Tales from the Morgue: A murder at Pastime Park, 2

BARNEY SCHILLER, MISSING MAN IN LOEBS MURDER CASE, JAILED
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County Now Ready to Proceed With Prosecution of Men Held for Slaying Proprietor of Pastime Park; To Make Requisition for Schiller.
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Barney Schiller, alias Blackie, the missing man in the murder mystery surrounding the killing of Charles Loebs, owner of Pastime Park, on the night of December 23, was arrested last night in the harbor district of Los Angeles, on telegraphed instructions from Sheriff Miles, charging his connection with the murder of Loebs.

With the capture of Schiller, the police and sheriff's dragnets have fulfilled their work. Joe Pruitt, Rafael Azuna, Butcher Sundeen and Art Nelson, a former policeman, are in the hands of the authorities. Evidence has been piling up in the hands of the authorities, so that now a completely linked narrative of the murder and the motive can be told to the jury when the prisoners are arraigned.

On receiving the news last night, County Attorney Moore stated that the arrest of Schiller closed the case excepting for the legal matter of securing the presence of Schiller in Tucson.

Loebs was murdered about 2:45 or 3 o'clock on the morning of December 23. He was shot once in the chest and once in the back of the head. The marks of an automobile were traced from Pastime Park to Tucson and the driver, Joe Acevedo, was arrested as he lay in the car on Congress street, in a drunken stupor. He did not know where the car had been during the night.

He was held for several days and was finally discharged. Bob Fraser, picked up on suspicion, was also later released and Joe Pruitt and Rafael Azuna were held. Meanwhile, the authorities were working on evidence unearthed. Suddenly Butcher Sundeen was arrested. The next day Art Nelson was caught in a police trap, suspended, and arrested charged with being connected with the murder. More evidence was dug up and the activities centered on the capture of "Blackie" Schiller, who had been in town up to the day Sundeen was arrested and then disappeared. He was traced to Lordsburg, and was believed to have gone east. However, Sheriff Miles sent out a general alarm through the southwest and finally landed his man yesterday.

CHARLES LOEBS SLAYERS MADE COMPLETE CONFESSION WHEN FACED WITH SHEAF OF FACTS
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Detective, Posing as Murderer in Jail, Forces Full Statement From Sundeen, While Schiller Eagerly Tells What He Knows; Sentenced Today.
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Like a page from a lurid dime novel, the story of the murder of Charles Loebs, on the morning of December 23, wound up yesterday in the superior court, where Louis Sundeen, alias Butcher, and Barney Schiller, alias Blackie, pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree and were held for sentence this morning.

Alfred Pruitt, also charged with the murder, balked in the justice court at the last moment, called for a lawyer, and his preliminary will be held this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. His statement that he was the driver of the murder car is in the hands of the authorities.

Used Officer's Gun

Nothing remains of the mystery excepting the disposition of former Patrolman Art Nelson, who has also confessed to participation to the extent that it was his revolver with which the murder was committed. The disposition of Joe Acevedo is also to be made. There is a question whether Joe knew that the murder party was to use his car.

Robbery Was Motive

The motive of the murder was robbery. A handful of nickels and dimes was all the reward received for snuffing out the life of the proprietor of Pastime Park.

The sheriff's office, the police department, the office of the county prosecutor and The Star worked as a unit in tracking down the crime. The result was that what at the beginning was an almost hopeless task, because of the indefiniteness of the clews, wound up with the quickest termination in the records of the court.

Pruitt Balks

Pruitt, Sundeen and Schiller were arraigned yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock in the justice court. Pruitt after having agreed to waive examination, balked and called for John E. Hughes. Sundeen and Schiller stayed by their agreement and waived preliminary examination without counsel. Bail was fixed at $25,000 each. The one information covering the three was split, Sundeen and Schiller appearing on one, with which they were taken to the superior court, where after brief formality, they pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree.

Chief of Police Bailey was put on the witness stand for testimony to show a motive, and Judge Pattee closed the case, remanding the prisoners to the custody of the sheriff until 4:30 this afternoon. The proceedings in both courts lasted less then three-quarters of an hour. By the time sentence is imposed tomorrow, Pruitt will probably be before the superior court to make his plea.

Men Make Statements

Each of the men had, before the beginning of the legal proceedings, filed with the prosecuting attorney statements of the murder that dovetailed into the evidence. In addition, there are similar statements from Art Nelson and from Joe Acevedo.

The night of the murder, a party of thirteen lined up before the bar of the Pastime Inn for drinks.

"My Unlucky Number"

"My, that's an unlucky number," said Loebs.

Everyone laughed and they told him there were four others in a booth, which made it seventeen.

The party of thirteen left the place and then the party of four left.

But, before they left, Blackie appeared, asking for a crank for a machine and left. Even then the murder car was waiting down the lane. Blackie had come to spy out the situation.

The party of four went to the Oracle bridge and on returning noticed a machine hidden in the bush north of the Pastime Park. At 6 o'clock that morning Chief Bailey was called from bed to investigate the murder. He found Under Sheriff Sullinger, and Dr. Thomas already on the scene, with Jimmy Isaacs.

