New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-26
TELLS OF MURDER
MUELLER SHOT WOM-
IN IN QUARREL.
BigamiSt GiUes Details of Kill
ing in Lonely Islip Woods
on Long Island.

ilohiC VI Olto AlueilSIs NdS dlICSNVu 4oSb
night in connection with the murder of
Anna Luther. the woman whose skeleton
was found in the Islip woods a week
ago, was locked up in the town Jail here
this evening on a technical charge Of
| homicide, after he had confessed to
bigamy earlier in the day and twicedold
the details of the murder. He will be
arragned before Coroner ". r. Savage
tomorrow
Although he had acknowledged the
murder in signed confession at the
Brooklyn Police Headquarters early in
the day. Gebhardt, as he neared the
scene of the crime. was eager to discuss
every detail of the fatal visit TO Islip
year ago.
IF l were alone" he said, II would
not care what happened to me, but
want TO live to see my children grow up.
1t was for their sake that l returned to
my first wife, and if the police had not
arrested me in connection with this muir
der I would continue to work for my
family"
Gebhardt had passed through Sc
we're police ordeal since he was arrested
near his home, at No. 357 Woolsey ave-
nue., Astoria. but he did not finch for
an instant while he answered Coroner
Savage at the preminary examination IN
the Brooklyn Police Headquarters. When
he had read over his own story of big
amy and murder, taken by the officials,
he added his signatur saying that he
fully realized what he was doing.
TELLS OF THE MURDER.
The confession, which will be read at
the coroner's inquest to-day, was wit
messed by Police Captain John D. Cogh-
Ian. two Central Office detectives, and
Coroner Savage.
In his confession Mueller says:
About December, 1907. I first met Anna
| Luther We were married in February,
| 1908 and went to Europe to live. We
| returned April 6, 1908. She went to
! Henry Wuertupp's. in Newark. n. j., TO
spend day or two. 1 returned TO my
| home and wife in Astoria. / met Anna
| again on April 8, in Newark, and we
went to an address in oath street, New
| York. and then to Jamaica, Long Island.
| We stayed at Jamaica until next day.
April 9 we went to Bay Shore and we
walked about, and showed her some
| property. I got into an argument with
! her about some money matters and
| turned away and wanted to go back
! She followed me up, screaming, ana
shot her in the. head. didn't look at
! her, and do not remember whether
! shot her more than once.
Immediately after I went to the Islip
| dapot and took a train for home. 1t
was nearly, dark. On the way home on
| the train I threw the revolver out ot
the car window. I want TO state that
| I didn't kin Anna Luther for her money,
as the newspapers have stated. My
! original reason for marrying Anna was
| that l didn't care to live with my first
| wife any longer, but as she-Tny hrst
| wife-had given me child, my desire
to see again my child caused me to want
to get rid of Anna Luther and return to
my first wife and child.
This is the reason why I shot Anna
Luther, and I told her in Bay Shore that
I was married and had wife and child
! and must leave her
She screamed and ran after me. and
kissed me and wanted me back and
! shot her.
This confession is made of my own
free will without any hope Of recon-
pense being offered me.
AS the concession was read to him by
the police, Gebhardr insisted that he had
told everything and asked to be taken
to Islip for immediate trial. He added
that he did not care to appear in public
until he had changed his wornout ap-
pearance, which followed the exciting
night of his arrest and police examina-
ton. Before leaving Brooklyn he was
arraigned before Magistrate Dooling, in
the Adams street police court. and re-
p,anded in the custody of the Islip coro-
ner, who then started for this place.
ACCOMPANIED by Detective Bob" Sc
| Leslie.
GOES INTO DETAILS.
Commuters on the Long Island Rail-
road made the first part of the trip un-
comfortable for the prisoner. and it was
not until the party had changed cars at
| Jamaica. that Gebhardt became talka-
tive. Then he was submitted to most
minnie examination by the detective. He
answered every question and added to
his statements by going over all tine
events of the Islip murder.
He said that he did not a first intend
| n murder Anna Luther but he could no
! longer stand her demands upon him for
money. 'I did not marry for money
hut It was because could not get along
with nv Wife" added the prisoner as he
| told of q. quarrel which led him to leave
! his first wife.
The prisoner Indignantly denied that
! he had seven or eight wives and that he
had nut them out Of the way" as was
renorted. To the police he said: L do
| not look like a man who would marry a
| dozen women. There are only two wives,
| Anna luther and the mother of my two
| obildren. II is absurd 10 say that I am
dandy who won the love of several
women
In tracing the circumstances which led.
| :. his arrest Gebhardt told Coroner Saw
- that he came TO Brentwood, the farm
o',+s,de Of Islip where the murdered
,,.oroan's body was found, on April of
,ast year. The pair left the train at
I,o,,shore and walked from that point TO
| the ten-acre plot which Gebhardt owned.
As thev neared the place, the prisoner
.atd Mrs. Mueller upbraided him for not
Ting her money. He told her coolly
4ra+ he did not have spare money and
.,.o+ he must support his children, who
"a haen left without support since his
oond marriage. The argument about
-, matters became so acute that
~.ol,,srdt. according to his statement,
to1a Anna Mueller he had decided to
- har and that he was going back