The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-28
.sATUnDAY's sUfCIDE.
a Finh ward woman shoots ns,el
ThRonRh tina Had

Through the Head.
The citizens Of the Filth Ward ,were
startled at an early hour Saturday morn.
ing by the report that Ms. Elizabeth
schnell, wife Of John ]. schnell, an ex.
saloon keeper, residing at No. 2Ol6 Main
street, had committed suicide by shooting
herself through the head. About a quar-.
ter past Eve in the morning, q couple Of
young fellows who were returning from a
ball, while passing schnell's place OF resi-.
dence, heard o pistol-shot inside the
house. Shortly afterwards schnell came
running out OF the house, and accosting
them asked them 70 go for physician, as
his wife had shot herself through the
head and he thought she was dying. DR..
E. j. Wunderlich, who lives on Twentieth
street, was called, and In q few moments
was on his way II the sceneol the tragedy.
Upon his arrival he found the woman
dead, the ball having entered the right
temple, and, taking downward course,
lodged In the left cheek.
The body lay upon bed, in chamber
IA al upper 6tuE4 VI LuG IIOud6, 4ud uu-
fortunate woman had evidently carefully
arranged her toilet when preparing for the
awful deed. She had attired herself in
clean undertaking, over which she wore
fine night dress, Then, after carefully
dressing herself as noted, she had got into
the bed and arranged the bed.clothing;
the coverlet had been neatly turned over
To her waist, and tucked In on all sides oil
the bed, while underneath her head and
about her neck she had folded quilt to
prevent the blood from flowing upon her
night clothes or soiling the bed clothing.
The pistol used was Colts seven shooter,
carrying q No. cartridge. The weapon
belonged to the husband OF deceased, who
usually kept 1t in the drawer Of bureau
in the room In which the deed was conf.
mitted.
Justice Wheeler was notified and held
an inquest upon the remains, the jury
consisting OF the following gentlemen
Charles Moenkemeller, David Kull, IT,,
Robert W. Schnell, james Bowman, Chris
tian Kleiner, Henry KRAFT, Peter thinner
+. II, Moran, Henry Roemer, Henry
Frohme, Joseph Debold and Gabriel
Smith.
Several witnesses were examined, viz.
John Schnell, the husband Of deceased
Mrs. A. Constant, who lives in an adioin'
ing house; DR.. Wunderlich, who exam
ined the body; Ida Fontissom, friend
Of the family, and John Schnell, jr., faith
er.in.law OF deceased. The evidence Of
these witnesses went to show that SChnell
and his wife had not been on good terms
for some time past. Schnell formerly
kept saloon, and his wife got into the
habitof drinking, and the habit grew upon
upon her so that he determined to close
his saloon and quit the business. Mrs
Schnell often drank to excess, although
frequently demonstrated with by her hus
band. On her account Schnell quit the
saloon business. On Monday Mr.. and
Mrs. Schnell quarrelled. During the lat.
ter part Of the week Mrs. Schnell intima
ted to one or two Of her acquaintance thai
she contemplated suicide, but gave
no reason therefor. Friday night
Schnell slept on lounge down stairs, and
his wife occupied a bed room on the sec
ond floor. About o'clock in the morn,
ing Schnell started to go to the foundry
on the corner Of Twentieth street, for the
morning paper, when he heard shot. He
went up stairs and found his wife lying in
bed with the pistol grasped in her hand
and bloody wound in her right temple
He spoke to her, but she made no answer
she was dying then. Schnell ran down
stairs and called to couple Of men who
were passing TO run for doctor.
The jury found that Elizabeth Schnell
came TO her death by pistol shot through
her right temple, and it is their opinion
it was administered by her own hand"
Deceased was twenty.eight years Of age
and had been married for eight years
Her maiden name was Troll. She leaves
two children, both boys.