Ernie Haas

The following was reported by the United Press on December 19, 1939:

NEW YORK--Ernie Haas, 23 year old boxer, has been arrested in Toronto, Ont., and has confessed that he killed Dr. Walter Richard Engelberg, first secretary of the German consul general here, police said today. The confession was announced by Assistant Chief Inspector John J. Ryan at New York police headquarters. Haas was found in Toronto last night and four police officers flew there to question him. He admitted the slaying after several hours of questioning, Ryan said. Engelberg, 40 year old secretary at the consulate general, was found beaten to death in his bed last Dec. 6. He lived in a quiet section of Brooklyn in a two-story one family house. Ryan said that expert detective work brought about the apprehension of Haas. The trail was picked up a few days ago, he said, when a woman purchasing toys in a Brooklyn department store mentioned Haas' name and said she was going to Canada. Something in her manner aroused the suspicions of the sales person who managed somehow to get word to police. Detectives took up stations before the woman left the store and followed her to Haas' hideout. Espionage was one of the possible angles explored by police, but they soon concentrated their search for a young boxer later identified as Haas. Police said they wanted to question the pugilist about a pair of size 11 slippers and a large bathrobe that were found in the slain secretary's house. Neither was the property of Engelberg.

As no bout for Haas has been found yet, it is unknown whether he was a professional fighter or not.