Des Arc citizen., 1858-12-25
HORRIBLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.

HORRIBLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY. 4 Bigamist Detected and Shof - Iht
 Slayer Swrenders hin,sclf to Justice
 Deeply Interesting Details. alt
 At eight o'clock yesterday morning a we'll known and respectable young Ger man, named Henry Linhoff, called at the office of Justice P. w. Johnstone. on Pine stree', and confessed that he had inst shot, and as he believed, had killed Dr. Edward Van Der Roecke. at the res idence of the latter, on Fourth Street. Linhof was accordingly placed in jail to abide an examination into the facts of the case.
 Coroner Boslinere was speedily sum- moned to hold inquest at No. 67 South Front street, between Spruce and Myrtle streets, west side, on the body of Dr. Edward Van Der Roecke. Decea--sslay upon the floor of his medical office, in the second story, front room. No blood was visible. A chair was overturned, andthe position of the corpse suggested that the Dr. had been shot while sitting and had overturned the chair in falling. A jury of inquest was duly sworn and the follow ing facts were elicited. eAea g. #ei Deceased has been some two years in this country, and for seven or eight months acquainted with Mary Ann Constanz-to whom he was married one month ago. She was widow her maiden name was Mary Ann Linhof, and Henry Linhoff is her brother. Before marrying her the deceased practiced in the country in this region, but on his marriage received from her money, with which he furnished an office in good style. On the third day af- ter the wedding he began to abuse his wife, by scurrilous reproaches. The oc- cason appeared 10 be-according to her state,nent--her dlsinclination to give him all her money. Since that time he has continued his abuse, and has caused heI | to fear for her life. She suspected that he wisAed to leave the city, and only wished her money 10 abandon her. She concluded that something must be wrong in his rast history, and to resolve her doubts she instituted search among his private papers. 0
 The search brought to light four letters addressed to him as Edward Roecke, writ ten from Wurtenburg, in Germany, and clearly showing that he had forsaken ( wife who was still living in that city.
 These letters the unhappy woman show ed to female relative, Mrs. Gushing, who retained them, and in turn gave then to her friends brother-in-aw, Augustu, Hoffman. The latter made the astound. l ing disclosure to Henry Linhof, who was excessively shocked and grieved, but ex- pressed no determination as to his action in the case. Hofman's interview with Linhof was on Tuesday night. Hoffman proposed to obtain clear proof, and prose- cute the bigamist, to which Linhof re. piled by requesting him to see him in the morning. Between three and four o'clock yesterday, "Wednesday morning, Lin hof called at Hoffinan's house on Broad- way, and said he could not sleep. The two conversed upon the melancholy affair till seven o'clock, when Hoffman proposed to visit the Doctor and ask him about the letters. They found the Doctor and his wife in the hall, and entered his office with him. He owned that he had a wife in Germany, but said he left her because she was cripple. Linhof conversed with coolness and candor, but when he reproached the Doctor for deceiving his (L's) sister, the Doctor replied that he also had found himself deceived in her. At this remark, Linhef drew his revolver and shot the Doctor through the heart The victim started from his chair, clappec his hands to his breast, fell groaned once and instantly expired. The ball passed through both ventricles of the heart, iron the left to the right side. Linhof at once proceeded to the Justices office, and sur rendered himself into legal custody St Louis Democrat.