Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-01
Man Who Confessed to Wreck
ing of Rock Island Train
Charged With Murder
TEXT OF HIS CONFESSION
Death of Engineer Hotchkiss as Result
Of tho Wreck Leads to Indictment of
KutzIeben for Crime of Murder =
Clever Work of the Detectives in the
case--Other News.

MarenSO, April wv ltH idceS uIaWu
and haggard from their long vigil, the
grand jury which has been Investigate
who wrecked the Rock Island Rocky
Mountain limited at Homestead at
midnight returned two indictments,
one charging murder In the first de-
gree. aud the other malicious train
wrecking.
The jury has put much time on the
case, beginning with Il protraeted ses-
sion on Wednesday, night, continuing
I'LL thru Thursday and up to midnight
last night, when the decision was
reached
Won kutzleben was not in the court
room when the finding of the jury was
announced. He is in Jail here and 1t is
not likely that he will be arraigned for
day or two
The indictment for murder Is
brought on account of the death OF
Engineer Hotchkiss. who Succumbed to
the injuries received In the wreck, ami
was buried Friday
Hard Work by Detectives.
Won Kutzleben's Indictment was
hrough. about after most paihstak-
ing series of efforts on THE part of rail-
way and Pinkerton detectives who Sc
cured from Won Kutzleben a confession
of some length in which he outlines
the particulars of the deed which sent
a train reeling over the sixty foot
grade at Homestead
The confession follows:
INV name is Erich Won Kutzleben.
Was "a years old in August; born IN
Germany, and came to America IN
August, 1903. Worked for time on
the Burlington branch of the Rock Is
land system In Missouri. Finally came
to Homestead, and later stopped at
Amana. Secured the wrenches from
the elevator at Homestead. one OF
which had piece of gas pipe for q
handle; got the crow'bar at Ainana. and
!! had 1t with me when / met the school
| teacher on the Milwaukee track
i threw it down in the weeds and secur-
cd it after he passed on. The wrench
with the gas pipe handle was toe
small to remove the nuts from the
bolts in the place, and took II pacR
where found it and got one from the
Homestead section house. Had remov-
| ed some of the spikes when the fast
| fright went along but the rail was
not disrlaced. l was about ten min
utes completing the job after the
freight passed. removed spikes from
the inside of the east end of the south
rail. and also on the outside of the
west end Of the rail, and twisted 1t sc
l i,, and qOllth l.
west direction.
Hid the Displacement.
Taking newspapers, covered the
rail for about feet and placed stones
on them so they could not blow OF
thus hiding the displacement from the
engineer. I then threw the croWpal
into the creek, and went south, thru
a, wire fence-where tore my coat
waited there until the passenger
train came along and went down the
grade, but l could not see much OF
account of steam from the engine
Went UP on the track and found some
of the cars there. Then went doWr
| to the mail car, which was smashed
and helped man get things out. ThinP
he was a railroad man, as he had or
a blue suit. My motive was not rob-
berry. Have had the matter of wreck
ing train No Al in my mind for three
months past, but as the ground was
frozen 1 was afraid 1t would kill ev,
erybody, so waited until the ground
thawed out"
Davenport Man Lost.
| Special to Times Republican:
Davenport, Apriil flames -. Du