The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-29
CRIME BRUTAL ONE


NEW YORK. Jan. 2S.--The crime
for which Albert Wolter paid with his
life today was one Of the most wan
ton and brutal In the criminal annals
of New York City. 1t was the climax
of a career Of depravity that. for q
youth of his age, has seldom been
equalled.
Wolter, the youngest convicted muir
derer In the history Of the state, waa
only . little past Is years Of age when
he lured little Ruth Wheeler. Is, years
old, to his apartment. assaulted and
killed her, and then tried to conceal
his crime by burning the body In q
stove and hiding the package Of char
red bones on the fire escape.
At the time he was living in an East
Seyenty.fifth street flat with young
girl name Katie Muller. who was
supporting both herself and Wolter by
working in . bakery. Having an un'
ending supply Of pocket money and
nothing to do with his time. he was
continually planning deeds OF the
kind that eventually caused his convic'
ton for first degree murder.
Early In March, 1910. the little
Wheeler girl advertised for q position
40 stenographer. saying she was just
finishing business school course and
would work for moderate salary at
the start. Wolter answered her adver.
tisement with q postal, telling her
to come to his apartment, that he had
Just the kind Of position she desired
The little girl left her home on March
I, and was never seen alive again.
After carrying on a fruitless search
secretly. tho relatives Of the Wheeler
girl notified the police Of her disap-
pearance on March 25. Upon being
Informed OF the errand upon which
the girl had started. the police
straightway went to VOTERS house
and searched. not only the rooms of
his apartments. but every room in the
house, from cellar to roof. But no
trace Of the girl was found.
A Rsportsr's Find
Meantime the case had been given
tremendous publicity in the newspa-
pers and. when the detectives from
police headquarters returned to search
the house the following day. they were
accompanied by = squad Of newspaper
men. Then began q systematic hunt
for some clue that might give hint to
the fate Of the missing girl.
In opening one Of the windows Of
VOTERS apartment, . reporter &C.
cidsntally knocked = large package
from the window.sill to the fire 60.
cape. . drop Of only few inches. but
the force Of the fall was enough to
break the package open and disclose
the charred body Of little Ruth.
VOTERS arrest. trial. conviction and
sentence after the discovery Of the
murder broke al records for speed
made by the New York wheels Of jus.
tice. requiring only twenty-eight days.
Justice 10 Delayed.
Another record was broken after
his sentence In the number and length
OF delays before his execution. He en-
3oyed more respites In the payment
Of the death penalty than any other
ccndenned prisoner who ever occu.
pied cell In the death house ut Sing
Sing. one year. nine months and six.
teen days having elapsed between the
time Of his conviction and the final
date set for his execution.
This case brings the many delays
that occur in the execution Of justice
In New York State into sharp contrast
with the swift manner in which jus.
tlce 10 melted out In tho state Of Vir.
ginia. whore Henry Clay Beattie was
arrested. charged with the murder OF
his wife, tried. convicted and executed
Ill within the comparatively short per.
iod Of four months.
In the meantime Katie Muller. who
II the mother Of VOTERS little son.
has married young mechanic. who
has announced his intention of bring
Ing up the baby In total ignorance Of
the identity and terrible fate Of his
real father. whose place he intends to
take.
ARRAYHN~ NHvN--~