Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-01
JURY SAYS IT WAS MURDER,
Result of CorOner's Isquiry Into the
Triple Killing Case.
ALL SUSPECTS ARE SET FREE
Responsibility for the Crime Not
Fixed and Governor Asked 90
offer Reward for the
Guilty Party.

After listening to the testimony of lg0
witnesses, the jury empaneled by the
coroner two weeks ago to inquire into
the killing OF Fred and Peter Schroeder
and william Rapp returned a vaxdic. yes
terday afternoon as follows:
We do find under oath that Fred
schroeder Peter Schroeder and William
Rapp each came to their death by reason
OF gunshot wounds inflicted upon each
selves, to said Jurors unknown.
We further find that said crime was
county, Nebraska, At or near the in}ers
section OF Pacific street and Twenty
fourth street; on July il. 1914 a. about
We further recommend the offering OF
reasonable reward and that the county at
county continue a vigilant search for the
apprehension OF the perpetrators of said
crime.
Re0ueu for, Reward.
In support OF the recommendation in the
verdict that "A reward be offered for the
apprehension OF the murderer or murder
ers, the jury. the county attorney and the
coroner united In signing the following
letter to the governor:
We, the undersigned members OF the
coronors jury. called 70 investigate tho
murder Of Fred Schroeder, Peter Schroe-
der and William Rapp, which occurred ins
this city on July 10, 1914. have spent seyti,
cral days I'm listening to testimony, and;
have known anything about the muTdeT
and find ourselves unable TO determine
who the guilty party or parties were. We
feel that this tragedy is OF such import
ance TO this community and this Htats.v
that We are warranted In requesting yoa
able reward for the arrest and conviction
OF the party or parties guilty OF this
crime.
This is signed by NJ. o Cunningham. kL
~
$. Crocker, Clyde c.. sundblad and @.
Fred Elsasser OF the jury. by George A.
Magney, county attorney. and by Willis
c Crosby: sn."s",. SUro"s.. s., r,... "a d
Joseph Calabrla, superintendent OF the
Douglas county court house; his brother.l
Tony; Carl Carella. John Grassa and
Rossi +. Defasi, all under arrest as 'sus-
pects," have been exonerated Those heldS
in jeil have been released, and tho bonds
OF those able TO obtain bail will also be
released today
At the hearing yesterday little testi-
mony having any direct bearing on the
mystery was developed, but Il was clearly
shown that a number of the witnesses
examined before the jury are at Odds
with one another. y.
Rossi r. Defasi. the italian street oARfs
conductor who was arrested on aeorH-
oner's warrant on Wednesday, easily esls
tablished his innocence and was releasedS
lie blames his arrest TO spite on part OF
his mother-in-lRw. ~
MaIoney On the stand. a
Chief of Detectives Maloney told thsS
jury that several of the witnesses hadss
sworn to different stories than they tolds
bis men previous to the inquest. and alsdS
dacla rad bat haA lrRa..,IoaAN
concerning the doings OF several persona
involved which. IL aired before the jurt9s
might show a motive. The jury refusefes
TO hear this testimony. "a
II don't want TO dig up any unpieasahp
things any more than anyone else does ~
said Maloney, but / want to get to the
bottom OF this case. regardless OF whosws
character or reputation suffers. One
Omaha paper has spread broadcast as.r
sertions that the police are chuckleheadsO
and that something is being covered up,S
Let's have everything brought out so
everyone can see. and then no one cans
complain OF unfair treatment" ~
When Mrs William Rapp was on thAI
stand she accused Maloney OF saying 10
her: Now. Mrs. Rapp, the best thing TO
do is TO smooth things over, because
there will be something unpleasant comes
| ing up for you II you DON'T
Maloney denied that such conversation
took place. He says Detectives Sullivan
and Lahey and several newspaper meao
were present during the conversatlon.,
Lahey and Sullivan substantiated ,theEs.
chiefs statement. 20
Gets Anonymous Letter. ~
Juror Druesedow told Of receiving all
anonymous letter from Council Bluffs, in.
which IL was stated that Il certain Wits
Dosses mentioned were called the mystery
would bo solved. Druesedow says the
witnesses named in the letter were called
end closely examined. but nothing OF inn
portance was brought out. He would not,
tell which witnesses were named in th%-
letter.
I'VE are going TO work harder than
ever to clear this thing up so that every
man. woman and child in Omaha will be
satisfied" declared Maloney. when told
Of the jury's findings. so
| I'VE have not received credit for what
wo have done. but on the other hand,
have been subjected TO unjust criticism,
not because OF any proven mistakes, but1
merely for political reasons This muFdeF.
mystery will not go into the list of for-s
gotten conundrums of crime. / win keen
men working on It II Il uses up a year
MY men had Defasi n week ago. and
talked with him and got his story The
coroner's jury, urged by the people who
have been provoking this unjust criticism
OF the police, caused Defasfs arrest TO.
make sensation and belittle the policSz
Their sensation fizzled on them and De.,
fast is what We found him to be-innas.
cent"
/
Japan's Attitude One :
of 'Watchful Waiting