The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-10-02
THE ASSASSINATION |
Death of the Wounded Man.
The Particulars.

The Particulars.
In last weeks issue we gave an &C
count of one OF the foulest attempts at
murder with which our city has ever
been disgraced. 1t makes our blood run
cold to think that fend in human form
exists. perhaps in our midst. who could
be guilty of such foul crime.
We have now to add that the attempt |
which she assassin made but too sure,
has resulted in the death of Mr.. Fechter.
He lived till Saturday morning, Sept.
goth. His funeral took place on Monday |
and was largely attended by sorrowing
friends and very nearly the whole of the
business community among whom Mr..
Fechter was known, showing their re-
spect for his family, appreciation of him.
self, and also, no doubt, the expression
of the city toward the assassin, who is as
yet not dangling at the ropes end, where
he surely ought to be. The services at
the grave. though plain, were the most
impressive we have eyer witnessed. Mr..
Esslinger addressed the large congrega-
ton and the widow and orphans of the
deceased In most effective manner; the
male chorus of the musical society sang
most beautiful hymn. Every one there
left deeply impressed with the solemn
occasion and vivid thought of the I'M
certainty of life.
During the time that Mr.. Fechter
lived after receiving his injury, his mind
to an ordinary observer, was in its usual
state, with the exception that he did not
realize his position, never expressing any
anxiety about his business, Ibis family,
or himself; in fact he could not realize
that he had been hurt at all. protesting
that what pain he felt was owing to
sore on the side of his neck. He would
converse to a limited extent could hear
we'll and see were it not for the swelling
about his eyes. On examining his body
those about his head. Externally there
were several cuts, Mhich were apparently
made with blows from hammer Two
Of them, on the right temple, appeared
but trivial, but over the left eye, on the
forehead, was a cash nearly two inches
long, semi-circular in shape, and proba-
bly, caused by succession of blows. This
wss the place from which several pieces
of the skull had been removed when his
wounds were dressed the morning follow.
ing his attempted murder; on the eye
brow of the same side was quite severe
wound, caused also by a blow of the
same weapon. His face, especially about
his eyes, was very much swollen, from
the effect of blows, probably those re-
ceived elsewhere on the head. After re-
moving the scalp the sight presented was
horrible indeed, not one of the blows de-
scribed but had fractured the skull, and
another blow which had not been mott
ced before, back of the right ear, had
also broken the bone. On the temple
the brain protruded through the broken
bone. So horribly mangled was his head
that the whole frontal bone could be re-
moved in fragments. Pieces of the broken
bone were found imbedded in the brain
to the depth OF an inch and a half Por-
tions of the brain had been removed at
the seat of the larger opening on the
right side of his forehead. The brain
itself about the seat of the injuries was
completelo disorganized. How a man
with such wounds could live at all is
truly wonderful. The only explanation
being that this portion of the brain is not
vital, his death being caused by the
gradual encroachment of the injury to
more vital parts. 1t is not possible that
be retained his memory at all, which is
shown by his want of anxiety. This is
ooncurred in by all the physicians who ex-
amined him.
The idle stories on the street are there
fore unjust, and we think the sooner
they are quieted the better That he did
talk and say, apparently. what seemed
sensible, is possible. but that he knew
what he was talking about is simply i'm
possible.
This much about the murderer-he
must have been a man of SECULAR de-
velopment to infict such blows with an
ordinary hammer. No positive clue has
yet been found. We wait with impa-
thence till the right man is discovered,
and then only hope that he may not have
the benefit of New York juries, but meet
his just desert, which certainly ought to
be nothing less than hanging. 1t is only
giving license to such crime to send GRIM
inals of his type to our State Prison.
Mr.. Fechter was born in Hessen Cas-
sci, Germany, on the 4th of October,
1929; learned and practiced the book
binder trade in several German cities;
served his time as a soldier and then
emigrated to this country, arriving in
Manitowoc in the spring of 1856 with
less than five dollars in his pocket.
He soon rose by energy and perseverance
to have small bookstore. which he in
creased from year to year to its present
extent. He leaves widow and seven
yeung children in comfortable circum-
stances, but bereaved of their best friend.
May Mrs. Fechter and her children
find such peace ana consolation as this
world csnnot give in Him who ever cares
for the widow and the fatherless.
New STOVE AND TINwARE STORE
Mr.. F. W. Borcherdt has now opened