New-York tribune., 1907-09-04
MURDERED LENA SCHUM
DEAD BURGLARS CRIME.
Nan Killed by Charles VerraU Sles0
Brooklyn Woman, Too.


verraI killed on Monday identified as the muir
derer Of Sophie Heckler, is now believed to have
been also the slayer of Mrs. Lena schum. whose
body was found in her apartment. at No. 1890
Flushing avenue Williamsburg, on August 20.
Detective Hawkins, of the Brooklyn bureau
cleared up the mystery. Hawkinss investlga-
tions prove that Hoffman followed the precepts
of that famous woman killer, Johann Hoch oy
first gaining her confidence under the pretence
of wooing a to get the opportunity oi
rohhing her. Hoffman's method was further
imitation Of Hoch's according TO DetecuVe
Hawkins in that he chose q fellow country
woman
In reading the accounts Of Hoffman's crimes
Hawkins was struck by the fact that oo'h IA
fairs had their basis in robbery. and with that
slim clew he hunted up Miss Minnie springer
the Young girl. who had been a boarder at Mrs
Sob,,,o,e house until a few days before her muir
der
Miss snringer gave a complete description OF
Mrs Schum's 1ewelry. Among other articles
described was a pair Of earrings ha"hi'i'
brought the girl 10 headquarters ahd look hei
before Inspector McCafferty. TO tell her story
again.
To the inspector the young woman again care
fully described the earrings and then drew a
picture of them McCaferty left the ROOM anu
procuring the earrings which had peeh lo1iii
in Hoffn1an's suit case mixed them up with a
dozen other pairs Of earrings, and showing the
whole lot TO Miss Springer asked her if she
could picl out the ones owned by Mrs Schum
Without a moments hesitation the girl picked
out the same pair which had been found in
Hoffmann's suit case. saying they were the
ones formerly worn by her friend and landlady.
A bunch of keys. which had been found among
the dead burglars effects was the" brought to
her but she was not told from whom they had
been procured, and was asked If she recognized
any of them.
Miss Springer picked out one of the keys. say
ing that it was the one which she had used as
her latchkey. when she had boarded with Mrs.
Schun This key Identification also clears up
the point concerning the disappearing milk
hotties which puzzled the police at the time OF
the schum murder, when for three mornings the
milk left daily by the milkman on Mrs Schums
doorstep was as regularly removed. when later
facts proved that the woman must have been
dead at the time of the removal
Lieutenant Carey took this key after Miss
Springers Identification, and. proceeding TO the
fiat formerly occupied by Mrs Schum' found
that the key fitted the lock perfectly
A gold ring, set with a small red stone. was
also identified by Miss Springer. as one OF the
belongings of Mrs Schum, this also being a part
Of the plunder found in Hofmans SUIT case.
AS a further precaution, detective was dis
patched with this ring TO the home of the sister
in-Iaw Of the murdered woman, Mrs John
Sch,n in Stewart avenue, near Richmond HILL
ana she also positively identified It as the prop
ertv of her dead relative.
Another circumstantial item which came 10
light in the police investigation yesterday was
the statement of Samuel Weinberg, tailor
who has a shop on the ground floor of the house
at No 234 Third avenue, where HOFFMAN
boarded.
Weinberg said that or about August Il
Hoffman, whom he identified yesterday at the
rnorgue. had come into his shop with a coat
stained with blood marks. which he asked him
to clean.
When Honmans suitcase was examined by
the police they found a receipt from the kran-
kan Inter Stutzungsverein, made out TO him as
A member An official of that organization In
timated yesterday that Hoffman an honest
man, and that the police now that he was
dead. were trying to saddle on to him all the un
solved mysteries of the department This Off
cial said he would give $1,000 If the police
could really prove Hoffman to be a murderer
Detective Hawkins may take him up.