Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-30
A Tale Of Love and Revenge Murder and
Suicide.

A terrible tragedy was enacted IN san
francisco, on the 9th OF November, by
young man named Laurentz jacobson, q
native of Denmark. Ee lived some time
as an employe in the house of man
named Mcdonald; during which time he
conceived q violent passion for tie
latter's daughter, a girl fourteen years Of
age. She was beautiful child, amiable
and sweet in disposition, the idol of her
parents, and beloved by all who knew
her. She was an only daughter, the sis
ter of two little boys, who, 10 the absence
Of their mother and father, found in
Rachel loving guide and protector.
She disliked Jacobson attentions TO her,
and complained of them to her parents,
who, in friendly manner, told the suitor
to look for other lodgings; which he did,
but still continued to visit the house.
On the evening Of the 4th he visited the
house, taking with him two bottles of
champagne, one ofwhich he opened and
served to the girl and her parents. They
all drank some of the wine, and then
jacobson, visibly agitated, held up the
other bottle and remarked, Now, ] will
20 and treat my roommate" He then
took his departure. Mffr
Notwithstanding bis strange conduct,
none of the family imagined that he had
been attempting their murder, or that he
would return to their dwelling to consum-
mate his terrible purpose of revenge.
Soon after he went away, Mr.. Mcdonald
anu several others OF the family became
slightly i'll, but the immediate effects
were not alarming, and they all retired
to bed. .
jacobson had evidently drugged the
wine for the purpose of killing the entire
family; but observing the small quanti-
ties Of the potion which they took, he
must have feared that the poison had not
done its work, and he determined to re-
turn and accomplish at least the death of
Rachel.
About o'clock am, on the 9th, Js-
cobson, having armed himself with a
four-barreled pistol, and carrying u stout
! 6le. which he had sharpened at olse end
like a jimmy, made his way from his
room on Union street to the premises OF
Mr.. Mcdonald. His victim, her parents,
and brothers, we're sleeping soundly.
He scaled the high board fence, and
then, fearing to arouse the inmates, he
took off his boots and hat and left them
in the yard. He was afraid TO approach
the window of Racheps sleepings room,
for it was in q line with that of the room
| where her parents slept, so he stealthily
approached the end of the house. His
| familiarity with locations and the habits
of the family facilitated the secrecy OF
his operations. With the heavy file he
pried open the back window and crawled
in. The little boys slept in bed which
sat against the window, and yet he was
enabled to get upon the bed and down to
the floor without arousing either of them.
1t was but step from there to the door
of his victims room. IL was open, and
the fiendish wretch entered it The light
which entered her chamber window be-
trayed her position to the murderer. He
either spoke to her or made some noise
with his pistol, for she awoke, and rising
to sitting posture in her bed, cried ont,
"Mal" Ma !" as she saw the eyes of
the murderer glsring upon her.
Quick as the thought of death, and
with fatal aim, the villain fred. The
mother and father had heard the cry OF
their daughter, and the former sprang to
the door. She heard the first report,
and saw the binding flash as the jealous
Dane placed the weapon to his own fore
head and sent a bullet crashing through
his brain. Instantly lamp was pro-
cured, and the horrid parents saw their
darling struggling in bed, and Jacobson
stretched at its side weltering in blood,
and dead. The neighbors were aroused,
and surgeons sent for to attend the
wounded girl. They found that the ball
had entered her face just below the left
eve. and penetrated the brain. She was
conscious, and once said to her father, as
he bent oyer her: "Pa, | am cold.
This was all she said. Her tongue and
one side of her body became paralyzed
and tho wound was pronounced mortal
However, she fingered I'll day yesterday
and last night in great agony, and al
Gam. to-day expired. Her parents are
almost frantic under the terrible sftiictlou
which overlook them so unexpectedly,
and her little brothers were so horrited
by the scene Of that awful night that
nothing can induce them to re-enter the
house.-San Francisco paper.