The Penn's Grove record., 1908-05-22
FARMLAND SLEW SHEpPARDS
Authorities Announced That Zas.
terra Had Confessed Murders.
Prosecutor Reported That Prisoner
Admitted Taking Money and Other
Valuables After Shooting.

Freehold, N. T. Frank Zastera,
the Hungarian farmland who went to
work for William B. Sheppard three
days before on the old Garrett Wall
place near Wickatunk, confessed to
Prosecutor Andrew A. G. Stokes that
he murdered Lieutenant Sheppard,
Mrs. Sheppard and their servant girl,
Jennie Blendy.
He shot Mrs. Sheppard first as she
was going back up stairs in her
night-dress with a bottle of milk for
the baby, and when the Lieutenant
rushed down the stairway to his
wife's aid Zastera raised the maya
zine shotgun and let Sheppard have
a charge full il the breast. After
that he ran around to the back of the
house where Jennie Blendy, the SER
want girl, was getting breakfast and
shot her through the heart.
Assistant County Prosecutor Stokes
is authority for the statement that
after he and several detectives had
spent hours giving the prisoner the
third degree" he broke down and
confessed the deed. According to Mr..
Stokes Zastera said he intended only
to kill Mr.. Sheppard. Contrary to
custom, Mrs. Sheppard was first to
come down stairs, going to the kitch-
en- to warm some milk for the baby.
The detectives say that Zastera adj
mits he was hidden in the parlor
where he could see any one coming
down the stairs. He had armed him
self with Mr.. Sheppard's repeating
shotgun. When Mrs. Sheppard
started back up stairs the farm hand
fired on her, the detectives say the
prisoner admits.
The first shot hit her in the hips,
knocking her down, and as she fell
the second shot was fired, the charge
entering her head just back of the
right ear.
Sheppard started down stairs at
the first shot and was fired on twice.
His body rolled down on top of the
woman lying at the foot of the stairs.
At that moment the servant opened
the kitchen door, and as she started
down a small flight of steps Zastera
shot her.
Zastera is said to have admitted
searching for money. He knew that
Sheppard carried a pocketbook. This
he searched, took from it some bills,
leaving behind some checks and other
papers. He then searched the rooms
for valuables and took what he want
ed. He is said to have told the de-
tectives where some of the plumber is
seereted.
The first thing that struck Mr..
Stokes as peculiar was that Zastera
stuck stolidly to his story that he had
not heard any of the five shots fired
that killed the three. In all of his
answers to Mr.. Stokes questioning
the prisoner not only stuck to this
statement, but admitted that the win
dows of the woodshed and the barn
door were open when he left The
house. He was in the barn at the
time, he said, milking the cows. The
barn is not distant from the house
more then 200 feet.
This feature of the case led the au-
thorities to take Zastera to the Coun-
ty Jail in Freehold. They were I'M
able to get trace of Huron and Frank
Crooks, who was arrested near Free
hold, on suspicion, was let go.
Zastera was not allowed to sleep.
First Mr.. Stokes would question the
Hungarian and then some of the
county detectives. This was kept up
all night. Zastera with the blood
stained clothing of Mr.. Sheppard near
him in the cell, would not admit that
he had had any connection with the
triple murder for an entire day and
night.