Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-07-25
which are as follows

RS~ DREADFUL TRAGEDY IN BALTIMORE
From the Baltimore papers we collect the
following particulars of terrible affair in.
that city on Tuesday:
mannamed George Frederick Mentzell,
n butcher by occupation, and who has been
noted for hisintemperate habits, Yesterday
afternoon went to the house of Mr.. Henry
Knell, also butcher, and for whom he had
worked several years, and solicited the
loan of large knife. BE said that he had
several knives in his house, but that they
were oil too small, us he designed killingia
hog. Mr.. Knell was absent at the time;
but one of his young men loaned the fellow
a good sized knife. He was drunk at the
time, but his actions did not excite suspi-
cion of an intention to commit an evil
decd butit was soon perpetrated.
a coroner's jury was summoned. The
following is the substance oftbe testimony
ELECTED in addition to the foregoing para
graph u aS
Mrs. Sarah sDepo testified that she re-
sides in the house fronting on Walnut al
ley, next to Mentzell's house that Mentzell
had been under the influence of LIQUOR dur
ing the day, and that about five O'Clock he
came into her house, and inquired for Mrs.
Mentzell; told him she was at home; he
then left, and returned to his own house
a few minutes after heard Mrs. Mentzelil
GENE down the celles steps, and her hus-
band after her; witness ran to her door
and then to Mentzell's cellar steps aud there
met them. He was intoxicated and angry,
Mrs. Mentzell tried to get away; he caught
hold OF her, and suddenly drawings butch
er knife, struck Mrs. Mentzell 10 the breast
with il witness caught hold of his arm
and prevented the second blow, and tried
Nr,rg l.. Al. ~
blow at witness, the blade of the knife Just
grazing the LEFT side of her neck; wit
ness held on to Mentzell, but he being the
stronger of the two, succeededsfn again
striking the knife into his wife's breast :;
this time the blood came gushing forth,
and SO sickened the witness that she had
to relinquish her grasp and turn away; wit
ness is about 20 years of age; after she let
go of Mentzall he struck his wife twice,
making, altogether four blows. He then
let go his hold upon her, and ran into the
cellar; Mrs. Mentzell walked from the cell
lar entrance to the middle of Walnut alley,
and there fell dead. a crowd had gathered,
and when they rushed into the cellar Mentt
zell lay there weltering in his own blood,
having stabbed himself with the knife.
Mrs. Mentzell's wounds were in and
around tho heart. Mentzell plunged the
knife in her left breast, and, in the opinion,
of DR.. Greentree, must have twisted it
around several times, from the torn nature
of the wound. She lived about two min
utes, and he lived about ten minutes after
the deed was committed. Hewas 45 years
of age; she was % years OF age. Ment-
zell was her second husband. They leave
six children; four grown and two small,
the youngest eight years of age. They
were poor but respectable persons, his
great fault being that he would sometimes
get intoxicated. He would then neglect
his business, that of butcher, and would
be troublesome to all his friends. While
in such a condition he had frequently
threatened his wife's life because she
would refuse him money to get drink, &C.
The knife with which the deed was done is
small, old and rusty butcher. knife, which
he had evidently obtained at some slaugh-
ter-honse where he had been working.
The parties are German by birth. There
was much excitement among those residing
4 in the neighborhoods where the tragedy was
enacted, aud a large crowd gathered around
the door, many of whom did not dispense
until after the coroner's jury rend cred their
verdict, which was as follows: HThat Mrs.
Sophia Mentzell came to her death from
wounds inflicted by a knife in the hands of
her husband, George Frederick Meptzell,n
aud that George Frederick Mentzefl came
to his death ibya wound inflicted, by knife
in his own hands, while he was in an in.
toxicated condition.