New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-02-22
A MINNESOTA MuRDER.
Matthias Jaracekof lie Sueur Coun-
ty Shoots His Wife Dead and Puts
aBall Through his Own Head,

Matthias Jaracek lived on farm OF
eighty acres two miles south OF New Pra-
que, LIE Sueur county, with his wife and
four children. Wednesday evening the Sth,
his step son, John Stehlik, rode excitedly
to New Prague AID informed the people
that his stepfather was killing his mother
A number OF villagers, including the doc
tor and constable went at once to the
premises OF Jaracek.
The doors were all looked on the inside,
and to gain entrance the front door had to
be broken in. On the floor the party
found the seven year old daughter OF lara.
eek lying in a pool OF blood. The blood
was still slowly ooing from CHASTITY bull
let wound in the forehead On a bed in
the same room lay the body Ct
Jaracek with bullet wound in
the forehead and beside it was the
body OF his wife. Both were dead.
The bed clothing was completely satu-
rated with blood. The indications were
that life had been extinct for two hours at
least. The woman lay OH her back. Her
breast. None OF her clothing had been
removed. Jaracek lay partly on his side,
with his face close to that OF the woman,
as If in his last death throes he had
attempted to kiss his victim. His arms,
like those OF the woman, were crossed on
his breast and the 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 result OF the inspection leaves no
doubt that Jaracek deliberately murdered
his wife ind then suicided.
Jaracek came home from Jordan, where
he purchased a revolver. and went to his
home at about o'clock. He at once be-
gan to make things unpleasant, and order
ed the children to bed. Whether or not
they refused is not known, but Jaracell a
once fired his revolver into the group OF
children, where there was crippled boy OF
fifteen years, a girl OF seven, a
boy OF five, and a baby about
three years old. The girl OF seven
was shot over the right eye, the ball
then took the cripple by the hair and
threw him outdoors. The latter climbed
up and looked through the window wit
Messing the following tradgedy. Jaracek
then told his wife that her last moment
had come. The boy saw his mother sink
to her knees on the floor, and he heard
her pray to God and to her 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 woman rose to her feet and
oufheu DIS IL thinking TO escape by the door,
.Jaracek fired, the bullet lodged in his wife g
back. She sank to the floor with scream
falling on her back. With an insane laugh
the murderer fired another shot at the
woman as she lay on the floor. Mortified
the boy at the wind ow sank to the ground
Then he managed to crawl to the barn, a
few rods away, where he mounted horse
rode to the village and gave the alarm.
]aracek' bitterness toward his wife, it
is said, was particularly brought about
because she refused to put the property
into his hands. Upon llerrepeatedr efusals
to do SO he grew more and more tyranica
and abusive. Finally, by the advice OF her
children and friends, the woman made ap-s
plication for a divorce, which, 10 doubt.
FASTENED the tragedy.