A MYSTERIOUS CRIME

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8945, 10 October 1907, Page 4

A MYSTERIOUS CRIME

A mysterious crime in a motor car is being investigated hy the Vienna police. An agent for automobiles, named Heinrich Krauss, recently received an order from a man representing himself as D. Steiner, a manufacturer, for a motor-car, which should bo a 60 horse-power, and cost £ISOO. Steiner arranged to have a trial run, and said he would bring his own chauffeur. Herr Krauss also brought his chauffer, named Mahriuger. The trial trip was spun out until evening, when Herr Krauss resolved to return to Vienna and called on Mahriuger to turn tho car. A few seconds afterwards Mahriuger heard cries for help from the closed coupe iu which Steiner and Krauss sat. Looking through the window lie saw Steiner hitting blows with a hammer at the head of Herr Krauss, whose throat lie grasped. Mahriuger had tho presence of mind to throw out tho clutch, so that the motor remained stationary, and then sprang to tho aid of Herr Krauss. Several shots were then fired, the door flew open, and Steiner threw Herr Krauss, who -was bleeding troiu several -wounds, into the road. Steiner fired several times at Mahriuger, hut missed him and then sprang, with his chauffeur, on to the car, which, however, they w'ero unable to move. The cries and shots brought the gendarmory to the spot, upon which the would he assassins ran off across the fields and were lost iu the darkness. Herr Krauss lies severely wounded in tiie hospital. It was evident that the intention of Steiner was to seize tiie car after killing Herr Krauss and his chauffeur, Mahriuger,