Omaha daily bee., 1888-05-09
THE FIRE AND ITS VICTIMS
The All-Absor binR Subject in Ar
lington's Public Places.
THE RELATIVES RETURN HOME.
They Make Rather Unfriendly Allu-
sions TO the Smith Family-Tbe
Careless Methods of the
Coroner's Jury.
The Excitement After the Tragedy.

BEE. The Freese-G -Grotluschen holocaust
still forms the engrossing subject of conversa-
tion IN all the public places in this village, and
new interest was impaired to the subject by
the departure, this morning, of Miss Emma
Freese and the Rev. and Mrs. Freose,
brotber-in-law and sister Of the former, for
Hanover, Washington county, Kansas. 1t
was thought here that the party would re-
main over in Omaha for a short time, with
brother Of the Rev. Mr.. Freese, but IL was
known that 1t would be but a short stay, be-
cause the reverend gentleman was obligated
to return to his Kansas charge as soon as
possible. When the party left here it was
understood that both. Rev. and Mrs.
Freese would return to this village
at least inside of ten days.
When Emma would return was not known.
1t was also understood that the latter was
averse to going away from her home, at least
to Kansas. She so expressed herself to q
number of her lady friends here, and felt
that il she should temporarily go to any of
her relatives, it ought to be to her sick sister,
Mrs. Uffman of Ainsworth, who has been
unable to attend the obsequies. She was,
however, talked out of her good resolution
by her Kansas sister who insisted upon the
hasty and unexpected flight above referred
to. There is little reason to question that
Rev. M. Freese's duty called him to Kansas
for Sundays work. There is less reason to
doubt that Emma needed rest and quiet, but
there is certainly good reason to fear
that the hasty move was made
because of an entirely different idea. 1t is
unpleasant to relate it, but the facts must be
stated
When Mrs Freese, of Kansas, arrived to
attend the funeral, she met her sister Emma
and throwing herself upon the latter said in
German: ~ told you they lied about us,
and you see they are doing it again. They
have got 1t in all the papers and they'll do it
again." This language, in another tongue,
was used in the presence Of several members
of the Smith family, who live on an adioin-
ing farm and one of whom, Ed, fine young
man, was the first to discover the fire. The
members of this family understood the term
"they'' to apply to themselves, and interpreted
the reference to what had got into the news
papers as being the announcement that
young Ed Smith was engaged to Emma.
The reference was an uncomplimentary one
and unmerited, because, however the unfound1
ed announcement of an engagement tloated
into the papers, it was not encouraged by any
of the Smith family. This reference on the
part of Mrs Freese was an evidence of hard
feeling on her part to the Smiths and proof
Of this was found in the observation which
she made TO newspaper man and which was
published in this paper, as follows: 'There
was bad feeling between her sister Emma
and one of the neghbors who first gave the
alarm, but whose name should not be coupled
in this connection without better evidence
than mere suspicion. The sisters say they
1.-THE Freese family have had trouble over
the repulse of his attentions, and this may be
motive for the mystifying horror"
The name of the young man might as well
be mentioned because the person
referred to is known to every person
who resides within radius of many
miles of Arlington as Ed. Smith, the young
man who was the first to announce the fire
of the barn. The latter was seen to-day by
THE BEE correspondent in the presence of
his father, brother and Mr.. Stranghoener
In response to inquiries of the writer he re-
iterated that he was not engaged to Emma
and never had been; that he had never
sought her in marriage and had no intention
of marrying her. He could not understand
why Emma's sister should abuse and villify
him. Neither he nor his family had ever
done anything to injure either her or her
Freese had no love for his family. She labored
under the delusion that they were bad
people and had so labored for the last ten or
twelve years since she was married.
This statement was subscribed to by the
other parties above mentioned, and the ques-
tion of friendship between the Smiths was in
more than one way attested, especially by
the reciprocity in calls, acts and kindness and
courtesy which existed between the members
This friendship was also proven by the ap-
pointment by Sheriff Schneider of Washing
ton county, of the elder Smith and his son
Edward to look after the Freese stock until
an administrator shall be appointed. Mrs
Freese's statement is considered unworthy
Of a woman, more especially because the
Smith family Is of unquestoned integrity in
this community and ought to be invulnerable
from q waman who has not lived near them
in nearly dozen years.
Unmindful of the sting the elder and
younger Smith to-day held possession of the
house of the deceased Mrs. Freese, and cared
for the live stock, and will continue to do so
until relieved by the sheriff. To-day, JUS
tice Cook was telephoned by Judge Perkins
and the sheriff from Blair, as to whether he
would accept the appointment OF admins
TRAITOR of the Groteluschen estate. He re-
piled he did not think he would, but the
Judge answered that he would appoint him
unless he found somebody right away who
would accept the position. There will be
few applications for the appointment, how
ever, because IL will be an herculean task to
learn what interest Fred Groteluschen had
in Mrs. Freese's (senior) estate, and the
other complicated questions which will
arise as between the Groteluschen
brothers with regard TO the property
left by Fred. The Smiths, however, are
anxious to be relieved of the care of the
house as soon as possible because the time is
approaching when all their time will be re-
quired in their own fields.
Nearly all the evidences of the burned
barn have been removed except the brick
which tho framework of the structure was
reduced. In n few weeks all traces will have
been removed, and IL is not thought that any
more light win then have been shed upon
the unfortunate occurrence than has been
shed up to the present time. People will
continue TO have their own opinions regard
less of the facts of the case, and there are
scarcely two opinions which are in accord
with each other.
To-day The BEE correspondent showed to
DR. Wade, of this city, the section of Mrs.
Grateluschen' dress which, around the col
lar, was saturated with blood and upon
which large quantities of the precious fluid
had already coagulated. He pronounced the
specimen blood indeed, which had flowed
from the body before the death of the latter.
He was given q sample and will make
q scientific analysis of IL under the miscroS-
cope. At Drexel g. Maul's in Omaha, a sam
Pile of the same kind may be seen.
Leading citizens of this place denounce
the slip-shod and unprofessional and
reprehensible manner in which the
inquest was held. Nobody attempted
TO restrain people from removing the remains
before the arrival of the coroner When the
jury was empanelled a member of the same
says that not one half of the members viewed
the remains. The presiding officer il is said,
was Sheriff Schneider, OF Blair, who was
acting coroner, and who gave little evidence
H.. 4. 0n