Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-19
ARCsf|snD TELLS BRUTAL STORY
Self. Confessed Murderer, Believing
His Employer Had Money. Stole 4
Gun and from Hiding Place in Par.
Ior Shot Mrs. Sheppard and Her
Husband, Then the Maid.

NEW YORK, May 1S-Frank Zas-
terra. the half witted bohemian farm
hand who went TO work for L'er-
tenant William b. Sheppard last
Thursday night. near Wichatunk, y.
j., has confessed to Prosecutor An
drew A. G. Stokes that he murder
cd Sheppard, Mrs. Sheppard and their
servant girl, Jennie Bendy. Saturday
morning.
Shl shot Mrs. Sheppard first as she
was going up stairs in her night
dress with bottle of milk for the
baby. and when Sheppard rushed
down the stairs TO his wife's aid.
Zaytera raised the magazine shot
gun and let Sheppard have a charge
full in the breast. After that he ran
around to the back of tle house.
where Jennie Bendy. the servant girl.
was getting breakfast, and shot hcr
through the heart.
Prosecutor Stokes and the detec-
tives got the confession from Zastera
after ten hours Of solid question
ing. He sat stolidly hour after hour,
denying that he had anything to do
with the crime. and unmoved even
when they showed him the blood
stained clothing the three victims had
worn Mr.. Stokes had Zastsra peel
off his coat and put on the vest
that Lieutenant Sheppard had worn.
The blood was hardly dry upon II,
but Zastera never turned a hair.
Queer in His Head.
Most of Saturday night. while the
prosecutor and the detectives hah
ZaStera on the grill. the Bohemian
pretended that his mind was blank
rs TO everything that happened at
the Sheppard place Saturday morn
ing. He told them over and over
again that he had not been rlgh,
in his head since the time he was Sc
riously i'll several years ago. and the
doctors had to operate on his mead.
There were times when he forgot
things, and couldn't make himself
remember. AS to other occurrences
he was perfectly rational, and had
names and dates at his tongue end:
from o'clock until 8 or ? O'Clock on
bu, he could not remember anything
Saturday morning.
Finally when Mr. Stokes ana dstec-
tiycs were worn out. Zastcra suddenly
dropped his head in his hands.
Il see il now. see it now he
cried: Il see it now: it comes back
to me-"
Did you kill them" the prosecut-
| ing attorney shot at him. z
Il did" said Zastera, Il wanted
money. knew Mr. Sheppard had
lot Of money in the big leather purss
no carried on the inside Of his coat
rocket II cam to me all at once
to kill him and his wife that morn
ing when got up To milk the COW.
I hadn't thought Of il before.
Stole Masters Gun.
Il 90. out or bed about = O'Clock.
dressed myself and went out so tho
harm to milk While was milking
! thought of a plan TO get IN" mon y.
4 knew whore NJ. Sheppard Kept
his guns. and I Thought I could han
die repeating shotgun inat nc ofr"n
used himself One time he lct IN"
shoe, !; at crows and taught me
how 20 handle the pump that throws
tho Icad shells OFT.
So when got through milking ]
carried the pals into tho kitchen and
| down into the summer house AM
sct them on tho ground. Jennie
Heudy was M getting breakfast
ready in tho Kitchen. and hoard
Mr. and Mrs Sheppard stirring uP-
stairs. think hoard the baby
crying. too.
Thin Slipped into tho hnHs" and
got Mr. Sh~pard's Gun. ssu that "
had six cartridges In tho magazin"
and hid myself in tho parl"r. "
sccmcd 10 mo that Sheppard would
! como downstairs first. hui that rnorn-
ing Mrs. Shcppart wax ~" Hsf
dosu. She was IN her night gown.
and I watched her while she went
back to got the bai.y some Silk.
Spo. Mother First.
! When she returned TO the front