Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13
A REVOLT TING MURDER
Woman's Body Found Half De-
cayed in Trunk.
IN FRANKFORT ON-THE-MAIN
Left for Storage by Man With Express
Company.
SUSPECT SAILED FOR AMERICA
Arrested With Woman at Hoboken
When Steamship Arrived From
Europe Yesterday.
IN FRANKFORT ON THE-MAIN
SUSPECT SAILED FOR AMERICA

FRANkFORT-ON-TH Germany,
May 1.-THE details of a mysterious and
revolving tragedy, for which Wilhelm
Meyer and a woman named Christiani will
be arrested on the arrival of the Hamburg
American line steamer Graf Waldersee at
New York today. were revealed this after
noon. Meyer came to Frankfort April "a
and left trunk and other baggage with an
express company, saying that the trunk
contained clothing and that he wanted 1t
kept for three months, he was going
abroad
The trunk was finally opened by the po-
lice and found to contain the half-decayed
body of an aged woman. covered with
choloride of lime. The body turned out to
be that of a Mrs. VogeI of Wildungen, In
the principality of Waldeck, who had been
missing since the disappearance of Meyer
from that place. She came from San Fran
cisco to Wildungen with Meyer two years
ago. The latter Is a furniture dealer
thirty-one years of age, and born In Ger
many. Mrs Vegel was reputed to have been
very rich. Latterly she quarreIed with
Meyer and asked for police protection. The
murder was committed by strangulation.
Meyer spent several days in Frankfort
and wrote to the Christiani woman who
comes from a good Wildungen family to
HieS' MN mere, whence they disappeared to-
sether. Inquiries made by the police es-
tablished the fact that the couple sailed for
New York from Hamburg April 20 regis
tered as from New Orleans.
Arrested at Hoboken
NEW YORK, May 12-Meyer and
the woman were arrested by federal
officers at Hoboken when the Graf
Waldersee reached her dock today They
were at once brought to this city and ar
raigned before United States Commissioner
Shields. who had issued warrants for their
arrest. The man refused to talk and the
woman professed not TO know why they
had been arrested.
The Graf Waldersee was met at the dock
by Deputy United States Marshal Bern
hard and another deputy, who at once put
Meyer under arrest. He made no resist
ance when the handouts We're placed on his
wrists The woman who accompanied him
was registered on shipboard as his wife,
but confessed to the authorities that her
real name was Christiani.
Woman Apparently UNIFORMED.
As soon as she realized what had been
done she began asking the marshal the rea-
son for the arrest, and from her questions
1t seemed as If she was entirely ignorant
of the crime which Meyer is accused of
committing. During the drive from Hobo
ken to Commissioner Shields office in New
YORK she made several attempts to comfort
Meyer but her advances were febuffed by
him. -
Meyer is of medium size. dark haired and
with irregular features. When asked If he
mad lived in the United States before he re-
piled In German that It was no ones bust
ness The woman speaks some English
but Meyer apparently does not understand
a word of 1t. They were both searched by
the authorities, who found nothing of a
suspicious character. Meyer had with him
sum equivalent to $3.50 in German money
meyer and the woman were both COM
mttted to Jail without bail until Monday
when the German consul in this city will
appear against them