Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-26

CONFESSES
TO CRIME
Strange Case Solved in
Strange Manner.
WIFE SLAYER IS TRACED BY
HIS OWN DOGS
LETTER TO GERMAN CONSUL is
CAUSE OF ARREST
New York Detectives Do Remarkable
Work-InexpIicabe Impulse
Clears 1s Months Mys-
terry of skeleton
[By Associated Press.l

1T EW YORK, Oct. 25.-A year and a
~ half ago a friendless girl was
~ murdered near Islip, Long Island.
A week ago her skeleton was found,
with nothing to indicate its identity
but her jewelry and bill of sale from
a German shop. Three days later,
through the police of Hamburg, Ger
many her identity was established as
Anna Luther.
Tonight her husband. Frederick Geb-
hardt, confessed over his signature
that he is the murderer.
Murderer's Confession
"About December, 1907" Gebhardt
told the police, II met Miss Anna
Luther. We married in February,
1908, and went to Europe to live.
We returned April 6, 1908.
"She went to Henry Wertuph's in
Newark, N. j.. for day or two.
On the pretense that / was going
to rent an apartment I returned to
my home and wife in Astoria, Long
Island.
"I met Anna again on April in
Newark, and went to an address in
Thirty y-fourth street, New York,
and then to Jamaica, Long Island.
We stayed in Jamaica until next
day.
April we went to Bay Shore,
and | showed her some property.
1 got into an argument with her
about some money matters, and
turned away and wanted to go
back. She followed me up. scream
ing, and 1 shot her in the head.
did not look at her, and do not re-
member whether l shot her more
than once.
Immediately after 1 went to the
Islip depot and took train for
home. 1t was nearly dark. l threw
the revolver out of the car window.
Not for Money
"I did not kill Anna Luther for
her money, as the newspapers have
stated My original reason for mar
rying Anna was that did not care
to live with my first wife any
longer; but as she-my first wife
had given me a child, my desire to
see my child caused me to want to
get rid of Anna Luther and return
to my first wife and child.
"This is why I shot Anna, and
told her in Bay Shore that l was
married and had a wife and child
and must leave her.
"She screamed and ran after me
and kissed me and wanted me back,
and 1 shot her."
From the time of his arrest until he
broke down under the questions of
detectives Gebhardt, although he adj
mitted committing bigamy when he
married Anna Luther, denied all
knowledge of her death.
Letter Traps Him
"How about this letter." asked
Coroner Savage, and he began to read
a note mailed last night to the German
and signed Otto Mueller. The
letter trapped him into confessing.
'I am the husband" it ran. without
doubt, of the woman, Anna Mueller.
After we arrived in New York from
Germany in April of last year. we
STAYED in New York for ten days.
Then we went to Florida for the health
of my wife and settled there for the
time being.
I'm Jamison, where formerly lived
with my wife, she had received a vis-
itor whom she represented to me to
be a Mr. Bradley of Denver. From
Florida we went to Denver and this
Mr. Bradley called again. In Sep
tember, 1908, by wife disappeared, after
| reproached her for seeing Bradley
when 1 happened TO be away for two
days.
bradley is about six feet tall, with
light hair, smooth face and claims to
be a real estate dealer. I, Mueller will
at once 20 to Germany to see my
and will then be at
your service"
Strange Impulse
The same inexplicable impulse that
had prompted Gebhardt to write the
fatal letter had led him to give to
Bradley, who does not exist outside his
own imagination, his own personal de-
scription. AS soon as he saw the let
ter he grew white and began to shiver.
and before the reading was completed
exclaimed:
"Oh, what's the use anyway? You
have me and might as we'll own l
killed her."
Given verbally, the confession was
even more shockingly brutal, the po-
lice say, than it appears In the formal
language of the police officers whose
Gebhardt signed.
IT had to get rid of her" he said,
''but did not mean to kill her.
thought first l could get her to give me
some money for land I did not own.
$50 / took her down to Long Island
near some lots 1 did not own to let her
see the land.
"She would not come to terms and
told her then that I was already mar
ried and had a child l loved, that
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