New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-06-25
Wife's Story
Traps Man as
Bartlett Slayer
Polish Laborer, Employed
as Choreman Near Dead
Wonlan's Home, Said to
Have Admitted Crime
Sleeplessness Gave Clew
Police Say Prisoner Told
His Family of Killing and
Where the Loot Was Sold

Lars Fobel, Polish laborer, was ar
rested late last night as the murderer
of Mrs. Minnie S. Bartlett, who was
beaten to death Wednesday afternoon
in her home in Hampstead, L. l. Ac-
cording to the police, Fobel has ad-
mitted his guilt and has described the
crime in detail which leaves no room
| for doubt of the truth of his state
ments.
| lie was caught becau5n, it il alleged
| he could not keep the murder to him
| self. After he had washed the most
! obvious traces Of the struggle off in g
| stream in the woods near the Bartlett
| home he went to his home on Beach
Avenue, in the southern part of Hemp
stead, and found that the Polish colony
there was all agog at the news of the
murder.
Prisoner Could Not Sleep
| Fobel, according to the story he is
said to have told the police. ate dinner
with his wife and two children without
replying to their numerous comments
concerning the murder. During the
| night, however, the scene in which he
had participated recurred to him SO
vividly that he was unable to sleep.
Thursday morning he found that in
terest in the death of Mrs. BARTLETT
/ had increased. His wife and all his
neighbors were talking of nothing else
and dwelling upon horrifying details,
some of which he recognized only too
we'll and some of which he yearned to
contradict as pure fabrications:
i He went to Jamaica, the police say
and sold the articles he had stolen from
the Bartlett house. Then he went
back to Beach Avenue, and again the
gossip concerning the crime of which
he knew more than any one else har-
rowed his recollection.
That night, Chief of Police P. A.
Seaman says, Fobel told his wife that
it was he who had killed Mrs. Bartlett
After that there was no sleep for Mrs
Fobel, although her husband, his mind
relieved, slept soundly for the first time
since Tuesday night.
The next day Mrs. Fobel, wracked by
doubts as to her proper course under
| the circumstances, went to consult her
brother, Marin Gogosky, who lives in
New Hyde Park. She told him the
story her husband had related to her.
Arrest Brings Relief
For another twenty-four hours
knowledge concerning the murder OF
Mrs. Bartlett tortured the brothers, in
law of the murderer Then he decided
that the only thing to do was to in
form the police. He went to Chief OF
Police Seaman and told all he had
/ heard.
Last night Chief Seaman, with Pa.
trolman Seeley, Detective Morse anc
other policemen, went to Fobel's home
The man was at home and expressed
no surprise at seeing them. He seemed
rather relieved at being placed under
arrest.
Details of Crime Told
According to Chief Seaman, he talked
willingly enough of the crime. He hac
been employed for some time doing ode
jobs in the vicinity of Mrs. Bartlett's
home, knew that she was the sole occu
pant of her house, and that it was re-
mote enough from those of her neigh
bors to render his project reasonably
safe.
Armed with a length of lead pipe
and small, narrow -bladed chisel, he
entered the house and when Mrs. Bart
lett resisted him and threatened tt
arouse the neighborhood- he struck he1
ed civ