New-York tribune., 1907-05-27
PRIESTS BODY In BOX.
TRUNK LEFT IN ROOM.
IN Ihnerant armenian Clergyman
Robbed and Murdered.

The body Of a murdered Armenian priest
known among his fellow countrymen in the city
and its vicinity as Father Kaspar. was found
yesterday in trunk at No. 333 West ,
street. The trunk had been left in the room.
which part Of the fiat of Henry Sherrer. by
two Armeuians. These men were known TO Mr.
and Mrs. Sherrer simply as Paul and Sarkis
Although the body found about noon, the
identification not made until nearly mid
night, John Karanfilian. a trustee of the Ar
menian church. at No. $40 Clinton avenue. West
IIoboken. went 10 the morgue. and upon seeing
the body said 1t was Father Kaspar.
No one seems To know much of Father Kaspar.
He seems to he an itinerant priest. He came
here. it is thought, from Providence. But there
is little mystery as to the cause of his murder.
lie always carried a little leather pouch. which
he carefully guarded Into the pouch he put the
money he got from Armenians for his support.
Along with his clerical garb top of his body
in the alright trunk this bag found. 1t
was empty
Karandlan said Father Kaspar lived at the
home of Bishop Horsap Survgin. at No. 60s
Monastery street. West Hoboken. y. ]. This
was denioi ii West Hoboken.
SAW PRIEST TWO WEEKS AGO
The churs trustee said Father Kaspar had
visited his house on Sunday afternoon, two
priest since.
Father Kaspar according to Karanllian. had
been in this century five years. but had no
parish He thought the priest had wife and
family in Moosh. I'm Asia.
KarauGliau said that the tattooed marks, a
cross and wreath and date. on the priests wrists
and hands. We're imprinted there. in the cere-
mony performed when Armenian priests visit
Jerusalem. on each visit a new mark is tat
tooed
The body Of a man. supposed to be priest
I'm the Armenian Church. Enthusiastically muir
dered was found in trunk in room in the
apartments of Henry Sherrer the third floor
Of the fiathouse at No. 333 West 3Ith street yes
terday shortly before noon. The man. after be-
ing bound and thrust in the trunk, had died as
an autopsy showed, from suffocation
The police expect within a few hours to ascer-
tain the identity Of the dead man.
No arrests had been made in the case up TO a
late hour
According to Mrs. Sherrer who rents the
front room of her fiat. two men. evidently
Armenians OF Greeks, took it for two weeks
three weeks ago. The rent had heen paid up to
last Wednesday. The woman said she knew one
Of the men as Paul and the other as Sarkis.
Last Wednesday morning the woman saw the
two men leave the apartment in company with
priest.
That was at s or s: 80 in the morning. Be
tween > and .: 80 in the afternoon Mrs. Sherrer
saw the two men, with third. an eXpressman,
enter the house with trunk, which appeared TO
be heavy, and which apparently was difficult to
handle.
That nicht the two boarders called Mrs.
Sherrer and said that they wished 10 write
a letter They were brothers. they explained.
and the letter was intended for their mother in
Armenia They wanted to do their writing in
the kitchen.
The woman gave them permission and while
the men were preparing TO write they talked
about the trunk In their room Mrs. Sherrer
told them they had to pay their rent. as usual.
In advance but they said ii impossible.
She said she would retain the trunk until the
rent was paid
They thought this would be all right. but they
told her they had the wrong trunk.
WANTED TO CHANGE TRUNK.
Mrs Sherrer merely said she'd keep that par
ticular trunk until the rent for the room was
paid. The men said they wanted to change"
the trunk and went away.
That was the last she or anybody else about
the house saw of the
The trunk was still there Friday and Satur-
day morning. when Mrs. Sherrer went in TO ar
range things The bed had not been disturbed,
but she busted the room.
Yesterday morning offensive odor attract
ed attention to the trunk. Patroman Henry
Rodo of the West 37th street station. was called
in. He pried the trunk open and found the
doubled up body OF partly nude man.
Captain Stephen OBren. in command of the
West 37th street station, went at once TO the
scene Within half hour Coroner Acritelli
arrived, accompanied by Mr.. Manley. who said
he represented the District Attorney.
Coroner Acritelli ordered the trunk and
tents sent to the morgue and Coroner's Physi-
clan Leblanc was ordered to perform an autopsy.
Mr. Manley, with Inspector Burns. Captain
O'Brien and Coroner AcritelH. went to the police
station. after sending the body to the morgue,
and began an examination of witnesses which
lasted six or seven hours
Police Headquarters was informed. and half
dozen Central Office men were sent TO the
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