New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-15
DYING WITH HER CHILDREN
GAVE THEM POISON AND TOOK IT HERSELF.


RESULT OF Mr.. FRITZs QUARREL WITH HIS WIFE
HEART-BRoKEN HUSBAND AND FATHER.
crowd of old excited men and women col
lected in front of the building No. 1S5 Grand
ST. at ii a. m yesterday Information OF unexpected
tragedy was passed about in low Albert Fritz,
proprietor OF the jewery and stationery store the
first floor Of the building, pacing about the place I'm
all agony OF grief wrinng his hands and shaking his
head In reply to questions. Only few before
tho crowd gathered no had found his wife and two
children dead In a small room the second floor The
woman had poisoned her children and then had poisoned
herself qnarre between husband and wife had led to
the double murder and suicide. 1t with diff
Guilty that policemen dispersed the crowd and restored
order about the place The store was closed aud Coro
ner Messcmer summoned to make Investigation.
When Mr.. Fritz had become calin enough to make q
statement. he said that his wife, Christina was thirty
years Of age. His children were Elizabeth age six and
Albert, three years old.
pitful scene was presented to the Cor
In the little room on the second
floor The body Of Mrs Fritz lay on the floor beside
single bed face downward On tho bed lay the bodies
OF the two children whose pretty faces upturned
The bodies wero fully dressed. Tho room in which the
tragedy occurred had been occupied by George Fritz
brother of the proprietor OF the store He said that o
had gone the 1O:45 m. and had found tho
door locked. He had called his brother and they had
forced the door open The Of the tragedy n
dIcated the following testimony which Albert Frltz
gave to the Coroner:
"My wife and were married about four years ago.
two years after the birth Of daughter We lived
geher happily. Ny brother George has been living with
us since 1888 On Wednesday November H. my wife
and brother had fallingOut One OF the children in
erfered with him at his work and he reproyed the child
Ny wife took the child's part 1 said my brother
was right, and my wife and l had o quarrel
She appeared willing afterward to make up,
but refused to have any conversation with her. Last
night my friend Louis Hartner, called on me and
brought some family photographs. We had merry
time together but did not talk to my wife. After
Hartner went away told my wife that did not wish
her to quarrel with George and that would take living
rooms away from the business then went out without
telling her where gong and remained away three
hours. She appeared to be in good hum0r when got
back and tried TO make up differ.
encs. but wishing to punish her and to
prevent Of tho trouble repeed her. This
morning my wife and got breakfast at the usual
hour and afterwsrd went about the housewOrk while
attended to business. l did not miss her because I
thought she had gone to the market Before o'clock
my brother George went TO his and told me he
could not get n lie said he had looked through Key
hole and thought my wife aud children
in there. 1 went up and knocked. calling
the names Of ms wife and children. There reply
Then forced the door open and found them dead Tao
poison used cyanide OF potash, which used in my
business OF gliding Ny wife had jealous temperament,
OcCdslODaiiy as IL lpcI HeF
believe she killed the children and herself while she had
OF her insane nts."
Mrs. Fritz a small slender woman, with
jet black hair, clear complexion and regular
features photograph Of tho family in
"a group, which Hartner had taken to the house on FRI
day evening, showed that the woman and her children
possessed than ordinary comeines. Mr.. Fritz aud
his wife natives Of the Tyrol Switzerland. They
to this city fodr years ago. after their
riage. The husband engraver and lie found en-
ployment with Paul L. FOrm0nt, who then kept tho
No ls5 Grand-st. He bought out Mr. Formonts
interest in the business six months The Fritz family
occupied rooms in the of tue store, and George
Fritz slept IN the the second floor.
Coroner Messener asccrtained by means OF
topsy that Mrs. Fritz had given the poison TO her
children in powdered form along with some apples
which they had eaten. She herself had swallowed tho
poison in goblet OF water.