New-York tribune., 1908-09-23
BOY CONFESSESM MURDER
PARK MYSTERY SOLTED.
Says He Killed Spanish Priest an
Central Park.

ENRIQUE de Lara, seventeen years old, and son
of a wealthy merchant of San Domingo, was
arrested last night charged with the murder OF
Father Arturo Asencio the Spanish priest VINO
was found unconscious on the Circle Drive IN
Central Park opposite West 10th street, on
Monday night, September ii. with bullet
wound in his head. The priest died two days
later without telling anything except that he
had not shot himself Detectives who made the
arrest say the Young prisoner made full con-
fession of the murder.
When the priests body found there was
every indication that he had shot himself. Val
liable jewelry was found on him. and for this
reason 1t was contended that he was not muir
deTed for robbery. A revolver was found near
his body. The arrest of De Lara came about,
however, through search made by detectives
for a watch and some money that had been
stolen from the priest before his death.
On August 80 Father Asencio went to Police
Headquarters and reported that a gold watch
and $50 had been stolen from his room. He
was living then at No. 219 West 14th street
Detective George W Jininez and Captain
Carey investigated the robbery. The priest said
that his stolen valuables had been left in an
open trunk in his room There was no clew to
be found Of the thief, but Detective Jirninez
still working on the case on September II, when
the priest was found IL the park He thought
there might be some connection between the
robbery and the murder and his theory proved
correct, if young De Lara's confession be true.
The detectives say that De Lara confessed
that he had stolen the watch and money from
the priest and it is the belief of the police that
the young mans motive to cover up his
former crime, although De Lara says that
dispute with the priest made him angry while
they were together in the Park.
Working on this theory Detective Jiminez
made careful search of the priests in the
hotel and found, among other things, card on
which written the name Hachtman, and
the address No PSI West 10th street
Captain Carey and Detective Jiminez finally
found Mrs. Louise Hachtman at.No. 257 West
112th street, who said she was an intimate friend
of the priest. She became acquainted with the
priest, she said, at Monte Christi, San Domingo.
She mentioned De Lara, who boarded with her,
as a friend of the priest He had come from
his home, in San Domingo. on the same steam
ship with the priest, and had gone with him to
Baltimore De Lara, she said had spent four
years in a university in Germany and his father
owned big stores in England, Germany and
France
The detectives caught De Lara, who told
them they say, that he and the priest had been
together much of the time since coming to this
city.
The detectives had been told that De Lara
carried a revolver, but he denied having that
and the detectives became suspicious. They
learned that De Lara carried watch but he
denied this They went to his room again and
interrogated him at some length concerning the
watch and the revolver but he insisted that
they were mistaken.
Then the detectives searched the ROOM how
ever and found three pawn tickets; two were
for watches and the third for a chain and locket
At that the detectives say, the young man
broke down and made a full confession.
On the night Of August 80 he went to the
priests room and spent several hours there with
Father Asencio. In a trunk the priest kept
gold watch and some money. The priest left
the room for time asd during his absence De
Lara took the watch and money, $3.50 from the
trunk.
On the night of September IA De Lara was out
walking and met the priest near Eighth avenue
and 112th street The priest asked him to take
a walk in the park
They were walking along a path near the
block house he said when the priest and he
olIarrelled The priest started to run and De
Lara shot him.
De Lara said he was frightened but walked
over to the priest to see If he dead. The
mans coat was open he said, asd he saw his
watch hanging suspended from a chain. He
took this he said, and then toward Central
Park West
The young man cannot understand English,
and his confession was made TO the detectives
through an interpreter.