New-York tribune., 1907-10-08
KILLS LSMANINBROADWAY
CROWD FEARS TO ACT.
Wdtchman Struck Dozen by Hatchet
an Hands of Maniac.

After being followed along Broadway from
the Battery last night by a crowd which howled
and hooted at him, Charles Knack. sixty-two
years old. suddenly stopped. at Exchange Place
grabbed carpenters hatchet and killed James
Daniels. watchman. of No. $40 West 18th
street. He swung the hatchet wildly and no one
dared approach him. The crowd looked on. too
stunned by his deed TO act. One woman was
pulled out of his way Just he about TO
strike her
Finally Knack started to run down Exchange
Place followed by the crowd, which had in
creased to large proportions. George Gibson
of No. 16 Catherine Slip; John Mehgen. of No
% Wall street, and William ]. Flemming, a
corporal in the 18th Infantry, who witnessed
the attack ran after Knack and caught him at
Broad street Mehgen struck in the arm
by the old man. The other men grabbed Knack's
arms and overpowered him. The crowd closed
in around Knack and he was thrown violently
to the ground. Detective O'Connor. of the Cen
trail Office, arrested Knack and took him to the
John street station.
In the meanwhile an ambulance from the Hud-
son Street Hospital had been summoned. Dan
iels still lay in the street DR.. Stuart hastily
examined the man and pronounced him dead.
The body was taken to the station house in the
patrol wagon.
An ambulance from ST. Gregory's Hospital,
which had been summoned. arrived at the same
time the one from the Hudson Street Hos
pital. DR.. Arnold. OF st. Gregory's. was asked
to attend TO A. Rutzuert twenty years old, of
No. II Stone street. and T. J. Fox, of No. 1912
Park avenue Their hands were badly cut in
trying TO take the hatchet away from Knack
They said that when they grabbed hold of him
he drew a knife from his pocket, and began to
slash at them.
At the station DR.. Stuart attended to the
bruises and cuts received by Knack. It was
found that the old mans left forearm had been
broken. His nose was badly cut and there was
a cash over his eye
Coroner AcriteIli arrived and examined the
body for Identification slip Of paper was
found in his pocket giving his name and ad-
dress.
Knack talked incoherently when he was ex
aInined by Coroner AcrteuL He said he
sitting In Battery Park when several boys
started to annoy him. While he was walking up
Broadway no said some of these boys followed
him and threw stones at him. Then he said he
came TO the city yesterday from Jersey, where
he owns property. When he was asked by Cor
oner Acrtelli why he struck Daniels the old
man said Daniels threw stones at him. Assist
ant District Attorney Manley arrived and the
examination was continued in private room.
DR.. Stuart said that Knack had an old tract
ure of the skull. 1t is believed that this injury
and litigation over property in New Jersey
responsible for Knacks mental arrangement.
The teers of his tormentors evidently excited
hIrl 20 kin Daniels.
Among the papers found in his possession was
old German passport and a copy of a Will
on which was noted in red ink that the will of
his uncle deciding certain property TO other
heirs a forgery. There was also a petition
of Mario d. Knack asking the New Jersey Court
,Pl md m set Sid deeds
Of property which IL appears were held by Anna
and James Usher.
The examination over. Knack was removed to
Bellevue prisoner on the charge OF homicide.
Daniels employed by the Rheinfrank
House Wrecking Company of No. go East 18th
street, as night watchman for the materials of
the old Consolidated Exchange