Disguised His Tracks

Isaacs pointed to the track of an apparently lame man running to where the two men leaving the scene of the murder had taken an automobile in the road and sped for town. The apparent lameness was a disguise adopted by Sundeen.

The tires, one diamond tire on front, one smooth tread on front, and two smooth on the rear, marked the machine.

Joe Acevedo was picked up in the car. He was drunk. Rafael Azuma was also picked up. He had been drinking. Robert Fraser was also rounded up, recovering from a drunk. There was no doubt they had been with Acevedo the night before and that his car had been used in the murder. Fraser was lame and ran with his right heel off the ground.

The authorities worked on the trail for twenty-four hours while they held the men in jail, during which Acevedo comfessed he had spent the night in a room occupied by J. H. Alexander, alias Ellis Rose, and that he had been in the company of Sundeen, Blackie, Pruitt and that was all he knew about it. They had given him liquor and he knew nothing more until he found his machine in the street about daybreak. The engine was still warm.

Nelson Implicated

The police worked on this for another twenty-four hours and then a negro woman named Hattie, with whom Sundeen had lived, came to the sheriff's office asking for Sid Simpson, and saw Deputy Sheriff Ezekials instead, and told that Patrolman Art Nelson had been to her place and been in conference with Sundeen. They had arranged another meeting at her house and she was troubled.

Alibi Is Promised

That night Patrolman Wharton was on the night desk at the police station when Nelson came in. He told Wharton that some men wanted him at the Cabinet restaurant. While Wharton turned the desk over to him, Nelson went to the city jail, where Joe Acevedo was locked up, and told him to stick to certain facts while he would form an alibi for him, with Sundeen and Pruitt.

In the midst of this conference, Patrolman Ford strolled unexpectedly into the station and observed the situation and reported to Chief Bailey and Sheriff Miles.

Nelson Is Trapped

At the hour that Nelson was to meet Sundeen at Hattie's rooms, Patrolman Shelton and Hillman were hiding behind a door in the house and heard Nelson framing an alibi with Sundeen and Pruitt, who were not yet arrested.

The following day Nelson was arrested by Chief of Police Bailey, his star taken from him and he was turned over to the sheriff's office.

All that day Nelson was sweated but he refused to tell anything. Meanwhile, patrolmen and deputy sheriffs had been at his home looking for the revolver with which the killing was done. On a closet shelf, they came upon one .44-caliber cartridge. Nelson's revolver was .33 caliber.

Nelson Breaks Down

The shell was shown to him and Nelson tripped and fell. He told of Sundeen borrowing his revolver, the .33-caliber and a .44-caliber which he, Nelson, had taken from the (unreadable word) bootlegger who had held up Captain Belton in the San Augustine hotel last spring. That after the deed, he had secured the revolvers from Sundeen, removed the two used cartridges, pinched them between his teeth and threw them into the armory park. The four remaining shells he had taken from the revolver and placed them with the weapon on the shelf in the closet. Sundeen taking the revolver took three shells, but the fourth inadvertently had rolled back out of reach and laid the rap to catch Nelson.

Schiller Flees

Sundeen and Pruitt were arrested on the following day. Schiller, meanwhile had fled to Lordsburg on a railroad apprentice's pass, for the purpose of taking the physical examination for employment on the Southern Pacific, and was thus out of reach. There remained Alexander. He was caught as he was leaving town and placed in jail, from which he issued a statement of the meeting of the gang at his rooms and of their hiding in his rooms the Sunday and Monday following the murder.

Blackie, it was found, had left Lordsburg going west. He was traced to Bisbee. There his track was lost for a week. Meanwhile his description was wired throughout the coast.

Sundeen Cool and Defiant

Sundeen had maintained a cool front. He refused to confess or admit he had anyuthing to do with the murder. He declared everyone was framing him and he defied the authorities.

About this time the authorities sought the help of The Star.

A detective had been engaged to start for Tucson from El Paso. A telegram was to be sent to Sheriff Miles asking that he be stopped as a bank robber and murderer. Plenty of publicity was to be given to this. Would The Star write the story in such a way to impress Sundeen so that the man, the out-of-town bad man, could be placed in jail with Sundeen, who might talk to him and confess?

It was a serious thing to ask a newspaper to deceive its readers, but the end justified the means and accordingly when F. B. Fox, detective, reached Tucson and encountered Sheriff Miles at the rear end of the train, and incidentally a husky Southern Pacific railroad employe, a battle was put up that would have done credit to Douglas Fairbanks.

Fox riproared his way through the sheriff's office, into County Attorney Moore's room and was dragged over to the city hall and roaring defiance, habeas corpus, fighting extradition, he was flung into the cell with Sundeen, on the first floor back of the sergeant's desk. Sundeen, hanging to the bars, saw the whole performance in the police station and his eyes grew large when he learned the man was weanted for bank robbery and murder.

