New-York tribune., 1903-07-28

recognized her as his stepdaughter Mrs. Au-
gusta Ebelt. She was the wife of Martin Ebelt.
The husband, who is employed by James McCaf-
frey. a truckman for the construction depart
ment of the New-York Telephone Company, is
locked up on suspicion of having committed
the murder
He was arrested yesterday afternoon by Cor
oner Wiesendanger and Chief Foley who found
him at work near White Plains. The prisoner
and his parents, with whom he and his Wlfe
lived. tell conflicting stories. and Coroner
Wiesendanger says that there are strong indica-
tions that he is the murderer. Jealousy, the
coroner believes, was the cause of the crime.
The murdered woman was twenty years old, and
attractive. Her husband was suspicious and
jealous Of her. They were married two years
ago, and their welded life had been marked
with frequent quarrels
COMPLAINED OF HIS JEALOUSY.
Mrs Ebelt complained only a few days ago
that her husband who is a careless, boyish
fellow. about twenty-one years old, was so
Jealous of her that he became angry even If she
went out on the streets in the afternoon. Mrs
Ebelt wanted to obtain work, she did not
care to remain home during the day when her
husband was away. Ebelt's parents said yes
terday that the last time they saw their daugh-
ter-in-law was on Friday. On that evening
"'Gussie' I've got place for you A family
over at VOLTS Lane wants a maid. It's very
light work, and you can go over there during
the day and earn a little pocket money"
Ebelt's parents say that after supper that
evening he and his wife went out together, and
later he returned alone and told them that she
had accepted the place. The prisoner is not
aware of the version given by his parents of
his whereabouts on Friday night, and tells Chief
Foley and Coroner Wiesendanger a conflicting
story. He said that on Friday evening after
he had eaten supper, he went out leaving his
wife in the house alone, and that when he
turned she was gone, and he has not seen her
since He gave the police an account Of his
Whereabouts for the last three days. and Chief
Foley has put his entire detective force to work
investigating it.
THEORY OF CORONER AND CHIEF.
1t is the theory Of Wesendanger and Foley
that Ebelt was insanely jealous of his wife. and
that he deliberately planned the murder. They
believe that he toll her the story about the
position to persuade her to accompany him in
the direction of the sewer which is in de-
serted and almost uninhablted part of the city.
and that when they reached there. where it was
not likely any could hear her cries. he
srrang upon her and choked her into insensibil-
ity and then tied the shoestrlng about her
neck and strangled her to death.
Besides the conflicting story which the young
husband tells. the police have found other in
dications that he may have committed the crime.
Detective Atwell. who searched his home. is said
TO have found in the pocket of his coat, which
was hanging in q closet. the mate to the shoe
string which was taken from the woman's neck.
a lead pencil belonging to Ebelt is also said to
have been picked up near the sewer. Another
significant circumstance is that the sewer is al
most on a direct line between Ebelt's home and
VOLTS Lane. in Pelham, where he is supposed
to have represented to his wife that he had OBJ
tained the work for her
Mrs. Katherine Eichel. the mother Of the
dered girl. was at the police station yesterday
when Ebelt was brought in AS he entered the
room he raised his hat and said rather po-
litely: Good afternoon, Mrs. Eichel: what
brings you here?" The woman made no reply,
and the prisoner was taken out of the room.
MOTHER OF DEAD WOMAN TALKS
Afterward Mrs. Eichel said:
Il don't know who committed this crime I
can't tell, but 1t must have taken more than
one person Martin Ebelt is not too good to do
it. He has treated my daughter shamefully
since their marriage. She had TO have him
rested a couple of times for non-support and
7 last Christmas when she was sick he would not
/ care for her nor let me care for her, but sent
her to the County Hospital in East View. He
/ was bad enough, but il was not entirely his
fault"
Ebelt firmly denies that he knows how his
wife met her death, but he appears to be ner-
vous and uneasy. His parents say that they
/ believe the young woman committed suicide
Coroner Wieseudanger held an inquest yes
! terday and examined nearly dozen witnesses
! Ebelt's father and younger brother and Joseph
! Sullivan, boy who lives near the family we're
the first witnesses. The two boys said that
! they saw Ebelt and his wife leave the house
! about p. m Friday and so in the direction OF
/ Sixth-st where the sewer is.
The father said that when he returned on
| Friday night his wife had told him that Ebelt
! had taken Mrs Ebelt to Wofs Lane ana hau
/ said that the murdered woman would not re-
J turn that night -, ,,,7
! When did YOU your son again askeo
. Coroner Vieseuda niger. Martin was at !olle
1 the next morning and on Sunday ana Monday
/ replied the witness. -.
Did YOUR son Martin make any remark anouI
the finding Of body ia the severn
| mo"