New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-23
Butler, Caught After
Long Chase, Admits
Planning Raid.
WOMAN'S JEWELS
DIVIDED BY PAIR
Fugitive Taken, by Chance,
i'm Baltimore Describes
Killing of Invalid.


Baltimore. Feb. %. Joseph Hanel,
the German butler who has been
sought throughout the country as the
SLAYER OF Mrs. Julia Heilner at her
home in Brooklyn last April, is in a
cell here. llanel has confessed his
identity. that he robbed the lleilner
home. at 217 Albemarlc Road. and that
he pawned the jewelry stolen every
thing. in fact. but the actual killing OF
his benefactrcss.
nanels arrest was as much the re-
suit Of slight chance as was the myr-
der for which he has been sought for
almost year lie was walking on a
downtown street near the Gayety Thea
~, when Fritz Schmidt. who had
known him I'm New York, thought he
recognized him. He made certain that
he was correct. then called policeman.
At first. under close questioning by
the police. Hanel refused 10 discuss the
case. Then. TO escape tho annoyance OF
future sweating. he told complete
story OF the happenings or April y OF
last year. when Mrs. Hcilner was killed.
His confession is as follows; ------r
"My name is Joseph T.. lisnel. aud !
am known also as Joseph Narw'cK
and Joseph II. Pcttus. the latter name
have been using in Baltimore. | have
been living at 10 West Mulberry
Street. Formerly, lived IN Now York
until April %, 1915, ! was employed
as a butler in the home Of Mrs. julia
Heilncr. in Brooklyn. \. y. Before ac-
ccntinc that position had been living
in lodging house in New York. known
as the Seamen's Mission. There ! met
(the police will pot make public the
name of Hanel's sccomplice) who told
me he had obtained position as but
lcr in the home OF Mrs. Hcilner, but
vas not going TO accept IT.
Planned TO Rob Invalid.
"IIcrc are my clothes. you take the
;ob.' he told me. did so, and after
ward we planned the robbery Of the
house We met several times during
tho month OF my service there. and al
vavs discussed the plans for the rob-
borv. Finally it was decided that on
tie next day the maid MAS of ] was TO
call nv pal and he was TO come out to
COO mr. We were then 10 rob the
place. .o,- -. - .oot .
da,. or and left about o'clock m the
n,orning When shc had gone tele-
nhonod my nal. and he hurried IN the
Loueo opcrod the door and lct HIM
in Then / told him 20 hide DO the
nantry. while went upstairs on inc
nrctcncc OF making the beds. but really
n rob the house. While ! was up
stairs making the beds he called TO me-
.Joc cts all right this being the sig
nal that everything was q. n. ! hur-
ricdly placed all the jcwelry IN paste
hoard box and came downstairs.
"Ve separated on the pavement IN
front Of the house and met again at
tbo corner saloon. There my pal told
mo that Mrs. Heilncr had come down
stairs and that he had killed her.
When he told me this We decided 10
losvo town at once. lie did not tell
mo The details Of the murder. but the
next dav read them in the papers
"Ne went to New York and from
tbcre TO Philadelphia. The following
dsv we pawncd the jewelry IN that
citv. hut | cannot remember the name
| used at the pSwnshop. admit that
| MANNED the robbery and really did
il but / had absolutely nothing to do
with the murder OF the woman. IN
fact the first ! knew OF it was when
NV pal told me. The murder OF Mrs.
Heilner had never entered INTO INC
plans and had never come up Tor dls-
cussion during the arrangements Tor
the robbery"
Hancl is an cy-convict who. on be
ing released from the Eastern Peni-
tentiary. where he had served two
wears for carrying concealed weapons.
came 10 New York and announced
himself TO be German reservist. lie
took advantage of the patriotism OF
numerous New York Germans and
finally was given a position as butler
and man of-all-work in the Heilner
home.
One Of the incidents of the murder
that serve to throw discredit upon his
story that a pal committed the actual
murder is the fact that he was on the
main floor of the house and answered
the telephone when Miss Helen Buck.
a friend of the murdered woman,
tried to reach Mrs. Heilner at just
the moment that the blow is believed
TO have been struck.
Miss Buck hurried back 10 the
house. fearing that something had
happened. As she neared the house
she met Hanel. walking away from
the house alone. lie wore a collar
and pair Of shoes that he had
stolen at the house and under his
arm was box i'm which he carried
the stolen jewels. There was no
evidence Of the presence Of an accom-
plice and there has been no hint Of
one since until he told his story to-
night. For these reasons the police
are inclined 20 discredit that feature
of his story until some verliication Of
1t can be found.