The evening world., 1905-09-11
THUGS KILL
ANOTHER MAN
IN HOTEL ROOM
Alfred Krattinger Slain for His
Money as Was Editor
Thompson.
A GAS VICTIM.
But Bruise on Temple Disproves
Suicide Theory and Police
Have New Mystery.
THOUGHT A GAS VICTIM.

Anotherupper Sixth avenue hotel has
furnished a murder mystery. Alfred
Krattinger. of No. 1876 West Ffty-sec.
found lead with an ugly bruise over
the right ear. his purse and a valuable
diamond stud misstng, in Suesen's
Hotel. at sixth avenue and Fifty-sixth
street. The hotel is only a few blocks
distant from the ST. ames'S Hotel. where
]. II. Thompson. exchange editor of the
Times, was beaten 10 death last Friday
night.
The police of the West Forty-seventh
street station, who have hoth mysteries
on their hands, found many points of
similsrity in the two murders. Both
Thompson and Krattinger carried large
sums of money. Both men had been
robbed of their wallets. Both had APP
parertiv been struck down by a black
tack. And in both instances the MUIR
derer had tried to make 1t appear that
death had resulted from natural causes
For a time was thought tina Krattiu-
ger had KILLED himself by turning on the
gas. but investigation developed so
many suspicious circumstances that he
suicide theory had to be abandoned
One of the maids in Sucsen's hotel
passed along the second floor corridor
early Sunday morning as she went out
to mass. She didn't smell n gas. Half
an hour later she again passed
through the corridor and the odor Of
gas was noticeable.
She notified Herman Suesen, the pro-
p~rietor. He traced the gas to Kratt!n-
gers room. the door of which was
locked. The door was forced and KRAFT
finger was found dead on the bed, At
first glance everything seemed to indi.
cate that the man had taken his life.
His fea -ures were composed, there were
no signs of violence and the gas was es-
Gaping from a hall bracket. Suesen sent
word to the police and to Krattinger's
father n brothers.
Coroner Scholer and william and Jo-
sepb K~rattinger reached the hotel within
half an hour. The brothers said there
should be a diamond pin valued at 81. 100
on their brother, as well as a wallet
containing $3.50, which he had Saturday
night. Neither diamond nor wallet
was found. KrattinS gers watch and
chain also had disappeared. There WAS
not a penny in his pockets.
Then the Coroner noticed that the
ransom Of the room was open. 1t
isn't usual for men who set out to
asphyxiate themselves to leave a tran
som open. The window opening on
Sixth avenue was shut, but not tightly.
The door key was broken, as though 1t
had been wrenched violently. Half re-
manned in the lock. The other half
lay on the floor.
The Coroner also noticed that the
face was rot b~lackened or dlscolored,
as is usually the cas- in asphyxiation.
and that Just over the right ear was
a bruise that extended across the tenn
pie. 1t was such a bruise as might have
been caused by the blow Of a blunt
weapon.
On top of the dresser lay a slip Of
paper on which was scrawled in a nand
not Krattinger's: Look after me, Jack"
1t could not be de ermined whether
the word Jack" was meant for the
signature or was the name of the per-
son addressed. Coroner Scholer said
1t very probably had no reference to
ths case.