St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-17
August Thorski Puts Bullet Through
His Wifes Breast, By Accident,
He Says.
Tom Koran Gets a Bullet in His Head
From the Revolver of
Companion.
After the Summer Vacation the Grand
VIII Open o-night--Gam-
bIers Raided.
MURDER Or ACCIDENT?
A MAN Shoots His Wife, and Claims
l1 WASH Mistake.

IS Was a MISTAKE
A little one.stOry house with yellow
painted front, situated beside the bowling
alley Oh Clay street, was the scene of a one
act tragedy yesterday morning. For the
past three months the house has been occu-
pied bv August ThorSki and his wife.
Thorski is a German from that part of Po-
land which was gobbled up by Prussia a
few years ago. He is or claims to be
homeopathic doctor, and it is at that pro
fessiOn that he has earned a living during
the six years he has been in this country.
Re first hung out his single i'll Dahlgren
township. Carver county, where three years
ago he married Miss LudlOtf, daughter OF a
respectable and well-to-do German farmer.
Some time later Thorski and his wife came
to st. Paul, and three months ago moved
into the little house on Clay street There,
so far as is known, they lived comfortably
and quietly.
Yesterday morning, according to her own
story. Mrs. Thorski arose to prepare the
morning meal. She was working in the
kitchen when ThOrski called her TO sew
button Oh his pantaloons. She got the
necessary accoutrementS and went in where
her husband stood He was holding up the
pantaloonS in front Of him, having his
right hand in the right hand pocket. In
the pOcket was also a 44-calibre British bull
dog revolver. She said she could not sew
the button on unless he took his hand from
the pocket. She had hardly spoken when
THE REVOLVER Exploded,
the bullet striking Mrs Thorsli on the left
breast and blowing its way almost in the di
rect region of the heart. The shot for the
moment had no effect She ran out of the
house while ThOrski called to her to come
back. as it was only an accident. She, how
ever, went into a neighbours house, where
Drs. Burk and Spencer, assistants Of DR..
Ancller, were called in from the city hospital,
which is only stones throw away. These
gentlemen examined the wound, but owing
to its location made no effort to find the
bullet. The wound was pronounced proba-
bly, fatal. Mrs. Thorski received every
possible attention and was still alive at
late hour last night. The authorities We're
notified by telephone of the affair shortly
afterwards and the patrol wagon was at
once sent out to arrest Thorski. When the
wagon arrived. a crowd had collected near
ThOrSlliS house. No one seemed to want
to get too close to the house. as the occupant
was regarded as a dangerous customer.
Officer Phil Gibbons was with the wagon.
With doc" Casey. the driver. however, he
boldly made break Tor the house, although
both were completely uBamed. Two doors
were tried and found locked. The third one
was open. Officer Gibbons stepped
cautiously in and through one room. As
he approached the door of another
his boots warned Th0rslli. who called out,
'Who's there" The officer stood on one
side of the door and said a friend wanted to
see him. Driver Casey took up ground on
the other side, and as they expected to see
him N,rofl- with q rav.l,rar tho tK4rn
ready to meet him the best way possible.
He stepped ont without his gun, when Of
1icer Gibbons grabbed him with his cast iron
clutch. as it were. and told him he was a
prisoner. When the man recovered his
surprise he gruflly asked, Where's my re-
Y0lyer?"
HERE 1T IS"
said Casey. whose eye caught sight of the
weapon and knife and whose hands
clutched them before Thorsk spoke. The
revolver and knife were found lying IN
the pantai0ons ON the floor The panta-
looms were examined and one pocket found
10 have been about half burned out. One
chamber OF the revolver was empty. lie
was placed in the patrol wagon, and, as
Mrs. Thorsll did not wish to see him, was
driven to the station On the way he
Turned to Officer Gibbons and asked, "Do
you think she will die?'
YES" said the officer.
''Yei. I'll give an order for her coffin, "
remarked Thorski. cooly.
At the police station he was seen by Il
GLOBE reporter. lie does not deny the
shooting, but claims it was an accident. He
said he has never had any trouble with his
wife. and he doesn't think she has had any
with him. He is large. able-bodied man.
weighing probably $50 pounds. lie is about
81 years of age, with dark complexion and
has a pair of brown eyes hid behind a pair
of spectacles. He wears a mustache and
gOatee. Yesterday afternoon he spent
the time restlessly walking up and down the
cell. He was writing letter when the
officer called to arrest him. The document
is in the hands of the police. 1t is directed
to T. w. Foster. Mrs Thorski's relatives
were at once communicated with about the
shooting, and will come to st. Paul immedi-
ately. She alleges that Thorski tried to
poison her with a glass of beer the other
day. She refused 10 drink it after the first
taste and handed it back to him, when he
threw the contents of the glass out the
window