Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-10
A TRAGEDY OF THE CITY.
THE SAD END OF A TAILOR'S
DREAM OF GETTING RICH.
of the Ihpes-At One Time 5000
Ahead-The Boys $500 VIII Bury the
From. the Neuo York Sun.


tall man, dressed in well-ftting thread
bare clothes, led a fourteen year-old boy
up the steps Of l04 West Washington
place They were father and son. The
man was sad looking. The boy was
fragile and dark. The father rang, and
when the servant girl Katie answered be
said that he had heard or Mrs. lngoldsby,
the landlady, and asked what they
could get table board for. When she
told him the price he said he could
not afford to pay so much. Kate told
the man TO call in the evening, when Mrs.
Ingodsby would be in. Both father and
son called. Mrs. Ingoldsby thought the
man so quiet and pleasant, and liked the
boy 80 much, and the man urged 80
strongly that he could pay but little, tnat,
more out OF kindness than to make
money from them, she took both for 81 10
a week. The boy came to breakfast,
luncheon and dinner. His father took
only breakfast and dinner.
They gave the name OF Werner. The
fathers name was Max Joseph Werner.
The boys was Joseph Max Werner.
Everybody called him Josie. He and
Mrs. IugoldsbV's little girl played to-
gether. Mr.. Werner left the house every
morning about O'Clock and went to Wall
street. In the evening he returned be-
lore dinner. He never spoke OF his bust
ness. but the people understood from DO
sic that his father was stock broker.
The room where they lived was poorly
furnished. 1t had one window. There
were a clothes press, washstand and a
bed where father and son slept. The room
was narrow and but little longer than the
bedstead. For both the room and his
board Werner paid every week in adj
vance. He always had the exact change,
and usually counted out the pay in silver.
Mr.. Werner aud Josie told Mrs. lngolds-
by on Sunday that they were going off on
their vacation and would not pay in adj
vance until they returned. Josie had
often talked Of spending his vacation with
his grandmother, but his father told him
he would probably make other arrange
ments this year. They had luncheon
put up for them, and Max Joseph, father,
and Joseph Max, son, went to Manhattan
Beach TO spend the day. They had a hap
ply time. Usually on Sunday father and
son went to the Washington Square
Methodist church. The son would stay
10 go to Sunday school, of which John ID.
Slayback was superintendent. Mr.. Wer-
ner paid his 81 for weeks rent in ad-
vance at 1872 West Tenth street, as was
his custom. Tuesday night he and his
son went to bed as usual The son slept
soundly.
At daybreak yesterday morning the
father got up. He put on his worn trous-
ers and undershirt. The son rolled over
in bed after his father got up, and lay on
his back facing the window, through
which The morning light was coming.
The father took the white counterpart
from the bed, folded it, and laid it care
fully on a chair. He took the top sheet
and other covering from the bed, folded
them, and laid them away. 1t was done
quietly, and his son still slept on.
The father cooked a cheap 32-calibre re-
vOlver that ne bad bought at some pawn
shop. He stood beside the bed, and, hold
ing the muZzle of just far enough TO keep
the powder from burning the fair skin of
bis only son, he fired. The bullet crashed
through the boys left temple and was i'm
bedded in the scalp on the other side of
the head. Then the father lay down on
the floor beside the bed with his eyes
turned toward his dying son, He put the
revolver at his own right temple, far
enough of to keep the burning powder
from flying in his eyes. In minute he
was dead. 1t was not yet halt-past
O'Clock.
A country doctor named Rutherford,
who was visiting in the house, had room
next to Mr.. Werner's. He sleepily heard
the first shot, and supposed it was some
postponed Fourth OF July celebration.
At the second shot he aroused the house.
Policemen were called and an ambulance
was sent for. Surgeon Byrne came from
st. Nncents Hospital i'll a few minutes.
He saw the father was dead. The son
was still breathing. He was taken to the
hospital, and died on the s'retcher as he
was being carried inside the door. His
body was left in the dead room there.
The body of the father was taken by Tn
dertaker Charles A. Benedict,60 Carmine
street, where it will be embalmed and
kept until called for by the relatives.
All their belongings were plain and
poor. The father had two suits of worn
summer clothes. The boy had one Sun
day suit and an old suit that had been
clumsily mended and darned, evidently
by his father. There We're "A pair of roller
skates in box and a harmOnicOn. In
the bottom of the clothes press, orderly
arranged, were bible, "To Josie, from
Grandma, Christmas, 1885," Snakes
peare, ITO Joseph, from his Father,
Christmas, 1885," a Methodist bymnal, a
copy of Moody and Sankey's songs, school
hooks, and Lives of our Prominent
Boys" also Christmas present. A lot
of taior's patterns, scissors, needles and
thread were found mixed up in cheap
black valse with a tumble of stock re-
ports and quotations. Mr.. Benedict put
all the things in the valise and an old
LIuDk anu lOOh bueU1 dIOuuu 10 us Dldc6.
MIR. Werner had slight resemblance in
his face 10 Mr.. Powderly. He was feet
8 inches tall, partly bald, had a drooDing
black moustache, and well cut features.
His son was "a delicate pattern OF him.
Werner was born in Bavaria titty-seven
years ago. He came to this country with
his father, mother, brothers ard sisters
when he was two years old. His family
settled at Dubuque, Iowa. When he
grew up he came to New York and worked
at the trade OF tailor. lie made from $l5
TO $50 a week. Fifteen years ago he was
married TO Miss Van Buren,, whose
family now live in Fordham. She WAS
only 10 years old when they
We're married, and lie was
over 40. Joseph Max was their only child.
Young Mrs. Werner wanted To learn
TO be an actress. Her husband had some
money saved, and he spent $500 Of it to
have her taught something about acting
and TO buy her some dresses To start out
with. she was reasonable success. Her
husband was fond Of her until he found
that she had too many male acQuaint-
auces. He argued with her, and tried To
reform her, aud failed. They separated
ten years ago. He TOOK Joseph Max out
to his people at Dubuque and had him
reared there. When Joseph Max grew
older he was brought back 10 live with
Mrs. Bradley, relative AT l22 w est Third
street. His father lived on Morton street.
In year or so the son was sent to DR.