Wilmington journal., 1873-08-01
A BAReN'S WIFE-MURDER,
An Old Man shoots His Wife He.
cause She Wants 10 go on ulse
stage, and then Kills Himself.

An Old Wan Shoots His Wife He.
cause She Wants TO go on the
Stage, and then Il ills aEimseiE.
Few murders have recently created
more profound sensation in the old
world than the shooting of the younc
and beautiful Baroness Alvina Won
Gllmann, at Freyberg, in the Grand
Duchy of Baden, by her aged Inns
band, the Baron Won Gilman, who
| had formerly been n Major in the
German army, and who FOR MANY
years had lived i'll retirement in an
elegant chateau. Baron Won Gifmann.
at the time of the murder, was fully
seventy years of age. He had never
been married during his long life,
until in the Summer of 1871 he made.
at the fashionable Watering place of
Wildbad, the acquaintance of Alvina
We'll, the only daughter of n widow in
very humble circumstances. The
young girl made SO deep an impression
upon the heart of the old Baron that
he. Offered his hand t. her, which she
accepted with some hesitation, but
finally, giving way to the importuni-
ties of her mother, who was dazzled
by the wealth and aristocratic position
of M. Won Gilman, they were mar
ried in the Fall of 1871, and lived
apparently in serene happiness at the
husbands chateau. The young wife
| was greatly pleased at the lavish Iiber-
ality with which the Baron treated
her, and carefully avoided giving him
any cause for jealousy. His acquaint-
ances, who knew him as proud,
irascibless man, were surprised at the
change which his temper had under
gone since his marriage. For since
then he was all genteness, and he
never gave way any more to bursts of
passion, to which he had formerly
been subject
In the Winter of 1872 Baron Won
Gilman and his wife frequently visit
| ed the Freyberg Theatre, and an ire
| sistible mania for the stage suddenly
! seized the young Baroness. She
asked her husband if he had any OBJ
lection to her becoming an actress,
! and, when told she could not, she
| flew into violent passion, and leclar-
ed with streaming eyes that she would
commit suicide If not permitted to
| become an actress. Violent scenes
henceforth repeatedly took place.
| The Baron was infiexible, and his
| stage-struck wife finally promised not
| to annoy him any further. Secretly.
| however, she conceived the idea of
| gratifying her irresistible whim, even
ii it should lead to separation from
| her husband Size wrote to Herr
| Bauernfeld, manager of the German
theatre At Strasburg, letter, in
which she asked his advice as to her
project OF going on the stage She
sent him her photograph, and inform
ed also that she had expensive iewelry
and fine dresses enough to appear III
good style upon the stage. Baurenfeld
, wrote her a very sensible reply:
! Madame, lewelry and fine dresses do
| not make an actress. In order to be-
come one you must have talent and
! perseverance, without which even Il
lady of your fine appearance would in
Strasburg, and allow NE to examine
| yorr qualifications for the stage, l
may give You more encouragement
but understand that the boards" are
| treacherous. Nine out of ten, who
have tried it, have found them too
| slippery. ANDY BAURENFELD.
This letter fell accidentally into the
hands of the old Baron, and caused
| him to fly into terrible rage. He
FASTENED to his wife, and with trem-
! bling hands held the miSsive that was
/ to prove fatal TO both of them under
! her eyes. s'Wretchedwoman,"h he cried.
''what have you written this man :''
| The Baroness was greatly frightened, :
and tried to pacify the old man by tell
! ing him that Baurenfcld's letter wasm
/ answer to one she had written to%J-
! months ago. The Baron now dtH ,;oI,
ed the key Of her writing slesl4 l4inm tn
| he did not obtain until res- ''''''
! personal violence. Xho, Iottar
In tic desk he foua1 Gun, sI,'na, a',i
almost. completed, " tllei i'a'ti "a th. >tmtt' ~
+ addressed to the 4pHf"R'i t,,,,,, NJ,
/ CART Theatre. Y rag s,mn,t a" fnominr
10 Longer tSa any any +hXe hX2 rushed to his bed
,ln' ,'U 'ii' i, ,iidi 1tedilv appeared before hb"
! tnrr;faI "t ,', ,afc Will a loaded revol ", iii
i';a 1;n ili,mI i'. She felIs upon her knees,
lins niI1 i;.'a IA hearircnding voice, lmplored
' ,'il"' 1t to III her. Yes" he cried,
nm nm have lisgr lced my honorable
| Xoo v1u shall die. and 1 will not
.sIrviye the disgrace, either II" then
firnJ three shots into his wife's breast,
o,,I then blew out his brains.
When the servants, hearing the re-
mort Of a pistol. rushed into the room
they found their old master stretched
ON the floor, and stone dead. The
Young Baroness lay close to him in a
pool OF blood. The feeble m"ans
which she uttered showed that she was
not yet dead Medical aid was prompt
Iv summoned, but it was Mt once ascer-
tanned by the doctor that recovery was
cut OF the question. She fingered five
davs in the greatest agony, and then
died. Her remains and those of her
husband were buried on the 10Th OF
Nav in enc coffin ut the cemetery ut
E'reyhurg.