The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-03-18
! )enverM Man
PaidtoHave
Wife Killed
Fred Jansen, Captured at
Pueblo, Colo, Admits He
Hired Mexican to Do
Bloody Deed.
Victim Knelt in PRAYER

-
slain as she knelt in prayer, Fred
Jansen, her husband, told the Pueblo
police here today. Jansen admitted
he had hired Mexican to kill her.
Jansen was arrested at Eden, Colo,
near here, early this afternoon. He
was riding toward Pueblo in a taxicab
he had hired in Colorado Springs this
morning.
Before her marriage, Mrs. Jansen
was Bella Stelzner Of Pittsburgh. Her
foster mother lives at 5100 Kincaid
street, Pittsburgh.
Feared for His Life.
Mrs. Jansen was killed last Thurs
day night, Jansen said.
Jansen declared to the police. they
said, that he had hired his wife killed
because "she planned to kill me-"
Jansen had In his possession his
wife's wedding ring and the rosary
she WAS using at her prayers when
she was slain. He also had $1,000 in
currency In his pockets.
In his cell in the city Jail Jansen
calmly and without any display of
plans to reporters and police. Al
though denying any personal respon-
sibility in the actual killing and pack
ing of the body In the trunk, Jansen
confessed making all of the prepara-
tions for the staying even to the pay
ing of an unidentified Mexican $3.50
ito do the job"
Bella was kneeling in the kitchen
in prayer when the Mexican killed
her." Jansen declared.
''She was undressed, wearing only
her night clothing. q kimono and a
pair Of house slippers. She knelt be-
side a chair and said her prayers
every night before she went to bed.
"Shs was kneeling beside chair
| in the kitchen when entered the
room and passed her. after going out
to = nearby shed and getting some
coal.
Brings Mexican Up.
In the shed ] had conferred with
the Mexican and told him everything
was all right. The Mexican followed
me up the stairs leading into our part
of the house and / went on into an
other room. l waited in another room
for the Mexican to kill her.
| II knew l had TO kill her. She
threatened to kill me. II l didn't have
her killed she would have killed me.
II saw the Mexican last Thursday.
I don't know where 1t was. He looked
like he might do the job. I said TO
myself: There Is a man that will do
il for me-
Seals Bargain With Kiss.
II went up to him and asked him.
He said. Yes told him that
would give him $3.50. Then he kissed
me on the arm and on the forehead.
pay him then. That did not come
until later"
After making the agreement with
the Mexican on Thursday, Jansen
said he and the Mexican got on a
street. car and went to the Jensen
home. lie said he pointed out the
house TO the Mexican and they agreed
that night
Continuing his story, Jansen said:
1.-THE Mexican agreed TO come up
that night. He was tall. l guess he
was about five-foot nine lie had on
n black hat. 1t was creased in the
middle. His clothes were shiny.
don't know the Mexican's name. ]
would know him IL I saw him.
| Takes Wife for Walk.
| THAT evening Bella and l went for
a walk. I guess we were away for
labout hall hour. Then we went
back home. We stayed in the house,
About 10 1t was. tho Mexican came
back. lie flashed his flashlight in
1.-The backyard. That was the signal
and / knew he was there.
81 went out on the back porch and
went down and talked TO the Mexican.
I told him everything was all right
and he could go ahead with the job.
I left him out there In the back and
went in. He followed me up the
stairway leadingsto our apartments.
"A little alcove in our house Is To-
Gated between thu kitchen and the
bedroom and the bath room. |
passed my wife as I went in. She
was praying. passed on into the
alcove. ] knew she was going to lie
killed and | didn't want to see her
killed. think my wife was praying
for the people-the good people
when the Mexican came in.
Prepares Trunk.
~ was In the other room and emp.
tied the trunk. i pushed II out Into
the kitchen. My wife wasn't there
There was blood on the floor. The
Mexican had dragged my wife out on
the back porch.
THE Mexican took the trunk. put
her body into Il and closed the lid
and locked IT, lie still has the key.
Slept in Apartment.
About 1888 | paid the Mexican
$3.50. lie put tho money In his pocket
and went downstairs. ! went into the
house and cleaned mp things. Then
went TO bed and stayed there until
the next morning.
| AT or 2 next morning | hired
an express man on Larimer street to
come TO the house and Sst The trunk.