New-York tribune., 1921-11-19
Aged Woman
Slain i'm Home
With Rag Rope
Body Found ON Kitchen
Floor of Long Island Cot
tage, Where She Lived
Alone; Peddler Arrested
Two Posses Hunt Assassin
Hand Bears Bruises Where
Robber Tried to Tear
Wedding Ring Off Finger

MINEOLA. +. l.. Nov. 1S.--Mrs. Eliz~
abeth Maier, eighty-two years old and
a widow, known throughout the coun-
tryside as "Grandma Maier," was found
murdered yesterday in her little three
room cottage on the old county road
between Westhury and Hicksville. She
had been chokcd to death.
Mrs. Maier's body was found lying
on her kitchen floor by Mrs. Paul
Schrader. neighbor, who told the
police she went to borrow cup of
sugar. Twisted rags were bound tight
iy about the throat of the aged woman.
An apron had been spread over her
face by the assassin. The interior of
the cottage had been ransacked. Two
trunks in the next room were turned
upside down and their contents scat
tered.
On Mrs. Maier's left hand was her
solitaire diamond engagement ring and
a wedding ring. The diamond ring was
eighteen by her first husband, who died
more than twenty years ago. Both
rings were so tight that efforts appar-
emily made by the slayer to remove
them had been in vain. The withered
hand bearing the rings was bruised.
Finger Prints on Furniture
Finger prints left by the intruder
were found on articles of furniture
and in dough on bowl found in the
kitchen sink, where the murderer ap-
parently washed his hands. The shrub
berry surrounding the house, which
stands more than 800 yards from q
road. is so dense and the path so grass
grown that no footprints we're left by
the intruder. Shoeprints leaving the
main road and apparently heading to-
ward the cottage are being guarded.
Mrs. Maier was the mother of Mrs.
Margaret LindemNl, wife of Conrad
Lindeman, 159 New York Avenue, Jer-
sey City. and Charles Amman, 161 West
Thirty-frst Street, Manhattan. She was
twice married.
County Detective Ferdinand Miller
and state troopers at once began an in
sestigation. Police dogs were taken to
the cottage and efforts begun to pick UP
the assassin's trail. Five dogs are be-
ing worked and two citizens posses are
aiding in the hunt. DR.. Adolph Rave,
Of Hicksville, who was summoned by
Mrs. Shrader, said Mrs. Maier had been
dead twenty -four hours. Coroner Ar
body.
Mrs. Maier had lived in the cottage
alone for more than twenty-three years
and was beloved by young folks because
of her interest in their affairs and the
invariable cheeriness of her disposition.
The tract of land on which the cottage
was built came into possession of Mrs.
Maier's husband nearly twenty-six
years ago. 1t was he who built the
little house in which they lived with
their daughter, Mary. now Mrs. Lieder-
man. Since Mr.. Maier's death the
household expenses of Mrs. Maier have
been provided by Mrs. Lindemann. Ac-
the old LADY had no other resources.
Rumors of Hidden Wealth
Rumors circulated from time to time
that Mrs. Maier was possessed of
wealth and kept large sums of money
in the cottage, although known to be
without foundation, may have inspired
the attempted robbery and murder, The
house is two miles from Hicksville and
owing to the loneliness of its situation
Mr.. Maier had been repeatedly besought
by her daughter, neighbors say, to
move into town. The old lady said she
preferred her own home and was con-
tent.
Sheriff Smith and County Detective
Miller last night arrested a Polish ped
ler who is said to have visited the home
of Mrs. Maicr within the last three
days. He was held by Judge Arnold
Kohler at Westbury in $4,000 bail as a
material witness.
Neighbors have informed the state
troopers that certain papers contained
in one of the rified trunks were highly
valued by Mrs. Maier, but remarks