St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-10
FRICHTFUL TRAGEDY.
Mat JanauSehek Kills His
Wife and Then Commits
Suicide.
The Deed One of Drunken
Brutality With Scarce a
Parallel.
lie Mocked the Prayers of
His FeaP-Strieken
Wife.
A Graphic Account of the
Deed--OtheP Crime
News.
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe
NEW PRAGUE, Minn., Feb. 9.-On
little farm about one and Il quarter
miles from this village, lives. or did
live, a farmer by the name of Mat Jan
&uschek. JanauSchek and his wife were
married about twelve years ago. The
lady was al that time widow with five
children. The farm upon which the
family resided at the time of the
tragedy was left to the widow by her
deceased husband, Mr.. Stehlick. The
place was thenin good condition and was
considered a valuable piece of property.
JanauSchek was ten years the junior of
UrS. Stehlick. Since the marriage they
iave lived together, but not happily.
Janauschek had been diSsolute fellow
and has spent more time in idleneSS and
dissipation than in work. 1t is stated
that he has repeatedly
BEATEN HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN
and was especially bitter to the chill
dren of his wife by her former husband.
Matters have grown worse and worse
year by year. The farm has run down
and deprecated in value. Janauschek's
bitterness toward his wife, it is said,
was particularly brought out because
she refused to put the property into his
hands. Upon her repeated refuSals to
do SO he grew more and more tyrannical
and abusive and finally purchased re-
vOlver about six months ago and swore
he would shoot her, did she not comply
with his requests. Then the woman sent
for her son. Upon the latter's ar
rival the revolver was taken from JAN
auSchek, but he has been Sullen and
more diSsOlnte ever since. Finally, by
the advice of her children and friends,
the woman yesterday made application
for divorce. Shortly after 10 o'clock
last night our citizens were startled by
the cries of
''HELP! MURDERr'
Investigation brought out the fact
that John Stehllck, the ten-year-Old,
crippled Step-SOn of Janauschek, had
rode into town giving the cries for help
as he came along. He had
refined up in front of one of
the principal stores of the village
and on diSmounting tainted away. He
was carried into drug store and after
some trouble was revived. AS soon as
he had sufficiently revived he said that
his father had come home at about
o'clock in an intoxicated condition and
in very QuarrelSOme mood. He began
abusing his wife and the children. He
threw chair at the poor woman and
ordered the smaller children to bed.
The woman tried to quiet her husband
but it was of no avail. Then the cripple
tried to pacify him. This made the
the hair of the head and dragged him
out of doors. The boy crawled up to the
window and looked inside. To his hor-
rOr he saw his stepfather draw revOl-
yer from his pocket, point it at his
mother, and with a horrible string of
oaths say: Nov Eve got you; inside of
ten seconds you'll be dead" The boy
saw his mother sink to her knees on the
floor, and heard her pray to God and
TO HER BRUTE HUSBAND
for mercy. Damn your prayers; they
won't save you. You're going to die, do
you hear?' the husband shouted. Then
as the frightened woman rose to her
feet and turned as if thinking to escape
by the door, the brute fired, the bullet
lodging in the poor wOman'S back. She
sank to the floor with scream, falling
on her back. Still the maddened hus-
band was not satisfied. With an insane
laugh he fired another shot at the
woman as she lay on the floor. Horri-
fed, the boy at the window sank to the
ground. Then he managed to crawl to
the barn. few rods away, where he
mounted horse and rode to the village.
After the boy had concluded the
above description of the tragedy party
consisting of the village constable, a
doctor and four citizens went to inves-
tigate the tragedy. The doors were
all locked on the inside, and to gain en-
trance the front door had to be broken
in. On the floor the party found the
ten-yearold daughter of Janauschek
lying in pool Of blood. The blood was
slowly oozing from a CHASTITY bullet
wound in the forehead. On a bed in
the same room lay the body of Jan
auSchek with bullet wound in the
forehead. and beside it was the body of
his wife.
BOTH WE'RE DEAD.
The bed clothing was completely sat
urated with blood. The indications
were that life had been extinct for two
hours at least. The woman lay upon
her back. Her hands were carefully
crossed over her breast. None of her
clothing had been removed. Janauschek
lay partially on his side. with his face
close to that of the woman. as if in the
last death throeS he had attempted to
kiss his victim. His arms, like those of
the woman, were crossed ON his breast,
and his right hand still clutched tightly
the telltale revolver. His coat, vest
and boots had been removed. and were
found lying on the floor near the bed.
The party did not attempt to disturb the
bodies. They were left as they were
found. The physician discovered, how
ever, that the woman had been shot
twice. the first bullet entering the back
just under the right shoulder, and the
second piercing her breast.
TWO OTHER CHILDREN
were found in an adjoining room sound
asleep. They were boy of five years
and girl of three years of age. The
two children and the wounded girl were
brought to this place, where married
sister lives, who took them IN charge.
1t is thought that the shot which
wounded the girl was accidental. There
is little hope of her recovery. The bullet
struck her near the center of the fore
head and passed out near the left ear.
The tragedy was not wholly unexpected
by those who knew the history of the
family. Their domestic troubles have
been the talk of their acquaiutanceS for
years. Janauschek has before threat
ened to kill his wife, and revolver was
taken away from him about six months
ago Dy MS stepson, whom the mother
induced to come home
TO PROTECT HER.
This young mans name is Steblick
and at the time he was employed as
fireman oil the Manitoba road lon