Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-17
HAUNTED BY VISION
OF MURDER VICTIM.
SLAYER CONFESSES
Surrenders to Newark Police
After Wandering About for
Eight Months.
STRUCK FRIEND WITH BOLT;
ROLLED BODY INTO RIVER
John Steponaitis Tells of Death
of kazimer Kraezis in
Court.

When arraigned before Judge Hahn
today in the Third Precinct Police
Court, John Steponaitis, twenty
years old. self confessed and sur.
rendered slayer of Kazimer Kragzis,
on April 10 last, in a trembling voice
corroborated the confession he made
to the police yesterday, and was re-
manded by the court until tomorrow
when he will be given an examina-
ton and allow of further investiga-
ton of his story.
The body of Kragzis was found in
the Passaic river, April 27, and af-
ter an autopsy was held on the re-
mains, the dead man was buried in
Potter's field, the cause of his death
being given as accidental drown
ms There was no suspicion of
foul play, and the police declare that
there was no indication of such,
though the prisoner states positively
that he killed his victim with a blow
in the head with an iron bolt and
then threw the body into the Pas
sale river.
In his confession Steponaitis says
that he met kragzis on the afternoon
of April 19 and that the two visited
several saloons and drank quite heav-
lily. Late I'M the night kragzis started
for his home i'm Harrison from the
saloon at the corner of Adam and
Ferry streets, that they walked to
jackson street and started to cross
the bridge. When about in the middle
of the bridge the prisoner claims that
his victim grappled with him and
tried to rob him.
Rolled Body Into River.
After freeing himself, he continued,
he walked about thirty feet away and
seeing an iron bolt picked it up which
he hurled at his victim with fatal re-
suits. He then walked back to the
PROSTATE form and rolled it into the
river. He adds that he remained in
Newark for three days, until he read
in the Evening Star that kragziS had
been reported as missing to the police.
He then became frightened and fed
to Middletown, o. where he obtained
work with a construction gang on a
railroad He declares that every time
he welded a pick or a shovel that
fact of his victim was before him. as
ii also was when he slept. Unable 10
/ deaden his conscience, he left Ohio
and went to West Virginia. In that
State his tortures were the same, and
he again went to Ohio and obtained
Hamilton and Dayton railroad,
where he states, he was working at
the time he determined to return to
Newark and surrender to the police
to relieve his conscience.
Detective Brex, of the Third pre-
cinct, worked all day yesterday on
the mans confession and stated to
reporter for the Evening Star that
he had corroborated IL in most of
the details The detective said there
was no evidence of a blow having
been struck with a bolt, and ex-
pressed disbelief of the attempted
robbery story inasmuch as it was
learned that Steponaitis lost his po-
stion with the Newark Rivet Works
last Christmas. and as far as the
police were able to learn did not
work in Newark or vicinity from that
day until the date of the killing.
Kragzis Drew Weeks Pay.
On the other hand, Detective Brex
said that he learned that Kragzis
was a Woodworking and industrious
man. and that he worked all night on
September Is at the Balbach smelling
and refining plant and on the morn
ing of the 18th drew his weeks pay.
A saloonkeeper visited by the two
men told the police that on April 10
he saw Kragzis display a roll of bills
and that the other man did not show
any money.
Captain Peter Christie, commander
of the Third precinct. where Stepo-
naitis surrendered, and the detectives
who have worked on the confessed
slayer's story are convinced that his
story in substance is true. Judge
Hahn. however. postponed the hear
ing until tomorrow to allow the po-
lice further time to investigate the
story.
The body of Kragzis was found in
the river near the Lister Chemical
works, at the foot of Lockwood street,
by Captain Frank Wright, of the
launch Major G., and was taken to
Mullen's morgue. On May the cloth
ing of the dead man was identified
by Mrs. Kasimer Kragzis as that
worn by her son. Since the murder
the Kragzis family has moved to this
city and live at 1S1 Thomas street
At the hearing today Mrs. Kragzis
pleaded with the police to be per-
mitted to visit the slayer of her son
in his cell The request was refused
Steponaitis is an orphan. He is of
Polish descent. but was born in New
ark and educated in the public schools.
He speaks English fiuently and uses
good grammar. He claims to have a
brother, Joseph. residing at 73 Adam
street. this city.