Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-05
THEY DIED TOGETHER.
A Young German and His Married
Paramour End their Sin and Misery
I'm Central Park.

I'm Central Park.
From the New York Sun.
Pistol shots about 1:30 o'clock Saturday eve
ming startled Park Policeman William Dugan
near the gate at 5th avenue and 12d street In
Central Park II was already dark, and way
farers had almost all disappeared from that
part OF the park. The three shots came from
the center of the grass plot behind the big
bronze statue Of the Pilgrim The three shots
came close together, and were followed by
fourth while Dugan was hurrying toward the
SPOT He found two forms stretched upon the
grass q woman, dead, and u man who died as
he looked They had apparently been sitting
together there on a coarse black and bronze
plush lap robe. One pistol q 32-caliber bull
dog six-shOoter, lay so that IL showed that the
man had shot the woman and then shot hifn-
self.
The couple were Germans of decent and re-
spectacle appearance. The wOInans black
silk dress trimmed with black velvet, her
beaded black jersey had a neat nOsegay at the
throat and the left hand was squeezed into a
black kid glove Her neat black straw hat was
high crowned. as of recent purchase. and an
amber-tandled silk umbrella completed her
equipment She seemed like an industrious
German servant, long enough in this country
TO have acquired the art and earned the means
OF making a very good appearance. Her face
was of the heavy German type that In death
was not particularly attractive. The man was
just carefully dressed in his Dest-a black
suit and black Derby hat. The care that he had
taken in his appearance was indicated by Il
buttonhOle bouquet that matched the woman $.
His left hand was also gloved. Near the bodies
was found q small paper collar box tied up and
addressed: ITO the coroner of the city OF New
York"
1t proved to be full of letters that furnished
the Key to the tragedy.
All the letters with one exception, were evil
iently written by the man. The exception was
A letter couched in affectionate terms and
signed "Your Father There was no date or
name of the town from which the letter was
written. All the letters We're In German, ana
nf fhar love d.
dressed to the woman whom he had shot. and
whose Christian name appeared To- be Maria
A certificate of good character, signed with
the initial X, stated that George Bessendorf
q native of Bavaria and had served IN the
nth regiment. In an application for work, not
addressed, a reference is made to- DIR. Edmund
+. Koch, editor OF the New York Free Prose-
and SouIttGgsgast, in Jersey City. One letter was
in the form of poem and was divided into six
verses. Another couched in most loving terms,
began thus:
Oh most loving, dear angel:
When the bird thrsts he es 10 the brook and drinks
In several letters the writer acknowledged
that he had wrought the ruin of the woman,
and expressed regret. One letter was evidently
written after the idea OF suicide had been
thought of. 1t said:
Ny DEAR MARIA:-Now yet one word. one earnest
word 70 you my Heart! to Determine our great ques
and precise manner will be shown you in black
and white. Alter you have eased your mind answer
Do not worry for me. for should our views differ
there always remains a wv hether-or' To be found
Heart. my trueSt Heart. do not tremble, DO not
hurry in your decision, whatever results. Consider
and act. await everything with resignation 1t is
my duty to regard your wishes Until death.
GEoRGE.
The bodies were removed to the arsenal.
There Capt. Beatty found among the papers a
recommendation OF George Bessendorf as com
peteut printer and a copy of an application by
George Bes>endorf Tor position as conductor
in Jersey City.
AT the morgue, where the bodies were taken
later, Capt. Donovan found that the woman had
evidently opened her clothing and barred her
breast to be shot. The skin was biackened and
burned by powder marks, but the clothing was
only marked with blood. Two bullet holes were
in the body. one in the left breast and one in
the right The body of the man also contained
two bullet wounds. They were about inch
apart, and both in the left breast. The pistol at
the last firing was held close to the body, and
the clothing had taken fire and burned until
extinguished by the blood.
DIR. Carl Seighof, of Jersey City, states that
about eighteen months ago he became ac-
quainted with Bessendorf. who then earned n
scanty livelihood by giving lessons in music
and painting. About four months ago Bessen-
dorf told DIR. Seghof that he did not earn
enough 10 pay his board, and the doctor there
upon gave him a letter TO DIR. Koch. When Dr.
Seighof learned of the attachment between Bes-
sendorf and Mrs. Koch, the woman found dead
with him in Central park. he sent for the young
man and begged him TO sever his intimacy
with the woman. Bessendorf promised to do
A few days latter Bessendorf brought Mrs.
Koch to DIR. Seighof's house, and said they had
come for advice. DIR. Seighof told them the
best thing they could do would be to separate
They agreed TO do So and Mrs. Koch returned
to Jersey City alone. Nothing could be learned
Of besSendOrf's antecedents.