For a "Bad Man"

From back of the bars finally Fox demanded two minutes' time to "chew up" Patrolman Camacho and "spit him out." After exhausting himself Fox Flung himself on his bed in the cell, while Deputy Sheriff Croft sat before the door with a six shooter watching the pair of murderers.

Recovering his composure, Fox sneaked over the where Sundeen lay on the other cot and leaning over him declared he had made up his mind that Sundeen was not in the cell to "rope" him.

"And if I thought it a little more," he whispered, "do you know what I'd do to you?"

Sundeen, who was manacled with a chain attached to one ankle, asked him what he would do.

"I'd kick your block off and stomp you to a pulp," whispered Fox, wiggling his fingers greedily. Then he proceeded to call Sundeen all the names he could think of.

Sundeen Makes Confession

Thereupon Sundeen sat up and told Fox he was in jail for murdering Loebs. He told how he had done the act and he was sure the police were framing him.

Fox ridiculed him as a cheap little murderer, unworthy of his consideration. Presently, he relented and as day broke, Sundeen was pouring his story of how he had murdered Loebs into the ears of the detective who drove him back to his corner time and again telling him to shut up.

"I got my own troubles," declared Fox; "I bumped my man and got $20,000 and buried it so's I'll have something to do with when I get out of the stir and I got to think of a way to fight these bulls. I haven't any time to listen to a damned fool like you who gets $15 and don't even lay out a getaway."

Finally he promised Sundeen to get him out of jail, as soon as his lawyer had brought a habeas corpus for him, Fox. Archie O'Connor was accordingly engaged as the attorney and got Fox out for a conference.

Sundeen Wanted Poison

Meanwhile Sundeen had been trying to get others to secure him some poison to be used in the event he was found guilty. Fox however promised he and a pal would slip him a saw and a revolver. Then, they planned together. Sundeen was to call Deputy Sheriff Croft to the jail cell and seize his revolver, kill him with it and then through the bars force Sergeant Nugent to open the door.

Planned Another Crime

After the getaway, the pair were to hold up a messenger on the Sasco road and make a clean getaway with a package of money and thereafter they were to have one life of blood and plunder.

His mission finished, temporarily, Fox was liberated because of lack of alleged information to hold him, and Sundeen was left alone to his hopes that he would get the saw to remove the "bull," otherwise the chain on his ankle, so that he could murder Croft and get away. Sergeant Nugent had been kind to him and he would not harm him unless he had to. Fox's pal was to have a high-powered car ready to help.

Blackie Is Arrested

Friday night came a flash from the Los Angeles police. Blackie had been caught in the harbor district of Sand Pedro and the police of Los Angeles were holding him. He had shipped a grip from Bisbee in advance and the detectives had taken him as he got off the train.

There was a question as to whether he would fight extradition. He did not and instead arrived Sunday morning in the custody of Detectives Holden and Crouse of Los Angeles and was turned over to the authorities here.

Blackie Makes Clean Breast

Blackie ( a few words unreadable). He wanted to tell all he knew and get it off of his mind. Accordingly his statement was taken down in the office of County Prosecutor Moore with representatives of the sheriff's office and police department present.

He was taken back to his cell and Court Reporter Nixon went to his room to transcribe his notes.

Sundeen came in and he still refused to admit anything.

Former Patrolman Nelson was called in and told Sundeen that he had told all he knew. Joe Acevedo was brought in. It did not break the iron nerve of "Butcher." Pruitt, who had made a statement, was brought in and said he had made a statement. Still Sundeen had not weakened. Finally —

Enter Fake Bank Robber

"Bring in that rip-roaring bank robber," called Moore.

Fox entered the room.

Sundeen did not wink an eyelash.

"The jig's up," Fox said to Sundeen. "They've got you cold."

"What jig?" asked Sundeen innocently, as though he had not plotted a career of murder with this man.

Then they told him that Blackie had made a confession but that did not move Sundeen.

However, just before midnight, as the authorities were giving up on the task, and had started Sundeen back to his cell, Sundeen asked to see the statement Blackie had made.

"I'll bring it over and read it to you," said Moore, "as soon as it is transcribed."

It was almost Monday morning that Moore stood before the cell door reading the statement of Blackie to Sundeen.

For the first page and a half, Sundeen laughed but as the statement drew on down to the time they laid in the sandpit waiting their chance to murder Loebs, he grew tense.

Sundeen's Nerve Breaks

" 'This man Sundeen is a cold-blooded murderer, he never gave Loebs a chance. He shot the old man down without a warning.' " read Moore from the statement.

"It's a damned lie," burst out Sundeen; "I did give him a chance. I told him to throw up his hands and he reached, I thought, for a gun. Then I— Now all these fellows have told you the outside of the story. I'll tell you the story as it happened. I'll put all the trimmings on for it is the real way it happened."

Before daybreak the statement was finished and all day yesterday Sundeen as though a great weight had been lifted, was telling everyone who came to the jail that he had "come through clean" in the (unreadable word) murder of Charles Loebs.