The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-20
TRAGEDY IN WILLIAM STREET.

Murder and suicide-A Man Murders HIS
Wife and then Shoots HimscIf- Domestic
Troubles the Cause.-The Coroner,s Inaucst,
Sc, SC.
A few minutes after twelve o'clock yesterday 2s6 VII
liam street was the scene Of shocking tragedy. The
persons IN the house, and Others hearing successive dis
charges Of pistol proceeding from the hall on the frat
floor, ran to ascertain the casss and on reaching hor.
ry'pg figh met Their eyes, There lay stretched on the
floor at the foot Of the staircase welterng In their own
blood the bodies Of John D. Osstenbeyg and bis wife, and
near them were horse ps.o and revolver. The alarm
spread and numbers rushed TO the house. among the
rest Sergeant rwadde of the Fourth precinct police and
another officer Il eyien that Osstenberg had frat
murdered his wife and then hnae and the reasons given
for the commission Of such terrible crime are these
appears that Ossenbeg TO this country from Ger
many his native land about years ago He soon be.
came acquainted with Bertha wannemacher whom he at.
terwards, and nearly i've years ago, married. She
was also German. being native of Prussia After the
marriage they went to New Orleans, where they kept
hotel for some time, but failed this business and then
took farm, about hundred and eighty miles from
New Orleans at the village Of Helena, ut which they re-
sided I'LL the nth Of last November During their 30
ourn at the South the wife discovered that her husband
had been married in Europe, and tina. he was always
ready to slight her when in the presence OF any Of his
circumstances who were aware Of the fact, his first wife
being still alive. The consequence that they led
very oissgreeable life After returning 70 New York hin
father n-lsw, Christian WAnnema,her, set him up in
grocery store No Norfolk street. where his wife lived
with him till the 9th Of March hast when be threatened
her life, brandshng knife against her. She fed 10 the
house Of her father, in William street. her husband re-
naming in the grocery store She refused return TO
him. and be only visited her before yesterday whom
the tragedy occurred She had gone, about IL ocok X,
TO fetch rome beer for the dinner aud this IL the lss
known Of her till her body discovered beneath that
Of her husband, 40 already described At three O'Clock
Coroner Schrmer arrived and held qrest on the body
Of me deceased woman, At which the f0nowng testimony
William ssalburg was the first witness examined and he
testified - folows-I live in this house. the rst floor
keep BAT Der shop; was in my shop at quarter
past twelve o'clock heard report Of pistol; came
from the back hail. then went open my door and i'm.
afterwards discovered 70 be Jug, which fell and was
broken then heard second report and going to the
hall in the rear found Mrs Otsenberg lying on the oor
and her husband with his back on her; his feet
the second step Of the stas both laid in the hail. her
sisters and father running down. she lying
Ss .n hs Are pu; 6nds 70 her
lying by bis side; did not revolver the father and
sister ran to the street shouting ran called fora
BODY removed, but tina. Of the man lying there STILL
Maria Wspnemacher, the sister Of the deceased,
rather handsome young woman, who seemed much q.
deceased my father, my other sister and taking
our dinner when heard the report Of the pistol We
on her face and her husband lying her; we went 70
the street TO give the alarm and returning found that
some one had turned her around; other persons
helped uf, and we brought her up sairs they
running IN from the street very fast Osstenberg
was married in Europe, and when he came here
b BE- s'er s ser .Do ,b get s.s .
married, and she married him, and they then went 10
New Orleans is taid his frst wife s yer living in Texas;
always treated her badly in Mes Orleans particularly
when be met thoee no knew him previously mar
red be remained IN New Orleans about two years. keep
asS ies nom New Srlesns in Nc sea Helena
returned to this city they had two cnidren would be
three years Ola the other fifteen mouths they had lived
but they died after coming here; my father assisted my
SISTERS husband to commence grocery bosness at No.
N2giok street, they haze aways LIVED onhappy together
and she bers lived snce dnsf father since
then be trea 10 induce her 70 return but
often said she would rather die than live with him. as he
had told her he did not consider her his WIFE nv
sister went down from the table get some beer for m,
dinner was then he killed her. ''' quo
George BouoD, Nj D., who bed the poet m ortenp ex
OF The body Of the DECEASED woman. s,nnd
gnnsbot wound on the right side Of sernum between
po sns s s the q
There being other witness could add auythng
10 The testimony alieay ecited, the jury retired for
few minutes and then rernrned with verdict effect
that the deceased ut Der death by gunshct wound py
the hands OF John D. 0sstenberg.
The evidence in the first inquest that Of the &c.
cond with tbe exception OF The medical testimony which
was the following
have made external examination of the body OF de-
ceased, and found gunshot wound one inch 20 the
left Of the medium line between the carriages or the ribs
from the testimony have doubt bu, this YOU'D was
the cause OF death. GEORGE B. BOUTON.
In this case the jury returned verdict Effect that
the deceaf ed met bis death BY shooting himself with
pistol. They were then discharged by the Coroner.
The horse pistol found lying the bofy Of Ossteu
berg, and the revolver by the side Of his wife on the
floor In the hall The tsg cal occurrence produced no
small excitement 10 willism street which of late h he
INN Cd m mn to