Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-25
CONFESSION OF EBERHARD
New York Man Who Killed His Aunt
Tells of the Deed.
CAPTURED AT PATERSON, N.
Lured Woman to This Country and
Murdered Her to Get Money TO
Get Mnrried-AIsO Tried
to XIII Cousin.

NEW YORK, July 24-Drawn back to
the scene of his crime by a force he
could not resist, August Eberhard, self
confessed murderer of his aunt Mrs.
Otillie Eberhard. a Viennese widow,
whom he lured to a lonely spot in New
Jersey a few weeks ago and shot to
death, was caught near Paterson. n. j.,
today and is a prisoner In the Hacken-
sack Jail.
The reason Eberhard gave for COM
hitting the crime was that he was in
love with a Hackensack girl, and that
he needed the money to marry her.
Knowing that his aunt had $4,000 he
plotted to kill her. He says he also
intended to kill his pretty cousin, Otillle
Eberhard, to whom he was engaged, so
nothing would stand in the way 0f the
marriage of the New York girl. The
police have the name of the girl men
toned, and she will be brought here to
tell what she knows of the murder.
Arrest of Eberhard
Eberhard was found lying on the lawn
OF a residence just outside of Patterson.
There was an Ugly looking wound in his
right leg which the murderer first said
had been inflicted by Italians who
attacked him. but which he afterwards
confessed was inflicted by himself so
as to make the police believe he had been
wounded on the night his aunt was
killed. Morbid brooding over his inhu-
man crime had apparently unbalanced the
mind of Eberhard, but he showed some
Of the cunning that he displayed in the
murder plot. when the police questioned
him about the murder. Eberhard did not
Immediately confess to the police. When
placed under arrest he expressed sur
.-g.. NHn2 h. ahA,,1A 10 ,gwaaN % Al,
foul deed and told a most ingenious
story to account for his disappearance
after the shooting OF his aunt, to the
effect hat on the night OF the murder
he had tried to defend his aunt from an
attack of a party OF Italians. He said
he made his cousin run on ahead and
then returned to help, but the murderers
~overpowered him after shooting him in
the leg. Then he lost consciousness and
remembered nothing until he came to
his senses in the Preakness mountains.
He gave a graphic description Of his
alleged wanderings through the noun
tains.
Finally weakens,
The inquisitors did not believe this story
and they kept Eberhard on the grill until
he weakened and made a confession. The
murderer seemed to feel relieved when hs
I FelaIcu MS remarkable narrative OF Tire
murder. To the prosecutor 10 whom he
confessed he asked for a cigar and when
given 10 him he smoked It as though he
had no other care I'm the world. Eberhard
stated that his alleged accomplish had no
hand in the killing of Mrs. EbeIhGId. This
man, who was one OF Eberhard's friends.
has fled to the west and tire police are
looking for him. They have his name.
Eberhard told the police that he had
planned the murder two months ago. He
wrote many letters to his aunt in hts
efforts 10 induce her to sell her home IN
Germany and come 10 this country to live
He even promised that he would marry
her daughter Otlillie and make a comfort
able home for her here.
Then Eberhard ~recounted the arrival OF
his aunt and his cousin Ottillie, Of his
finding rooms for them In a hotel in West