The San Francisco call., 1906-08-21
Stoops to Fit Shoes on Stranger
and IS Slain With SashWeight
Johannes Pfitzner the
Victim of Brutal
Murderer.
Struck Down and Rob-
bed and Assailant
Escapes.

Y OHANNES PFITZNER fell the VIC
4 light of midafterneen yesterday in
~ the little shoe and clothing store
he conducted at se4 McA1lister street.
| The proprietor was kneelfng before his
pretended customer TO try on pair of
| shoes, when the thug dealt him a ter
rff-fe blow on the head with a window
weight that was too heavy for him to
take along in his flight. In boldness
and atrocfty the crime surpasses any
case In the present era of thugsery and
Hfetaking.
The street was streaming with peo-
pie. and 1t was about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon that the murderer sauntered
into the store at a moment when there
was no customer In it. Silently and
swiftly he swung his death-dealing in
strument upon the STOPPING proprietor,
and after rffiing the 1atter's pockets OF
$500 watch and $3.50 in cash made his
exit and escape without attracting the
sight of single person so far as the
detectives have been able to learn.
Pfftsner was rendered unconscious
by the terrible blow, the top of his
head being crushed In. ard he never
regained his senses before death, which
came to him at 9:3e o'clock last night
ct the Central Emergency Hospital No
particulars of the crime are available
except the plain tale told by the po-
sitior of the merchants body and the
v fIIdGw weight with which his life was
dispatched
POLICE HAVE A CLEw.
Two persons were in the store
short time before the tragedy. and at
that time a strange man came in His
manner aroused suspicion, which was
strengthened by his hurried departure
He was looking 30 make a purchase.
but hastily found that his wants could
not be supplied.
The police are working on the theory
that he is the murderer and have an
excellent description of him. This is
the only clew that has been gained
and there rs only remote chance of
capturing the desperate rebher..
Phtzner lay for more than an hour
before he was found by his landlady,
who entered the store to get a bunch
of keys. She saw her tenant lying in
a pool of blood, tiae top OF his head
crushed in. FFanticaily she ran to
H. E. Baker. a tailor at 3ss McAllister
street, and told Of her discovery. Baker
summoned the police and Detective
George Graham was detailed on the
case.
Johannes Pf1tzner, up TO ten months
ago the husband of a woman who pos
sessed millions. quarreled with his wife
in Germany and went to Qua temala
He left pretty baby girl with his better
half, who had constantly Haunted her
millions In the face of her husband A
thorough musician and well-to do mer-
chant in the. city or Neustralitz, Pftz-
ner courted and won an heiress He
was accounted lucky by his friends.
but his matrimonial venture was any
thing but happy Bidding his family
fond farewell, Pftzner told his wife
that 1t was for the best that thew
sheuld separate and took passage on a
steamer for Guatemala.
Pfitzner toured the Central American
country as travelling merchant and
came to this city shortly after the fre.
He opened a small furnishing store on
McAllister street on July l and carried
a line of shoes and cigars with his
stock of wearing apparel for the male. !
LIVED LONE LIFE.
The merchant, although not recIuse.
took peculiar pleasure in being alone. |
He courted few friends and amused
himself by playing for hours on flute |
The neighbors say that he played ex-
ceflentiy ana sometimes gave fnstrie
tieH on the piano after store hours. To |
j. B. Reuben he told the story of his
life. He had a habit of showing his |
hoard to many of his customers, keep |
ing all OF ms wealth in q cigar box and |
bringing the depository forth when |
called upon to make change Some
one who was cognizant with the neF-I
chants habits and the place where he |
kept his money is responsible for the
terrible deed of yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon J. B. Reuben.
secretary of the Masonic board of re-
lief, who lives across the street at No. I
sSs. called at Pftzner's store to buy
some cigars. There he met HAnry 7. |
Hook of 1884 Turk street, another
Mason, and the three chatted for a
time. About 1880 young man called !
and asked to see pair of working I