Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-11

simultaneously with the appearance of the
GLOBES editorial article under the caption
'The Omnipresent Pistol" even before the
paper had reached many of its patrons, and
while. perchance, very few of the earlies;
risers were reading the article referred to, there
occurred in this city sad and shocking instance
of the evil results of the practice denounced
by the GLOBE. This fearful tragedy-for it is
nothing less even though death should not re-
sult-could never have occurred but for the
fatal facility with which all classess may pro.
cure the means of murder-the "omnipresent
Pistol
Early yesterday morning, before well to dc
people were out Cf bed, and ere thu early risers
had tasted the morning meal, Adolph Mueller,
| Jr., shot his father. The ball is in the verte.
bra and cannot he removed. Had it not been
| stopped by the bones of the spine, the bullet
would naye caused death almost instantly.
The circumstances which led to the shooting,
as near as could be gathered from the contra
dictory statements of those who knew most
| regarding the relations existing between the
family, and the varying impressions made by
these relations upon different casts of mind are
as follows:
Adolph Mueller, Sr.. is the proprietor of
store and saloon on the corner
of University and Harrington avenues.
which he has carried on for
the past six years. Adolph, Jr., a lad of about
sixteen years, is bright, promising appearing
boy, the only son, and the very idol of his
mother. According to all reports, the father
is drinking man, and when in his cups is
arbitrary and domineering in his family, es-
pecially towards his son. This it seems has,
on various occasions, given rise to disagree
ments between husband and wife, the mother
invariably siding with her son. Last Friday
night Adolph Jr., left home for some reason,
and did not enter the store again until an early
hour Sunday morning, when his father COM
menced to reprove him for being away and not
attending to his duties at home. 1t seems TO
be the general impression among those
Germans who knew bis habits, that
he was slightly under the influence of drink:
| indeed some of them declared it to be the case.
However that may be, there were high words,
when the son came suddenly out from a side
room adjoining the store and fired a shot from
| a 32 callbre revolver at his father whose back
was turned at the time, with the result above
stated. MIR. Mueller sank to the floor and the
son, appalled, at what he had done in a moment
of insane anger, and with a full realization,
left the store and came directly to the city hall
where he gave himself up TO the authorities.
he appeared before the authorities and
| told his story without tremor, but wns
| as persistently reticent as to details and cir
| cumstances as If he had been counseIied by an
able criminal lawyer. During the whole day
he maintained stubborn silence in regard to
the causes which led him to commit the dread
full act, though frequently importuned by
various parties to do 30. Even his own coun-
trymen, neighbors whom he knew and was
friendly to, could get nothing from him. Many
times he was moved to silent tears but with a
powerful effort of the will few men could COM
mand he choked them back and resumed O.
stoiid composure wonderful to witness in one
SO young.
GLOBE reporter visited the scene of the
shooting about o'clock P. NJ. and remained
until 3. The scenes he witnessed were har-
rowing beyond description. The living rooms
are above the store. In a small sleeping cham
ber on the second floor was the agonized VIC
tim of this terrible tragedy, sitting on the edge
OF the bed, supported on either side by q strong
| man and wrlthlng in the most intolerable an
gulsh. Moaning, groaning, and at times
breaking forth into heartrending cries. Wrung
from him by the most exquisite nervous tor
ture, the wretched victim was picture to un-
nerve the stontest heart. Below stairs the
mother was walking to and fro, constantly in
motion, wailing and weeping without cessa-
tlOn. calling on God with every other breath,
and between her adjurations of the deity ex-
claiming in German, "Oh, my son! Oh, my
son! My ahly son! My AdolphI. my Adol 1h.
Oh, my God, my Adolph! What will your
mother do without her boy 2" Several times
1 Ius
she was always closely followed by sympa-
thizlng female neighbor, evidently from fear
that the frenzied woman would commit sui
eide; which, indeed, she threatened to do, in
case her husband died, though apparently her
mind was running more on the consequences
this event would entail upon her child, than
on the loss or the husband and father. The
house was thronged the whole day through
with sympathetic friends and neighbors, but
the distracted mother paid little or no atten-
tion to them, though she would occasionally
seize the hand of a new conner and wiring it
convulsively, breaking out anew into lanenta-
tion a moment after, and turning away like
Rachel, refusing to be comforted.
One remarkable feature noticed by the re-
porter and freely commented On by many
present, was the strange apathy regarding the
sutferings and probable fate of Mr.. Mueller
exhibited by both the wife and daughter The
latter seemed to be more touched by her moth
er's grief, than by her fathers distress, though
she kept away from both as much as possible
DIR. Stamm was first called to attend the case,
and DIR. Murphy afterwards came. Both agreed
that medical science could do nothing in the
way of cure-nature must be left with that, if
cure be possible. About P. NJ. Drs. Stamm
and Brisbine came up and DR.. Brisbine prob
ed for the ball. He found it
too deeply for extraction. As to the probable
result to the wounded man both doctors ex-
pressed diplomatic opinions-he would not die
yet; he was very dangerously hurt, but might
| get well.
| AN EYE WITNESS.
Mrs. Frederick Gerstadt entered the store
just in time to see the shot fired. The reporter
questioned her. to elicit, if possible, the pro.
vocation, if any there was which the son might
have thought justifable cause for the shoot
| ing. She could throw no light On this pont
| If aha pOnld the %
mans when serious trouble involves those of
their own nation, kept her silent. All she could
| tell was that just after she entered the store,
Adoph, Jr., came out of the side room before
alluded to, presented the pistol al
his father and fired. He stood within few
feet, not four or five, of his father when he
pulled the trigger. He then put the pistol in
his pocket and walked out of the store. Mr.
Mueller sank to the floor Immediately upop
being shot. Mr.. Gerstadt, on being more
closely questioned, said that Mr. Mueller was
scolding Adolph when she came in. Did not
see Mr.. NJ. strike, nor offer to strike, the boy.
Did not see him offer to strike Mrs Mueller.
MIR. Mueller was facing toward his wife, and
had his back to Adoph when the shot was
tired. This is all Mrs. Gerstadt had to tell
There appears to have been no other persons
In the room at the time of the shooting be
sides the four as mentioned above.
ADoLPH's STORY.
Between and 7o'clock last evening o GLOBE
reporter visited Adolph in his cell and was me-
with the same collected, prepared, wary man
ner With which others had SO far been confront
ed by the boy during the day. At first b,
maintained silence, except saying at the re
porter entrance. You want to see me, sup
pose. The reporter sat down beside him, an
knowing the futility of questioning the boy
remarked that he had just left his father ant
mother, and asked. Would you like to heal
from them?" With dropping head and heav
ing chest the lad sat silent for full minut.
struggling for composure; then with boyisl
turn of the neck and head, and peculiar con
t1dlng manner and expression that goes far t,
explain his mothers fond love, and in strone
contrast to his former cold self-expression.
asked, How is father?"