The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-10-01
Hhs murder Of n Student BY his Broth.
er.sA Case for Scientific Stuav.

The Murder Of q Student By his Rro,R,.
er"'A Case for Scientific st1ay.
From the San Francisco Bulletin, Sept. 1871
On Saturday the Bittenbender broth
ers, George and Edward, quarre]lel owe,
= q trivial matter, the elder, George, aged
~ years, accusing Edward Of deiraudine
nim Of small sum Of money. An inter:
cnange OF unpleasant words followed, and
a. length George struck Edward in the
:ace' Smarting under the insult and in.
jury OF the stroke, the latter at once prt,.
curea 4 pistol, and shortly afterwards
met George on Washington street and
shot him through the temple. The mur.
derer turned an fed, but bystanders who
had witnessed the horrid deed pursued.
captured, and turned over the assassin to
the officers of the law. The victim,
writing in the last agonies ofdeath. was
carried upa Stairway to Dr.. O'Neil's
office, and expired within seven minutes
after the wicked and revengeful shot was
hred: On his way to Jail the youthful
murderer, who is only 10 years of ace.
confessed, without perceptible remorse,
that ne committed the crime, and asked
no mercy Of his captors.
Ihls forenoon coroner's inquest was
called. A. j. Guildmurd, = student in
the medical department of the University
Of California, testified that George VI.
bittenbender was also student Of the
same college. Witness said: II knew
him, and with two other students was in
his company last Saturday evening.
W hile passing along Washington street,
near kearny, deceased left US, saying he
wanted to 60 up to DR.. O'Neirs office,
and would return in second. He had
gone but few steps from the corner
when his brother, Edward Bittenbepder,
rushed out from stairway entry and
shot him. The pistol was not more than
two feet from the head of deceased when
his brother fired. George dropped to
the sidewalk without uttering q cry. Ed.
ward hesita:ed an instant, and then ran
down Washington street toward Mont.
gomery."
In accordance with the above facts a
verdict was rendered to the effect that
George W. Bittenbendcr came to his
death on the llth day of September, 1875,
at 652 Washington street, in this city and
county. from gun-shot wound inflicted
by Edward Bittenbeuder.
1t seems from the statement Of Jacob
Andrews that the mother of the Bitten
benders is now an inmate Of the Penn
yslvania Insane Asylum, while her hus-
band, the father Of the boys, committed
suicide in Pennsylvania some years ago
by shooting himself through the head.
That there is a strain Of murderous in.
sanity in the blood of the Bittenbeaders
there can be no question, but it is sineu-
lar indeed that the peculiar madness
should exist in the minds of both father
and mother. If inquiry should reveal
the fact that the ancient Bittcnbenders
married among themselves, as was the
custom century ago in rural Pennsylva.
MIA, then the existence Of insanity in both
father and mother would not appear so
strange. II, on the contrary. it should
be revealed that families not bound to-
gethcr in blood relationship were repre-
sented in the marriage, then medicinal
science would be compelled to solve new
problem-a question whether companion
ship with insane persons begets insanity.