Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-31
ELOPEMENT AND DEATH.
A LOVE ArrAIR THAT COSTS A LIFE.

Deserted by His Young Wife, IN Al ged Ger.
man Takes POison-A Marriage That
Was . Mistake.
Frederick Goeft was native of little
village near Wurtemburg, Germany, and
was seventy five years of age at the time
of his death. He was of humble origin
and followed the calling Of his father, that
of pork butcher. He came to this c0un-
try seventeen years ago, being then fifty
eight years old, hearty, healthy, robust,
and with . capital of LOCO. Within
few weeks he was established in Philadei-
phia somewhere near Fairmount park, IS
q pork butcher, with every prospect of
future success. One Of his near neighbOrs
also an ex-citizen of Wurtemburg, was
tho father Of bouncing girl of twenty
ono o. two, and GOeft, who was at that
should have been, fell in love with her at
first sight.
The young woman, aware of her con-
quest, coquetted with her aged suitOr for
time, but finally as his business was
tiourishing and his bank account was
assuming good proportions. put him out
of his misery as he said just at the time,
but into it as he subsequently found. The
couple went to housekeeping at once, and
Notwithstanding tho festivities Of the
wedding it is recorded Of the bridegroom
that he did not miss single pig sticking.
He had 4 stand for tho sale of his
goods in Callowhill street market, near
Sixteenth street, and long before tho
honeymoon was over the fair Katrina, his
bride, installed herself there as general
manager and superintendent. She was
young, plump and pretty, and under her
management trade thrOve apace. The
business outlook was bright and cheerful
but poor Goeft discovered very soon after
his marriage that he must give up all his
little enjOyments and settle down to a
humdrum life of toll without trace OF
| anything in the way of amusements. His
wife took all tho money for sales, paid out
all the money for their stock in trade, and
kept her purse strings drawn so very
tight that the poor fellow seldom had a
cent that no could call his own. But IN
the meantime business prOspered, and
little by little Katrina began to acquire
property.
BY this long continued course OF tyranny
she 30 completely broke the spirit Of her
husband that tho neighbOrs used to say he
| dared not call his soul his own. If he did
make any such claim there is abundant
evidence to prove that although he was
| worth many thousands of dollars, he
never handled dollar that was not dOled
out to him By his helpmeet and he was
held to strict accountability for the ex-
peudituro of every cent Although man
Of burly build and of great physical
strength, he WAS completely under his
| wifs's cOitro', and in the occasional en-
| counters between them, always came out
second best, aud more submissive than
before.
within year or SO when another cause Of
George i.Othacker, the son of lager beer
saloon keeper on Twentieth street. below
Norris, made tho acquaintance Of Mrs.
Goaft, who is still plump and handsome,
and friendship ripencd into love. 1t was
said in the nsighborhOOd that tho young
man was more sinned against than sim
ming, and that Mrs. Goeft did most of the
love making, but be this as it may, there
is very good evidence that ROthackcr was
seen climbing the fence Of the GOeft resi-
dence st unseemly hours of the night, and
that he and Mrs. GOcfe made them
selves conspicuous in other ways.
The neighbors say that Goeft, in
spite of his hcnpecked cOndi-
tion. pIuckily resented his wifs's in
timacy with Kothacker and compelled her
to resort to secrecy in maintaining it.
There wore frequent guarrcls in tho house,
hold, and GOeft, in his complaints to SYM
patizing neighbors, frequently said no
would like to shoot himself. Early IN
July, Mrs. Goeft quilted her husbands
house without giving him any warning,
and remained away for about two weeks.
When she returned homo he told her that
he could not live happily with her, and
proposed 4 compromise. lie said ho was
willing to leave her and to make no de-
fense in her suit for divorce if sho saw fit
to bring one, provided sho would givo him
81, 600 ont of the property his labor had
amassed. Rhe refused, and the next Incl
dent in this family history was her elope-
ment with George ROthacker.
Where they went nobody knows but !
week ago Mrs. Goeft returned alOno and 1t
has since been reported that tho cOmpan-
ion Of her flight is i'll Minnesota. When
his vito returned Goeft again proposed a
compromise, and he and Mr.. Kaiser, Of
Twentieth and Norris streets, went to
Magistrate Ladner, at Third and Vine
streets, and got him to draw up articles Of
agreement. Under these GOeft was to be
ssllOWCu - CCICssAu buIu LII Cdou HIN O"u
money, by the way), and was to allow his
wife to retain tho remainder and 90 where
she pleased. The woman positively re-
fused this proposition. On the day sue
ceeding tho refusal Goeft, who lived
alone in his old home. made himself glass |
of lemonade, and, either accidentally or
by deliberate intention, substituted caus-
tic soda for tho sugar. lie was taken to |
tho German hospital and died on Tuesday |
evening, after intense suffering. Thore |
is difference of opinion in tho neigh. |
bOrhOod as to whether his death |
was accidental or tho result Of de-
liberatc intent. One neighbOr claimed |
that tho departure of his wife with |
all his property, the savings of long life.
had reduced him to desperation, and said |
that OH tho evening before the poison was
taken GOeft tried to borrow 4 revolver.
As his wifo and her lover were far away
tho neighbOr's presumption was that
G0eit wanted the revolver to shoot him
self.
GOeft left = wife in Germany when he
emigrated and brought his son with him.
His son is now in California. 1t is said
that GOeft at one time made will leaving
him s., and devising all the rest Of his
to his wife.
SHARP WORDS IN COURT.
A Spat lsetwoen MIR. Wilson and Attorney
General BreWstor.
Mr.. Wilson continued his address to the
jury in behalf of the defence in the Star
Route cases on Wednesday,. In tho course
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