Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-26

Have Been but Is Not--The Neighbors
Recognize the Dead Man, but the Wife
Can't See It--A Drama in Real Life.
Frequent mention has been made of the
case of Mrs. Welburga Wackerle against the
HStna Life Insurance company of Brooklyn,
N. Y, for $1,000 insurance on the life of
her husband, whom she claims to have been
killed by railroad accident near Shreve-
port, La. She gained her suit in New
York court, but before the money was hand
ed over, man appeared on the far off Cali
fornia shore claiming to be her husband
VIM. Wackerle, and that the Louisiana
corpse was bogus. The dead had arisen, as
1t were. All this has been related heretofore
in patches.
wE1NEMANs AFFIDAVIT.
A GLOBE reporter was presented the op-
portunity of reading the full story yesterday
in connected form. It was presented in the
shape of an affidavit, interrogatory in form,
subscribed to by Capt. Joseph Weineman, of
Faribault. This document was prepared and
signed yesterday for submission in the case
on new trial. The story therein told is SO
marvellous; an actual occurrence in life,
which puts to shame the very brightest imagi-
nation of fiction. If the story be true
and apparently there is no reason to doubt
it, the marvel and wonder is magnifed when
it is remembered that Mrs. Wackerle is a
common ordinary German woman, seemingly
possessed of no extraordinary attachments,
mentally or otherwise. If her effort to re-
cover the money is a scheme, the wonder
grows as to how she could have conceived it,
and this is increased vet again,
at her efforts and determination to win. But
to the story. Weineman, in his affidavit
completed yesterday, says he knew the par
ties, William Wackerle and wife, Welburga
Wackerle, nee Schneider, from 1859 to 1865.
They resided on farm, he a common hon.
est farmer and she hard working house
wife, near Carver, Minnesota. His, Weine-
mans, farm was farther from the town, and
in passing to and fro he met and knew both
these parties every day or two-in fact be-
came intimately acquainted with man and
wife.
wAoKERLE IN THE ARMY.
In 1861 William Wackerle enlisted in
company "H'' of the Ninth Minnesota vol
upteers. Weineman, a second lieutenant,
enlisted him. In 1864 Wackerle was dis
charged the service at St. Louis, Weineman,
first lieutenant and commanding the COM
Pany- He went to his home, as did Weine-
man, after they we're mustered out. at Car
ver, Minnesota. Hero Wackerle met his wife,
and tho happy relations of married life, in
terrupted by the blast of war, were resumed
apparently to the satisfaction of both. In 1865
Wackerle sold his farm in Carver
county, and with his wife left that section of
the country.
HUSBAND AND WIFE SEPARATED.
A long interval of time elapsed, and moth
ing was known or heard of the Wackerle
family. One day in February, 1874, weine-
man,receiveda letter. On opening it he recog-
nized Wackerle's handwriting further con-
frmed by his signature. The letter was
dated from Hydesville, Humboldt Cal
ifornia, and stated that the writer, William
Wackerle, and wife, Welburga, had separated
in Quincy, ILL.,, since when the husband has
not heard from her. Another lapse of time
and another letter from WackerIe, this time
in the early part of 1878. In this letter
Wackerle renewed his inquiries about his
wife, wanted to know if she had returned to
Carver, had married again, etc. He also
made reference to his insurance in several
life companies, naming among the number
the Etna. Wackerle represented himself as
sick and poor, and asked his old lieutenant
and army comrade for advice about getting
pension. This closed the letter, and it was
laid away.
NEWS OF THE SUIT.
It was called to mind by paragraph in the
New York Mail, which fell under Weine-
mans eye, in April, 1878. The notice stated
that a Mrs. Wackerle had just recovered
$4,000 life insurance on the life of her hus
band, killed by railroad accident in Louis
lana, etc. This struck Weineman as queer,
he could not understand how Waokerle had
gotten to Louisiana to be killed, when 80 re-
Gently alive in California. He wrote to
Wackerle in California about Wackerle in
Louisiana, and got an answer. Then Weine-
man put himself in communication with the
New York Office of the insurance company.
WHAR YOU GwINE, GwINE TO CALIFORNIA?
A messenger, J. G. Webster, superin-
tendent of the company, was sent out to
communicate with Weineman. Together
they determined upon Journey to Califor
MIA. They arrived in San Francisco about
June Goth, 1878. It was then ascertained
. that Hydesville could only bereached by diff
fcult travel. Wackerle was te,egraphed for,
and in response said he'd come to San Fran
cisco. Anticipating his arrival, Weineman
repaired to Nappa City and got Joseph and
Nicholas j. Helm to return to San Francisco
with him to receive Wackerle on arrival.
wACKERLE RECOGNIZED.
The steamer from Los Angeles got to the
wharf, Wackerle from amidships recognized
Weineman and the Helm brothers on the
wharf, and called out joyously to his friends.
They Enthusiastically recognized him, and
cheerfully responded. Misunderstanding, etc.
After these friendly greetings, and Wackerle
being taken in charge by his three friends,
his pension papers were made out. Subse-
quent to this, the news of his wife's claim
and suit was impaired to him. He denied
all collision, made affidavit to his existence
and otherwise filled up the void his wife had
attempted to make.
MAN AND WIFE FACE TO FACE.
Wackerle and Weineman together returned
to this State. Mrs. Wackerle, or as she
terms herself in the suit, Schneider, had re-
turned to this State, and temporarily located
in Chaska. There Wackerle brought up,
but for some time was unable to get face to
face with his wife. She evaded him. FINALLY
they were brought together, unexpectedly to
her, at the house of Mr.. Geiner
on the 25th Of October, 1873. They were
brought together in the presence of over
thirty people, friends of Mrs. Wackerle, and
all who recognized Wackerle. These friends
were intensely curious to witness the meet
ing. The husband approached the woman
and commanded her recognition. She put
him off by saying that she didn't want to
have anything to do with him, the
courts would decide. Beyond this nothing
could be gotten from her, except an urgent
demand for her bonnet and shawl. These
we're handed her and she departed.