New-York tribune., 1920-05-12
Alien Sought
As Slayer i'm
Rueckert Case
Pawnbroker Gives Name of
Former German Sailor
Who Bought Pistol Found
Near Scene of the Crime
Victims Story Verified
Bullet Apparently Fired
as He Turned On Light;
Astrologer Gives Views

DeteCllNeS seeking 10 eStaollSn the
identity Of the slayer of Frederick
Rueckert, wealthy manufacturer, who
was shot early Sunday morning in his
bachelor apartment at 1927 Washing.
ton Street, Hoboken, clung yesterday
to the theory that the crime was COM
mitted by a burglar.
1t was learned last night that the
police are seeking an enemy alien in
connection with the crime. The aliens
name was given to them by pawn
broker as the purchaser of the revolver
which was found short distance from
the scene Of the shooting He is for
mer sailor Of the Hamburg American
Line, and has a criminal record
Fingerprints on the revolver and on
the walls Of the room correspond with
his.
Rope Ladder Used
Inspector Daniel Kiely convinced
himself that the murderer gained en-
trance to the victims apartment bv de-
scending a rope ladder. secured to a
stanchlon on the roof, and forcing a
kitchen window. The apartment build
ing adjoining the house whore Rueck-
ert lived is the same height, five
stories. and the roofs are joined to,
gether for half their length and divided
! the rest of the way by a light shaft.
+ Rueckert lived on the top floor.
An examination of the tile on the
coping over which the rope ladder hung
showed that several inches of the sur
face had been rubbed clean of weather
STAINS where the rope had been drawn
tight by the weight of the criminal in
descending.
This ladder was fashioned from a
single length of clothes line, doubled.
and with rugs made by knotting sec
tions OF the rope about eighteen inches
apart.
In climbing, through the window the
murderer dislodged one of the white
curtains and brass rod that screened
the activities of Rueckert and his oc-
caslonai guests from neighbors This
curtain was found on the kitchen floor
/ Rueckert, IN gaspjng out the story
of the attack to his business partner
| Hubert Richter, said the man began to
shoot at him, without uttering a word
the instant he turned on the lights in
ms dining room. IL examining the
tlVe-room apartment, the police found
verlhcation of Rueckert's dying ac-
count of the attack A bullet was i'm.
bedded in the woodwork few inches
above the electric light button. Rueck-
crt also told his partner he had never
seen his assailant before
wasn't Afraid" SAYS Valet
August Halkan, who served as cook
ana valet Tor his thrifty employer and
also did odd Jobs about the factory
! during the afternoons, denied yestcr.
day that Rueckert ever had expressed
any unusual concern over the window
and door fastenings of the apartment
He wasn't in fear Of anybody" said
Halkan.
On the first floor of the apartment
house at l125 Washington Street, next
door to the building where Rueckert
lived. is the home of Professor G
Meyer, Hoboken's astrologer. who main
tains that he foretold the World War
and the assassination OF President Nc
klnley. Hoboken detectives called on
the professor yesterday.
Want description of the murder
err asked the professor, and without
awaiting reply he continued: "If my
information is correct, the murderer
was of medium size, strong, wirv BODY
dark Or sunburned complexion, dark
eyes, dark or sandy hair, bold or
dlctatorial manner. with a mark or
scar on face or body and deep set eyes
The crime was committed in a Mars
hour, when the course of the stars
favors criminals and desperate men"
eyes, yes; but tell us, professor
how we can get up on the roof" re-
quested the detectives. "All we are look
ing for now is footprints. We don't
want to catch him that easy"
"Oh, you'll never catch him." predict
ed the professor. "Astrologically speak
ing, you haven't got chance Of getting
him."
Rueckert's will, made on his death
bed, will be probated this week 1t
! is understood Miss Elsie c. Vorrath
of 1880 Garden Street, Hobokcn, his
! hancee, and his mother, in Germany
are the benehciaries. The estate is
said to have a value of 100000
Inspector Kiely said yesterday that
Miss Mae Trask, who is employed in
20 Broad Street in the Office of 9
lawyer, was not considered a factor
in their investigation. In talks with
newspaper men yesterday, Miss Trasl
made several conflicting statements
concerning her friendship with the
murdered man.
She insisted that she was engaged
to him and that they were to have
been married soon. Hubert Richter
Rueckert's partner, admitted that Miss
Trask and Rueckert were acquaint-
ances, but denied any engagement cx.
listed.