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The Morning Press

Bloomsburg, PA, Thursday, April 17, 1919

Ralph Carl is in Jail to Answer Murder Charge

Accused by State Police of Being Implicated in Killing of His Father

Evidence Withheld

Said Members of His Family Had Connected Him With Crime From First

Ralph Carl, the twin son of Joseph Carl, well-to-do Catawissa township farmer whom the coroner’s jury Sunday decided had met his death at the hands of an unknown assassin, is in the Columbia county jail to await a hearing on the charge of committing the murder.

The son lives on a small farm adjoining that of his father and it is understood the finger of suspicion had been pointed to him by others of the family from the first but that proceedings had not been contemplated until after the funeral today. But there came developments early yesterday that prompted Corporal Stevenson of the state police to arrest Carl and commit him about five o’clock yesterday morning to the lock-up at Bloomsburg for a hearing later.

So far as can be learned the evidence thus far secured against the son is purely circumstantial.

It centers around a note for $300 given by the defendant at the Bloomsburg National Bank payable last Saturday and upon which his father was endorser.

It is said the father had declined to again endorse for his son unless the latter decreased the amount and showed some intention of paying off the note.

The defendant, it is said, had declared that he intended going to lodge at Mainville Saturday night but that he had car trouble and later in the night-about 10 o’clock- decided to go to Bloomsburg for his wife, who had gone there earlier in the evening.

He claimed to have money owing him from the mountain and it was when he started early yesterday morning on that trip and after he had stopped at the home of Roy Bitler to pick up some hogs that he was arrested, it being feared that if he got away the authorities would lose track of him.

There seems to be but little doubt that the dead man had $285 in his safe several weeks ago and that to that amount was added $169 which he got from wheat sold to the White Milling Company at Bloomsburg. The finding of that money would unquestionably go a long way toward solving the mystery.

Investigation at the Bloomsburg National Bank where he kept his account showed his last deposit to have been made January 13, 1919 and to have been one of $2,000.

His twin brother, who resides in the West and had been notified of the death of his father, arrived yesterday to attend the funeral. It was not until his arrival here that he was aware of the facts surrounding the death of his father and that his brother had been charged with the crime. It was a touching scene that was enacted at the Town Hall yesterday when the twins came face to face for the first in several years, under trying circumstances.

The Western son entered the lock-up as he faced his brother he broke down completely, exclaiming “My God, Ralph you couldn’t do such a thing!” The accused man, his body racked with sobs, protested his innocence, brokenly replying- “No, brother, I could Not.” Both brothers wept unrestrainedly.

It was about two o’clock yesterday morning that events began to occur when a telephone message was received by Chief of Police Brobst, who had been notified to stay at the Town Hall to await developments, stating that Carl was preparing to leave his home and was then in the act of loading pork on his truck wagon to hauled over the mountain to Shenandoah. The Chief immediately got in touch with Stevenson, who had gone to his home at Berwick, and the latter made a hurried trip by Bloomsburg and over the hill to the Carl home. It was about 4:30 o’clock yesterday morning when he arrived and confronting Carl, who was working at the barn, demanded: “I want you!” Carl knew the trooper having been with him the previous day on his investigation and his reply is said to have been “I haven’t any money.”

Stevenson took him into custody and brought him to Bloomsburg and lodged him in the lock-up, where he remained until five o’clock yesterday afternoon, when with some incriminating. Evidence collected by the police, he was placed in jail without bail to await a hearing.

The officer, accompanied by District Attorney W.S. Sharpless then went to the suspected man’s home and conducted a thorough investigation. In a bureau drawer in his room upstairs a .38 caliber revolver was found and it is alleged the revolver shows signs of recent use. No empty shells were found in the gun, although the bullet which was extracted from the ceiling of the room, it is alleged, corresponds with the shells used in the gun found in the bureau drawer.

Carl was asked to give an account of his whereabouts Saturday night. He stated that he had intended going to lodge in Mainville, but that he had some trouble with his car until about 9:45 o’clock and then deciding it was too late to go to Mainville, came to Bloomsburg and attended the movies. He returned home after midnight. Carl resides on the old Harvey Shugars’ farm, just at the forks of the Catawissa road, leading to Mainville and Bloomsburg. In working around his car he would be only a few feet from the road and in plain view of any passersby. It was learned at the coroner’s inquest from the daughter Marcella and the grandson Orval that they had seen the aged man as he came up the hill returning from Bloomsburg. This was about 8 o’clock. The officers asked the suspected man whether he had seen his father as he passed around eight o’clock Saturday night. He denied having seen or spoken to him on the night of the shooting, although it was not dark when his father passed his house. The defendant stated that his first knowledge of the shooting came on his return from Bloomsburg late that night.

Meanwhile, the authorities continued their investigation at his home yesterday and it is alleged other incriminating evidence has been found. It is altogether likely that a hearing will be held today or tomorrow before Justice of the Peace Rutter, when he will be either held for court or dismissed.

Anthony Solinski, a foreigner, who was harbored by the murdered man at different times during the past several years, first came under the suspicions of the police conducting the investigation. Two warrants are now in the hands of Chief of Police Brobst charging him with stealing $70 from Mrs. Ellen Shoemaker, of town. He disappeared from this section some time ago, however, and has not been seen since.