The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-28
KILLS AGED MAN.
Boy Who Murdered Broker Says
Drug Suggested 1t.
Sight of Bottle Brings Thought
of Robbery.
FIGHTS FOR LIFE.
Broker Struggles Until Quieted
by Blow From Youth.
Bell Hop" Glad 1t Is Over,
Signs Confession.

New York, July 2S.-Paul GeideI. a
17-year-old bell boy. was brought be-
fore the coroner's jury today for the
killing of William Henry jackson, the
aged broker. whose dead body was
found in his apartments Thursday with
a rag saturated with chIoroform
stuffed in his mouth and his face wet
with blood. Within fifteen hours of
the crime GeideI was caught and had
confessed his guilt
Generosity Costs Life.
Love of clothes and finerv csused
Geidel to attempt the robbery which
ended in the killing of the broker.
Jackson had been a liberal Upper and
the bell boy believed 'he had money
in every pocket"
Il don't care what happens to me"
said Geidel, ''but what of nv poor
mother and sisters in Farmington,
Conn -
Patrick McGrane, who pavned the
watch which Geidel stole was also
held by the coroner's jury which rec
commended that he be irdicted as an
accessory after the fact. McGrane lived
at Hartford.
Geidel left Farmingtor three months
ago. He was indicted this afternoon
by the grand jury for murder in the
first degree
McGrane's case will b. taken up by
the grand jury next week.
An hour after the arrest, Police Com
missioner Dougherty and District A.
torEey Whitman brought out from thss
room where they had been closeted
with Geidel, long typewritten confes-
sion which they said the lad had die.
tated and signed, giving a full account
or the crime Robbery was the motive
according to the lads statement but
the murder netted him only $6 in cash
and gold watch which he pawned for
SIS more.
Geidel was a bell boy at Mr. Jack
sons hotel, the IrOquOis, until last Fri
day, when he was discharged. He was
without money On going to his room
ing place he noticed a bottle of chloro-
form which his landlady had purchased
few days before in order to kill pain
lessly an ailing pet dog 1T occurred
forthwith to Geidei, the confession.
says, he might obtain money by chloro-
forming and robbing the aged broker,
who was reputed to carry large sums
about with him.
The confession, as given out by the
police. continues substantially as fol-
lows:
Late Wednesday night I entered the
basement of the hotel and walked nm
observed by the rear stairways to the
tenth floor: I climbed into the bath
through transom on the corridor.
Broker Fights for Life.
He awol1e as I was preparing to
drop the chlorofOrm soaked rag over.
his face, and instead of going uucon-
sclous at once with the drug, he be-
gan a desperate fight hit him hard
in the face and he sank down helm
less. Then the chloroforln did the rest
4 went through the room and his
clothes, took the little money he had
and his watch and hurried out as I
had come. My clothing was badly stain
ed and I took it to tailor to be clean
ed. My soiled shirt 1 threw into A.
garbage barrel on a side street Then
went home. am glad now that it's
all over. The suspense has been terri
ble.T
The finding of the empty chloroform
bottle in Mr. Jackson's apartment az
forded the clew that led to GeidePs ar
rest. The label on the bottle, hair
ooiiterated, showed that it had been
purchased in Newark. n. J. A squad Of
detectives hurried over to Newark and
in a few hours found that the label
was similar to labels used by Druggist
F. Fl. Paladi.
The pharmacists record showed t1,at
the chloroform had been purchased
there a week ago by a Mrs Kane of
West Fifueth street, New York. The
detectives went to her house. Mrs.
Kane admitted that she had purchased
the chloroform and said that the bot
tie was in her bathroom. But when
she looked there. 1t was missing.
why Paul Geidel, one Of my room
ers. must have taken it," she said He
was asking me about it the other day.
Geidel. who was in his room. was
Immediately arrested and after little
grilling by the detectives, admitted.
the police say, that he had committed
the crime.
Good Rain at Liberal.