The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-03-19
WAS STABBED BY
ONE OF BANDITS
Matthias DeFrang Stabbed
by Thug in Detroit Hold
Up in Hotel.
SIX SUSPECTS HELD

Twelve years ago Matthias DeFrang
strangely disappeared from Kenosha
For years his relatives here have
sought in vain to find his whereabouts
Monday the first definite information
which they have found regarding him
came when the body of Matthias Col
Inns who died in Detroit the victim
Of holdlup, was brought to the
Mischler Mortuary here and later
identified as the remains of Matthias
DeFrang
News which accompanied the re-
mains declared that he had died from
injuries received when he fought off
hold-up gang which tried to rob the
Eastern hotel in Detroit, where he had
been employed under the name OF
Matthias Collins; he had been stabbed
in the abdomen by one of the bandits
and could not rally from the wound.
Called For His Mother.
Last Thursday the police here re-
ceived a telegram from Detroit stating
that a man, named Matthias Collins,
was dying in a hospital there and in
a moment of semi-consciousness had
called for his mother, stating that she
lived in Kenosha. Because of the fact
that he had taken another name the
mother was not located in time to go
to his bedside.
On Sunday, Louis DeFrang, a
brother of the deceased, received a
telephone call from man in Gary,
Indiana, who stated that the brother
had died in Detroit and that news had
been sent first to Gary because he had
lived in that city until few years
ago.
Death has failed. to clear the mys-
terry of why he took another name or
why he failed to communicate with
his relatives here. These state that
they know no reason whatever for his
failure to communicate earlier with
them.
Was Widely Known Here.
Matthias DeFrang was born in Port
Washington, July 4, 1877. He came to
Kenosha when he was young and
lived here until the time that he left
Kenosha about twelve years ago. He
had been a carpenter here and had
been widely known among the work
ers in that trade.
Since leaving Kenosha, according to
the meagre information that had been
secured today, he has lived both at
Gary, Ind, and at Detroit. At the
latter city he had been employed at
intervals as a clerk at the Eastern
hotel, where he finally met the in
juries which caused his death.
He is survived here by his mother,
whose home is at 444 Lake avenue, and
by FIVE brothers and four sisters.
The funeral services are to be held
Wednesday afternoon at the St.
Georges church with interment fol-
lowing in the family plot in the ST..
George cemetery. Church services
will be at two o'clock preceded by
services at the Mischler chapel at
one-thirty o'clock.
Hold Six On Suspicion
Word from Detroit states that six
men are now held there on suspicion
by police authorities who are making
every effort to apprehend his murder
err. Police there believe that they will
be able to solve the mystery surround
ing the death and through the ques-
tioning of these men gain evidence
enough to secure the apprehension and
conviction Of the guilty person.
Reports of the murder did not give
the details regarding it, stating mere
ly that he had been stabbed by man
who with others attempted to stage a
hold-up in the hotel.