The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-19
TRAGEDY AT PIrrsBURGu.
Probable Wife Murder and a sueeeaaful
SuicIde.

u
PIrrsBuRoH, Pa, September l7.-one OF
the most horrible tragedies that has evel
been added to the criminal records Of THU
city occurred at 8 o'clock this morning in
the East End. The horror was Of double
importance, since Il embraces a yillainous
and possibly successful attempt to take
the life of woman, and the subsequent
suicide Of the jealous man who tried to
murder her. Andrew Kountzman is
the name Of the person who
wrought the evil deed. lie is q little
German, forty-seven years Of age, and
followed the business of shoe maker, His
moral character was OF low degree, and
he has been in Jail number Of times for
petty criminal offences. Aboutthree months
ago he was sent to jail for stealing lumber.
He remained there until lust Tuesday,
when he somehow managed to break away
from the keepers, While yet in jail he
learned that his wife had taken several
bOarders in order to maintain hehelf.
Upon Ascertaining this Kountzman, who
was Of a very jealous nature, became very
angry and threatened to kill her when he
got out He told this to the jail authori-
ties q number Of times, and they evidently
feared be might put his threat into execu-
tion, US they cautioned the police to beware
OF the little shoemaker when his term ex-
pired, .....
After escaping from Jail, Kountzman did
not appear at home at once. He did not
show UP at all until o'clock this morning,
when lie tried to get into the saloon OF John
Miller, Just below his own house. Failing
in this, he went into bis own house, and,
proceeding up stairs, saw one of the
boarders, named Joe Mentzer, sitting there
readinga paper. MGntzer's back was to-
ward him, and, imagining that this party
had more or less estranged his wiies afieC-
tions, KOuntzlnan picked up brick that
was lying on the floor and struck Mentzer
across the head, rendering him insensible.
He then ran down stairs, and finding his
wife in the yard, assaulted her with piece
of iron before she had fully recognized him.
He struck her twice on the head, causing
fracture Of the skull each time. Tho un.
fortunate woman sank to the gtOund in a
pun ulDIOOli Mlllc tut lHuTueIOuh nus
band, insane with rage, took an ugly.blad-
ed grape knife from his pocket and drew 1t
across his own throat several times.
As the blood squirted forth in crimson
flood he rln around to the front OF the
house and upstairs, slashiug his throat
with his knife at every step, and scattered
the blood about the floor IN all directions.
Once in an upper room, he had made his
way to low lounge, where he continued to
cut himself until he became 10 weak that
he fell back and expired in q few minutes,
after his neck and face had been chopped
until he was scarcely recognizable.
Meantime the body Of Mrs. Kounzman
had been found by Mrs, Bollergis II neigh.
Dor, and the alarm was at once given The
news spread like wildhre, and in the space
OF half an hour hundreds Of excited people
had been drawn to the place. Among
them was DR.. q. W. Mcneil, who upon
examining the wounds Of Mrs. Kountz.
man, said she was In very critical condi.
tion, and could not recover. Tho house at
this writing is guarded by the police.
KOuntzman had been married about five
years. He had two children, and in times
gone by had been careful Of their wants
He was Of a very Jealous disposition, how
ever, and frequently became angered when
he thought his wife paid too much atten-
ton to other men.