The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-23
KILLED BY HIS MOTHER.

KILLED BY HIS MOTHER.
some fifteen years ago young Aus
tr1an left home to seek his fortune in
America. He left large family of
younger brothers and sisters to be reared
by his mother, an energetic woman, who
kept small country hotel. The young
man arrived in America almost PENN
less. He went West, and, after fifteen
years work in the mines, was worth
$50, 600. As he did not know how to
read and write, he did not correspond
with his family, and the latter believed
him dead. In the spring of 1880 he de-
termined to return to his country, and
share bis wealth with his family. He
converted his gold into drafts upon the
chief banking houses of Vienna, and
sailed from New York, enjoying, in an
tlcipation, the surprise his arrival would
cause his folks at home. he reached
Vienna without accident, had his drafts
eashed, and left at once for his native
village. AS was natural after an absence
OF fifteen years, which he had spent in
the mines Of California, no one recog-
nized him. He finally made himself
known, and spread before his two broth
sers the handsome roll of bills of which
he was the owner, and which he an
nounced he would share with them and
their mother. The latter had now re-
moved to village about hundred
miles away, where she kept an inn.
After couple of days of revel with his
brothers, the traveller resolved to visit
bis mother, incognito. 1t was arranged
that he should not reveal his identity
until his brothers should join him. Is
The Austro- American made his ap-
pearance at his mothers hotel. When
he saw the old woman he could scarcely
forbear discovering himself to her. But
he managed to conceal bis relationship,
of which, of course, the woman was in
total ignorance. The pair had various
long talks during the day. When night
came, before retiring, he called her to
the room that had been assigned to him,
stating that he had an important secret
to communicate to her. Then he told
her that he had in his possession large
sum Of money, and begged her to take
charge of it, as he deemed it imprudent
to keep it in his room, particularly as
the latter could not be locked. The
woman hesitated a moment, saying that
she had no place in the house where the
money would be perfectly safe but she
finally consented to receive it. When
the stranger counted over 300, 900 forms
in bank notes, a sum such as she had
never dreamed OF, she again declined to
assume the responsibility.
But, as he insisted, she at last took
the money and disappeared. What
passed within the brain of that wretched
woman during that night is more readily
imagined than described. Upon reach
ing her bedroom she hid the treasure
under the mattress. But the temptation
to look at the enormous roll of bills was
too strong for her, and she spread the
bills out on table. The sight of money
so excited her that she became mad, and,
jumping from her seat, she took razor
from her bureau drawer, and, stealing
up to the room where her son was fast
asleep, cut his throat from ear to ear
killing him almost instantly. She then
put the razor in her sous hand, so as to
make it look as though he had commit
ted suicide. Next morning her sons ar
rived and inquired for the stranger. She
sent them up to his room, saying he had
not yet come to breakfast.
They found him dead, and yells of
despair filled the house. The mother,
like all the other persons in the house,
went up stairs, feigning to be utterly
ignorant Of the cause of the disturbance.
She then learned that the murdered man
was her son. The effect that startling
| intelligence had upon her mind need not
! be told .
my son?" she exclaimed. "Kill
me, my children, kill me! It is T who
murdered him =
The woman became q raving maniac,
and was sent to a lunatic asylum.