New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-27
GEBHARDT INQUEST
Prisoner Keeps Ouer Children
on Return to Cell.

lslp' Long Island. Oct. 26.-Fredericl,
Nebhardt' the higamlst who confessed IA
t"e murder OF his second wife Anna
Luther was formally arrairned haforo
coroner W B. Savage to-day ana win he
taken 10 the Riverhead County iatt on
friday TO await the action of the Grand
jury The examination held in the Isii7
courthouse was dramatic climax To The
murder OF Anna Luther. the German ,von7-
an whose skeleton was found in a clunn
OF bushes near Brentwood ten DAYS ago.
IN me courtroom on the upper floor OF
the town jail two children were clinging
70 the skirts OF their mother as she told
OF Gebhardts duplicity. while on the lower
moor woman who said she had married
the higamist fourteen years ago was up-
praldins him for having left her and two
children in a German village Both vom-
en- rallied at Gebhardt. whose only thought
was to secure enough money for his COM
fort during his incarceration.
At the end of the ordeal of facing the
woman who said she was his bride Of
school girl days. and confessing the Islip
murder before the wife he deserted Cor
Anna Luther, Gebhardt's nerves brok,,
down as the Two children for whom he said
he had committed murder Joined their
father in his cell Then, as he shed the
first tears since his arrest, Gebhardt turned
10 his wife and ordered her to give up the
handbook which represented all the money
left for her support.
The proceedings which took less than
two hours, practically ended the coroner's
connection with the case. On Friday in
structions will be given to the witnesses
for the jury trial, and Gebhardt will oe
held for the December term Of the county
court Prosecutor Furman conducted the
lnquisition. The courtroom was crowded.
AS the confession OF bigamy and murder
was>wrung from Gebhardt. piece by piece
his wife moved closer 10 him Then he
told how he shot Anna Luther, and gave
details Of an excursion TO the scene of the
murder three weeks ago. The excursion
proved the most amazing story told by the
prisoner.
He had not been to Islip since the day
OF the murder, and, fearing TO be alone
near the open grave of Anna Luther. he
invited his wife and another woman to ac-
company him over the road. where he had
iured his former wife to her end. The
party spent hours near the charred bones
of the German girl. and then. satisfied that
the body had been undiscovered for more
than year, Gebhardt returned to Ansonia.
certain that the crime would forever re-
main secret
Gebhardt next told how he read of the
fine on the Brentwood farm and deter
mined TO stay with his children until the
police found his home. He added that
he hated his wife and denied that he had
married two other women, including the
alleged former wife who had been with
him IN his cell during the early~part of
the examination. When the confession was
complete Gebhardt was hurried back to
the lookup.
Mrs. Gebhardt, with her uncle and chill
dren. later entered the prison corridor and
stood aside while the children showed their
father innocent affection. The prisoner
began to sob, while the baby boy and girl
were torn from him and his wife called
him q coward for having deserted his
family.
Mr.. Meinke, Mrs. Gebhardt's uncle,
tall German. aroused by her words, made
a rush for the suspect and swore to avenge
the death OF the murdered woman and the
wrong he had done TO his niece and her
children. Constable Haven and several
deputies restrained the old man with diff
hculty.