The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-20
POLICE BAFFLED
BY THE MURDERER
ST. PAUL ASSASSINATION STILL
SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.
Officers Have Clues and Say They Ex-
pect to Make an Arrest in Short
Time-Murderer Left Few Clues
=, Added Mutnation to the Savagery
of His Crime.

The murder of Christian H. Schin-
deldecker OF st. Paul remains shrouded
in mystery.
For forty-eight hours the police Of
that city have been busy running down
every clue presented, a half dozen men
have been taken into custody, examined
and released, and innumerable persons
have been interviewed, with the result
that the murderer is still at large. Chief
O'Connor expresses confidence that the
man will be arrested within the next
twenty-four hours and that the mys-
terry win be cleared up. By what dis
coveries Of the police this is made pos
sible is not known, but it is certain
maeion which they are guarding with
great secrecy.
Chief O'Connor's Statement.
"The murderer was not seen enter
ing or coming out of the store by any
children, as reported" said Chief
O'Connor at noon today. 'tTwo rail
road men were standing at the street
corner at the time the murder was com
mitted. They were waiting for third
man and did not notice any one enter
the store. Neither did they hear any
noise therefrom. -
guilty man would follow upon the dis
covery Of the ownership of several ar
tieles found in the butcher shop by the
police officers. There are four articles
in ala tinsmith g hammer, soiled
handkerchief and two penknives. The
hammer was found in basket used for
delivering meat, which was standing
near the dead man s body. A lead PEN
Gil was also found here, but it was evil
IDENTIFY one which belonged to the
butcher.
It is the theory Of the police that the
murderer came into the shop ostensi-
bly, to buy eggs. While Schindeldecker
was bending over the barrel, placing
the eggs in a paper bag, the murderer
struck him with the hammer upon the
right SIDE of the head. The officers
believe that the assassin then nailed
up the door, and, in taking this nail
from his pocket, he dropped the pen
knives and handkerchief.
Murderer in a Frenzy.
It was evident from the wounds that
the man was in a frenzy of fear when
err. 1t is probable that he dragged the
body into the rear room and left it
while he rifed the till. Upon return.
ing and searching the pockets of the
PROSTATE man Schindeldecker is thought
to have showed signs of reviving. Fear.
full tat he would recover and identify
him, the murderer seized the cleave1
and struck Standardization. With
every culver Of his victim IS body the
fear of the murderer redoubled and he
continued to strike until the body of
the dead man was a mangled and shape
less mass.
A physician who examined the body
shortly after the murder, said that such
insanity is not uncommon in men who
betray. no other signs Of mania, ano
prevails during the time of the crime
adding to the homicide the terrible
savagery Of mutilation. AS far: as is
knoWn no one saw the murderer
Blanche starkey, a 14-year,old girl
man who had blood on his hands, short
ly after the crime, with an inquiry al
to whether the police had caught thu
murderer Of that butcher, has denied
the story.
Tracing Down Clues.
Elsie Penshorn, .295 Goodhue avenue
small girl, was in the butchershop tt
get some change shortly before noon
! She saw a strange man talking tt
schindeldec ker. The man was Their,
when she LETT. Walter Gerenz, deliv
oiy wy IoI DcAAuueluecKer, SAID there
was no one in the store when h,
left for dinner at 1906 O'Clock, so tn,
stranger must have left before tha
That a man could commit such :
crime IN broad daylight, in a populou
nelghborhood and escape unseen, seem
incredible. Several men were taken il
by the police, but all were released
Two. colored men were arrested unde
suspicion, but both were able to give
| satisfactory account Of their where
abouts at the time of the crime and n,
one has been held by the police.
Schindeldecker g funeral will be he'll,
at his residence. At Superior street
Tuesday. The interment will be a
Oakland cemetery.