The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-01
FUGITIVE KILLS pURSUER.
MYSTERY IN THE MURDER OF
CARPENTER DECkLERO QUEENS.
German Farmland Who Wounds Himself
Near the Scene OF the Shooting, and
Is Suspected OF Being the Murderer,
Is Dying In Long Island City Hospital.

Is SuspecteU OF HelnB the Murderer,
Is Dying In Long Island City Hospital.
John Deikler, a carpenter living at Fulton
street and Cooper avenue, Glendale,
borough of Queens, left his home after
supper on Tuesday evening to consult
with his partner, John zeppler, living a
few blocks away, regarding plans for new
house they were to construct. They
talked over their plans until about 1918,
when Deikler said that he must be going
home. The two men then went to nearby
saloon and. after drinking, said good night
to each other and started toward their re-
spective homes.
1t was but a short time afterward that
Mrs. Cook, who lives at Cooper and Wyck-
of avenues, heard two shots not far from
the house. She awakened her husband.
At the same time two men ran up in front
OF the house and voice cried out.
Cook, come out! Hank, come out and
help me! We've got him now!"
Henry Adicks, friend Of Dekler living
in the basement Of house next door to
Cook, had heard the noise and recognized
Deikler's voice.
Again Deikler yelled:
He tried to shoot me! He's up on the
stoop! Hurry up!"
AT this juncture. Mrs. Bosshart, who
liz es on floor alb )ve Adick heard some
one tumble gainst tn, door in tn, hallway,
but thinking it was probab y runken
m n, she pal TO more tent 10 it.
Ad.cks, h we e , VIII h d jus ia en- Off
tn es, prep2rato y to going to bed
hurried out and saw Deikle tandln on
the sidewalk, Ad ks en-. b ok TO the
use t. ut on shoe Me ntime he
I'd Deikle c-y out. H conf down
no Hurryu,."
Adicks rushed out again in time to see
Deikler pursuing a man down Wyckoff
avenue toward the Long Island Railroad
crossing. He joined in the pursuit. At
the crossing, when the fugitive was about
twenty yards ahead Of his pursuers, he
suddenly turned about and fired and then
started down the tracks toward the switch
tower. which is about one hundred feet
below the crossing.
The bullet had taken effect in Deikler's
chest, but he pushed on and gained rapidly
on the fugitive. At the tower, when his
pursuers were almost close enough to seize
him, the fugitive turned and fired point
blank at Deikler, who fell against the tower
with bullet in his head
Adicks who had caught up, and said with
a thick German accent
You'll be next If you keep on"
The murderer then turned and disap-
peared down the track
Adicks, having nc, weapon and fear
ing that his friend was badly hurt,
desisted from further pursuit and gave his
attention to Deikler. who lay unconscious
on the cinders at the foot of the tower.
Several persons who had heard the shooting
now came up, and the wife OF the wounded
man, whose house was within hailing dis
lance of the tower, was summoned She
knelt beside her husband holding his head
in her arms while fruitless efforts were
made to revive him. He was carried to
his home, where he died without regaining
consciousness.
Although the police have no definite
clue as to the identity Of the murderer or
the cause of the trouble, suspicion centres
around a man who attempted to commit
the barn of his employer at Harold lane
and Myrtle avenue, and who is reported
to be dying In the German Hospital in Long
Island City. His name is August Pfflander
and he came to Glendale last Monday. and
went to work for Charles Lempke, farmer
living near the village.
Pfflander is German and has not been in
this country long enough to talk good
English. He was a stranger in the village
Last. night the three other farmhands
in the village. Pfflander also went out,
but nobody knew where, The three other
men returned about 1890 and went to bed
in the barn, which is their usual sleeping
place.
They saw that Pfflander had not come
in. However, they thought nothing OF it
until this morning when Piflander. instead
of answering the call to get up, rolled over
and hid himself under the bedclothes.
When they returned in about fifteen minutes,
60 thN i
Pfflander lying on the bed with a revolver
by his side.
He had shot himself in the head and was
He was removed to the Ger
man Hospital, where il was said late last
night that he was dying. In the revolver
loaded ones, the balls being similar to the
one found in Deklers chest. An empty
cartridge was also founi just outside the
window Of the room where the farmland
floor.
On the front of a white shirt of Pfflander's
which hung over the bedpost were found
two distinct bloodspots. He had nothing
else except a pocketbeok containing %
cents some papers which showed that he
and certificate of honorable discharge
from shipbuilding firm in Bremerhaven,
dated March, 1904.
Frank Bowe, the towerman who saw
Deikler fall, and saw man in white shirt
and black trousers running down the tracks.
was taken to the hospital tonight to iden-
tify Pnlandcr. All he could say was that
his build was similar to that Of the man
who did the shooting. Adicks could give
no definite description Of the murderer.
He is held in the Queens county Jail as a
witness.
Coroner c. Leonard RuofT, assisted by
Drs. T. j. Flynn and William Nammack.
performed the autopsy. on Deikler ard
found one ball in the left breast about |
an inch above the nipple and another
in the brain above the left ear. Deiker !
leaves awidow and four children, all under |
years.
THE OUTLOOK FOR CONGRESS-. |
Chairman Babcock Says the Fight VIII he
Very Close.