Imperial Valley press., 1922-08-23
SIX HELD FOR
IA, CRIME
Rich Manufacturer Waylaid
and Murdered in His
Own Home
LOCK WIFE IN CLOSET
Officers Find Revolver Clue
in Breaking Up Early
Morning Party
United Press Leased Wire

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23.-Six mem
bers of an alleged bandit gang, inelud-
ing woman, who police believe my be
connected with the strange murder OF
Fred Oesterreich, wealthy Milwaukee
and Los Angeles manufacturer, were
taken into custody today.
Early this morning officers passed
house in which boisterous party was
in progress. The Officers broke in an
arrested James Casey, 35. -Four dis
charged small caliber cartridges were
found on the floor.
Held on Suspicion
The other members of the group
arrested were: T. c. Collins, Al, c. Carl
son, 33, A. l.. Jones, 81, II. j. Burns, AZ,
and Jacklyn Oman, 80.
None of them could account for his
or her whereabouts at the time of the
murder, police said.
AS Casey was taken before Detective
Sergeant Herman Cline and Police Cap
tain Roberts for intensive questioning,
the charge against him was changed on
the books from disturbing the peace to
suspicion of murder.
Mr.. and Mrs. Oesterreich had return
ed last night from call and Mrs. Oes-
terreich had gone to her bedroom. Ac-
cording to her story she was pushed
into a closet and the door was locked.
A few moments later, rs she was
screaming for help, she heard shots
fired.
Neighbors Find Body
Neighbors who also heard the shots
found Oesterreich lying dead on the
floor of the downstairs hail. Two bull
lets had entered his body and one his
head Another bullet hole was in the
ceiling. Overturned chairs and dis
arranged rugs indicated a struggle. A
small caliber pistol with two discharNl
cartridges was found on the floor be-
side him.
Mrs Oesterreich, when liberated,
could give no explanation except to say
that an attempt had been made some
time ago to rob the house.
The Oesterreich s came here from
Milwaukee, Wis.,, four years ago. Mrs.
Oesterreich s family resides in Milwan,
kee at the present time.
Widow Describes Attack
When questioned by officers today
Mrs. Oesterreich, handsome matronly
woman of about 40, said:
"We had just come in from a
friends. We went into the front room
and / went Immediately upstairs to my
room, beginning to undress when some
body showed me into the dark closet.
1 thought it was my husband, and told
him to stop. But the door was slam
med and locked and 1 was left in there.
1 didn't know what was happening.
heard some explosions. l soon realized
they were were shots. In flash /
knew what was happening. Fred was
being killed.
Mrs. Oesterreich was unable to furn-
ish any explanation of the murder.
Harold A. Wright, an actor living
across the street, told officers he re-
leased Mrs. Oesterreich from the closet
and asserted the key had been turned
from the outside.
Mrs. Oesterreich was unconscious
when carried out, he said.
Mrs. j. II. Gage, another neighbor
said she and her husband returned
home at 1890 shortly before the Oes-
terreich 8. Mrs. Gage said light was
at that time burning in the library of
the Oesterreich home. She noticed toE
she said, that there were a great many
automobiles parked in the street for
that hour of the night, and that
large limousine went slowly by the Oes-
terreich home, as though someone in the
car was examining the house or looking
for its number.
Two attempts have been made re-
Gently to rob the Oesterreich home, it
was learned.