Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-24
Shows That Frank Jones
Was Murdered.
Ralph kIantz Says He Picked
Quarrel and Shot Him.
Suspected, Questioned and Tells
Whole Story to Police.

Francis E. Jones, the 16-year-old boy
on the ice of Half Moon pond at
Shrewsbury Monday1is believed to
have been cleared by the alleged con-
fession tonight of Ralph William
Krantz, a 14-year- old boy, living at 81
Carol street, Worcester. According
to the story said to have been told to
Officers Arthur f. Roach and Robert
T.. Molt, Krantz picked a quarrel with
Jones and shot the elder lad through
the head with a shot gun Krantz, up
on the completion Of his alleged con-
fession, which vas said to have been
made to the officers while the lad was
in bed, was arrested and locked up OH
a charge of murder.
The arrest of young krantZ was
brought about through his telling
ne+ghbor that he had picked up revol-
yer near 1.-The lake. referring TO Lake
Ouinsiyamond. AS Jones' revolver was
missing, this man told the story to the
state police with the result that Officers
Roach and Molt went to Krantzs home
tonight krantz was in bed, but the OH
GERS gained admittance to the room,
woke up the lad and sat down by MS
bedside and asked him about the revol-
II is said Krantz asserted that he had
found the revolver and denied all knowi-
edge of the shooting lie said that he
had spent Monday at Mud pond, 1oui
and a half miles from where the CRIME
was committed.
From facts that the officers had dis
covered in tracing footsteps leading f'om
Half Moon pond, where Jones body was
found yesterday, the officers, 1t IS sa'o'
told krantZ what clothes he had worn
and reminded him that he had stopped
at a farmhouse in the vicinity of tie pond
where he had asked for some paper ana
string to do ZIP n string of four llsh ,fiit
he carried When they mentioned the
hunting boots worn by Krantz that day
he showed the officers the ones. he wore.
They were three or four sizes too large
for him. He said that they belonged to
his brother but that he had wocn them
on his excursion Monday.
Finally, it is alleged Krantz broke
down and told the officers his story. Ac-
cording to his alleged statement, krantz
left his hcme Monday on hunting trip
carrying shotgun On Half Moon Pond
he saw Jores fishing through the ice and
went to speak to him. krantZ mad ex-
pressed a wish to own revolver ana as
Jones had one with him at the time ne
showed it to KrantZ. explained now II
was worked and demonstrated It's use.
Shortly after this KrantZ left Jones ana
walked away 20 or 40 yards and then
came back. Picking a quarrel with Jones
on some pretext, krantz. according to MS
alleged confession, leveled his shotgun at
yones' head and discharged it, the Shot
striking the young fisherman in the head
and killing him. KrantZ then picked up
the revolver, the fish that Jones had
caught and the basket he had taken with
him on his trip The basket Krantz later
threw away, but he placed the revolver
in his pocket and carried the fish to a
farmhouse, where he asked for paper anu
string with which to do them up.
1t Is claimed that the story kianN is
alleged to have told Of his movements
on Monday tallies with those traced by
the officers. They had followed hit foot
prints about the ice, and away frcm the
ponl to the farmhouse and from there to
the electric car line. where they we're
lost
K:antz is the son of Gustaf A. krantz,
who Is now in Sweden. and lived with
his mother at their Carol street home.
The body of young Jones was found
Tuesday afternoon beside Il fishing hole
on Half Moon pond by DR.. William f.
Taft Of Worcester and Elmer Hill: of
I.akcview There was a gunshot wound
on the left side of the head. The Off
GERS, however. were unable to hHd ana
clew to tho murderer. Tt was known
that there had been several fishing par
ties on tn, pond at about the time Jones
met his death and tracks about the pond
were followed without any tangihi" result
until 1t was learned tonight that young
Krantz had told nf picking up revolver
near the scene of the shooting.