
testimony. You don't know whether he made
believe OF really looked"
Mr. Lord said this testimony would be of
great assistance 10 the jury in fixing the guilt,
and the witness allowed TO go on.
Captain Martens said he had asked the boy
II there was not knife in the fiat. The boy
said there was none. On the following Sunday
the officers found a butcher knife in a closet
in the kitchen.
Daniel J. Farrell, Of the Charles-st. sta ton,
told OF finding a number of blood stained towels.
These were introduced evidence.
There q feverish flush on Voepels cheeks,
but he did not make any extraordinary show
OF emotion or perturbation, either when the
blood stained towels when later the butchers
knife with which 1t is thought the murder was
committed, introduced
Detective Kneiren next took the stand and
told how the butcher knife found. He swore
he had found two blOodstains the handle
and also that il showed evidences Of a thorough
scrubbing and cleaning.
Emma Stefnmetz. a prisoner on the island
testified that she had lived for years in the
Noepel household, and said that she had seen
frequent quarrels between John and his mother
She had heard the boy threaten to throw things
The jury remained only thrty-fve min
utes- It returned al / o'clock with the verdict
that Mrs Voepel had come 10 her death from
number Of penetrating stab wounds inflicted
with a knife in the hands Of some person or per
sons unknown.
A smile hickered over the features Of the son
of the dead woman. and he hurriedy arose from
his seat and shook hands with a boy at his side
who seemed 10 be a companion.
RICH GOLD STRIKE IN THE KLONDIKE.
Tacoma. Wash. March l2-Dawson and towns
adjacent are excited over an important gold strike