Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1869-02-26
Terrible Tragedy.

Seventh avenue, occupied by a tailor named
John Rhodes. A young man named Peter
Bambcrger shot his Sweetheart, and then
placing the muzzlo of the pistol to his own
head, fired three times. All inquiry into the
4acts of the case revealed the following.
STORY OF TIE AGE
Peter Bambcrgcr, and Sarah Bocrd, young
lovers returned from a ball, where they had
been apparently enjoying themselves with
mutual zcst and pleasure. They had entered
the hall, way of the promises No. 11G Seventh
avenue, where they both lived, when the Low.
or drew from his pocket a revolver, aud sent
the leadcn contents of the pistol through her
head. lie next placed the revolver opposite
his forehead, and discharged three shots
which, it is thought, penetrated his brain.
1t appears that Sarah Bocrd, the %unfortu.
nate girl, has resided with hcr::stcpfathcr, at
No. III Eigth avenue, for the past three
years, since her mothers death. Since then
she has been keeping company with Bambcr-
ger, and they were engaged to be married
Some three months ago Sarah left the house
of her stcpfather, and hired out as a servant
to John Rhodes, Bambcrgcr's employer, at
No. 1lG Seventh avenue, and since then her
steptathcr, George Bocrd, has not seen her.
On "Wednesday evening Sarah, and her sweet
heart, Bambcrgcr, went to a ball, held in
National Hall, in West Forty.fourtll street.
yesterday morning about half.past four, they
left the ball, in company with Mr.. Rhodes,
his wife, and another man, who, OH reaching
the house, left the lovers in the hall way
They had scarcely undrcssed when they heard
a pistol shot, Immediately followed by two
others. Mr.. Rhodes took a light, and went
down Stairs, at tue foot Of which he found thS
young girl, Sarah, lying, with a bullct-hole in
her left temple, and at the door lie discovered
Peter lying in a pool Of blood, which ran from
his head where three balls had entered. lie
immediately reused the ncighbors, who gath
cred aroun nd in alarm. Both we're taken in
an inscnsible condition, and we're conveyed to
Mount Sinai Hospital, in West Twenty. eighth
street.
TIE INVESTIGATION LATER IN TIE DAY
Coroner Rollins attended at the Mount
Sinai Hospital, and examined the girl Sarah
Bocrd. as to the circumstances of the shoot
ing. She states that she was engaged to be
married to Bambcrger. On Wednesday night
he and she went to a ball at the National
Assembly Rooms, and returned about 6 o clock
yesterday morning. The hall was dark, and
they were talking pleasantly together, and in
about three minutes she was shot. There
was no misunderstanding between them, and
they were to DO married soon. Her father
was opposed to it; she never saw the pistol
found in Bambcrgcr's possession, and he had
never threatened violence upon her or him.
self in Case she refused to marry him there
was no one in the hall at the time, so far rs
she knows; Bambcrgcr was sober, and after
she was shot she knew nothing for some little
time. The girl evidently desires to convey
the impression that she was not shot by her
lover.
a FALSE REPORT
The report, when first related to the police
Q! nc Sixteenth precinct, was that they were
both shot by her stepfathcr, whcrcupon an
officer was dispatched to arrest him, and sue.
ccedcd in doing so as he came from a liquor
store in Forty.scvcuth street. On being in.
of the occurrence, he seemed startled
The following letter, written in German, was
found on the person of the un fortunate man,
which shows that the deed was premcdita.
ted:
DYING REQUEST.
"DEAR BRoTHER I am sorry for our
poor parents, for the pain and shame I have
brought upon you, and all, and forgive me if
you can. for | can't do otherwise. I can't
live without her, and to live with her would
not do. Nh. Bored (Sarah's stcpfather), got
his satisfaction of us both. / loved her
strong, but, any how, I could not respect her
| done everything to get rid of her. I often
was cold toward her. Afterward it panied me
inside, and now l have no more rest. / can't
do otherwise. [ wish I had never seen her.
My dear brother, [ wish you to fulfill my last
wishes. l promised my mother if 1 could not
follow her to the place of her last rest, that |
would buy her coffin. Now l request you to
send her $25 before sho knows the truth nv
case. [ don't think that she ever would Get
over it if she knew the truth Of her unfortu.
nate son. Dear Friend Rhodao M .,1..