The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-26

! Mystery still surrounds the killing 0f
! John Moos the aged cigar merchant. who
! was found dead in his place of business.
/ No. IG; South Fourth street shortly betore
| midnight. Wednesday.
! Circumstances surrounding the tragedy
made II appear that Muog was killed by
some one familiar with the surroundings.
/ and upon this theory the police expect to
+ work out solution to the crime.
| George Dawson. - years old, of No. los
| South Fourth street is being held by the
! police on suspicion. Dawson admits that
! he was in MooS's store Wednesday night.
! but declares he was in his bed shortly after
! 10 O'Clock. He is corroborated III the latter
! statement by Mrs. Christina kistner. his
! grandmother. with whom he lives. Dawson
! will be held, however, until after the Coro-
ner's inquest. which will ne, held this morn
| ing at 10 o'clock.
| Chief Kieiy says it is enc of the most
! battling cases the department has had to
! deal with in many years but he believes
! that some clew. which will enable the de
! partment to work more effectively upon the
! case. will be turned up in day or Two.
The murdered mans store has been thor
| oughly searched by the police in hope of
discovering the weapon with which the old
I
has 50 far been found In the dead mans
| sleeping. or living. apartment in the rear
| of the store. two chests of carpenters tools
We're found but rome of the tools had blood
stains upon them.
| MURDERED MAN SUSPICIOUS
| OF CUSTOMERS AFTER NIGHT.
The theory that Moog was murdered by
| some one who knew him is based upon the
| fact that he was known to be very cautious
| about letting persons into his place at a
! late hour of the night. The policeman on
| the beat never tried the door to gee If it
| was locked. Moog had requested him not
| to do this, because it always awakened
! him, and then his sleep for the night was
| broken.
| The suggestion that he was murdered for
| money is given little credence now by
| friends of the dead man, who claim that he
| was possessed OF no wealth to speak Of.
| Hence the police cannot ascribe the motive
for the deed. The men who are working
! on the case believe that MOOg was muir
! dered by some pretended friend, but why
| the old man should be put out of the way,
| or what the slayer expected to accomplish
| by the deed, is a mystery.
| Henry Won Boken OF No. 406 South Third
street. who had known Moog for twenty
years, told The Republic yesterday tnat
| while Moog did fair business he had no
! wealth. and Won Boken claims to have been
! as we'll acquainted with the dead man as
| any other person. Won Boken says he fre-
| ouently attended to the store for Moog
while the latter went out to lunch or to
| transact some business.
| LEFT THE CIGAR STORE
| SHORTLY BEFORE THE MURDER.
| Won Boken, together with another friend
! of the dead man, Henry Ewers of No 1a6
Chouteau avenue. was in the store with
Moog until nearly 10 o'clock Wednesday
| night, when the latter remarked that 1t
| was about bed time and that he thought ne
| would retire. Won Boken says that he and
| Ewers left the store and went home.
| From the statement made by Otto C..
[ Wiese. who conducts lunch room at No.
| 324 Walnut street. it appears that Moog,
| had taken lunch in Wiese's place every
day and night for years, came into the
| place almost Immediately after Won Boken
| and Ewers claim to have left him, got
| some lunch and then left the place. going.
| It is thought, directly to his place and re-
| firing.
| The murder must have been committed
| some time between 1880 and l1:30 o'clock
| for by the time Moog had eaten his lunch
| and prepared himself for bed, 1t must have
been 1919 o'clock. and, perhaps, a little
later.
The police theory is that Moog had hard
ly sought his bed before he was called to