, 1873-08-13
A .FRlGHTFUL TRAGEDY.
Murder nmti Suicide in u Junk Cellar
i'll PouKhlkccpatG.

H1ufAor nnd suicide In q JnnR Col1nT
III Poughkccpata.
'"D''s' Il <s S1gg syt y ax:: Correspondence " tbs
There ie much o1citemcnt here over tolriblo
tragedy which occurred at 400 Main street to-
day. Tho building wAs owned by John Wenz, q
vito, johanna, iii Doyce and wlfc, and Michael
McGafln aud wife, tho lattor keeping lager-
boer saloon III part Of 1t. About . p. M tho po-
lice woro told that light had occurred in y The
eap oa aI spa o B pae s tSeo Spoeh e0 o ahe
front. 4 dim l}ght sl,one through tho
narrow window and foil On tho dead
bodies Of John Wonz and his wife lying on the
oatrhe1 floor, and a Sharpe. fonr.barfolod ro-
through tho mock nnd tho carotid artory aovorod,
and John Wenz was shot through tho mouth up
ward into the hoad. a pool Of blood surrounded
each body. III tho back basement, cloae to tho
tnblo on which waH scanty array Of dishes,
pieces Of broad, aud ono or two cups and aau-
cers. Undor this table, close to tho odge,
the floor Was spattorea with blood, aa though
theory iB that John Wen2 shot his wifo thoro.
md aEe ran into tho collar and foll soeing which
ho deliberately placed the muzz1o Of htB piBto IN
hie mouth, discharged il, and foil near her:
by Coroner Wilson Hicks' direction. the bodies
woro removed to tho yard, AMI Ibid upon
strotohor. Wonz had nothing on but Ills panta-
looms and shirt, and Mrs. Wonz was drossod MS
in the performance Of her ordinary Homework.
Tho bodies wero carefully covered with Rhcct.
Dy this tsno thoro was rush from an parts OF
Wouz and his vito boing Gormans many OF
their countrymon and women thronged tho place.
md discussed the horrible Affair In all ita bear
ings. somo blamed tho husband, and othors
blamed tho wife. It WA n hard matter to ascer-
lain the truth till Ell Boyce and vito were In
terrogate1. MrB. Doyce said: "Wo 1.-Two In tho
third story Of Mr. wenz'a house. He
s eano 'no, TITO his ,osS room up;ts,tairs' and
sooas ss attor his vito ontored tho room, md
thoy Ind apat about money. a. lady called to
SEQ Mrs. Wonz 1uat thon, and they ceasod qunr-
rolling, and Bbo told tho lady to como up Stairs,
and 8ho did. We wero all iii tho room together.
Tho lady visitor eat At one window and l sat at
the otller. A funoral WIS about passing WHOM
HRS. Wonz told tho lady to sit still and look out
Of tho window. and she did, Mrs. Wonz thon
got up and went to hor husbands pockets. Ho
roaistea, but aho was tho strongoet:. He broke
away from hor, and, going to tho closot, got .
como any higher just thcn my husband on
torod tho room, and told him to 80 back. Both
a: vory 1 much me-; e1citod whilo ho was % po'nt aSe
F tIgoe-snsrs S % pail iioa With 'D water 0A md
flung tho contents in her husbands faco. At
this junoturo tho lady ysitor started to leave tho
room, and Rhe also urged mo to go to my room,
sat still, and tho Indy yisitor went out, mud
Mrs. Wonz followed her downstairs, aud l then
went to my room. Bomo timo after little Philip
Wenz burst into my room and cried out, " Oh,
Mrs. Boyco father and mother arc both dead II
heard no pistol report whatever. That's all I
know about the affair"
Philip Wenz is 10 years of ago. and bright
little fellow. Flo is tho sou Of the doad couple.
Ho told his pitiful story amid sobs and tears.
Ho said IL WAS homo at dinner at IL O'Clock
with mother. Father waB thon upstairs in tho
front room on tho third floor. She didn't seem
to bo vory nngry. sao wasn't mad at all. Blle
said father had como homo 30 drunk he
conld hardly. stand up. This morning my fathor
wanted him to got out. After got my dinnor
won't up to tho basa-ball ground, aud camo home
again shortly before O'Clock. whom MIR. Nc
dafln told mo to go down-stairs and 500 what
tho rear basantent but did not SEQ thom. Ithan
went in tho front cellnr and saw my mother ly-
ing OH her stomach ! then tried to lift her up,
bnt couldn't. I didn't then sec any blood, nor
like. When it got 80 could SEQ better, I snw
blood mud 1 then saw father lying alongside
OF mother, and thon ran, up ana told Mr..
AfcGallin. A revolver lay botweon father and
father might have thrown it thoro. The revolver
belonged to fathor. saw it about two days ago
upstairs in drawer. 7 saw it Monday last.
Ny mothor hnH boon wanting father to 60 to
Now Jersey with mo. hayo hoard hor say sho
would not have him in the house. l layo got
throo hrothors and three sisters. lily youngest
siHtor ia II years Of age. am 10, and tha
youngest In the family. Father and mother own
this property. Father claimol it becauHe he
said mother always took money ont Of fathers
Louis and sister Mary live in Now Jorsoy, and
my other brothers md siRterB except ono live
loro."
During tho giving of his statement the
poor little follow rS,,u. was ,g greatly excited,
scene, the lad waa leaning against tho
fence, near tho rear basement, crying aa
though his little heart would break. All around
him, in oroHds, wore jostling strangers. eagor
to get a glimpse Of tue horrible sight below. He
was takon into hlr. McGaflln's room, and that
gentleman at once took charge OF him ind cared
Tor him.
It is said that tho couple wore married about
two yoara ago in New Jersey; and tint four OF
band. Wonz il represented az having been
worry Incorporate man. His friends Bay that
Mrs. Wouz abused him terribly; that ofton-
times abe bud punished him, 6aing much tho
Wonz waa partially inaano and attempted sui
cido, whom R!,o was sont to an insaue asylum, re-
manning there however, but short tima and
coming hack oured AL coucedo TINT they fro-
.euently Ind bitter quarrels and atufoH which led
to tLiH fatal result.
There is no doubt whatever but that when
Mrs. Wenz loft the room upstairs with her lady
visitor she babe tho lattor Indy good-Gny and
wont into tho roar basement whero the dinner
table waH standing. There Bho must have sat
down, Wien Wel,S can,o upon her suddenly aud nd
another quarrel enBued, during which l,e blot
hor. Staggering and bleeding, slo reached tho
front Cellar mud foil. Wonz, who waB intosi-
eatoa followed closely aftor, and seeing TINT l,o
n,nzzlo Of tho pistol in his mouth ind blew Lis
brains out.