Telegram-herald., 1889-05-29
CAUSE OF THE CRIME
What " a. Learned About Velt. 81
the Inquest.
WHAT He WROTE TO The CERlaslA
fEe fesi8aaoHy a. the Inquest Charles
ts3ts Sna Bls aothes HAD aaas AZ
Agreement ~ Dis-slEs-
tslta MAJ keN0ser.

Nelte Was held al Coroner LooheF's
Office al 10 o o'cl0ck yesterday morning
The following Jurymen were chosen.
Nathan Plnkney, Fred Murlburg. II
Drawbost, Martin c. DeJaggers, George
Ronser, and Richard Wandel.
John GAessler testified 10 the facts
about the letters sent him, aud Of his
knowledge of the whole affair, sub
siantially as gwen ia the IEIEGRAM-
HERALD yesterday.
+. +. Mills, of the B'orkmaa, opened
the letters addressed 10 that paper
they were ia German-and were read
by iuryman. One OF them contained
s. blll, 10 be used in hiring some one
u translate IL.
Mr.. Mills also told of his sequain-
tance with the man. lie, Nelte, MAS a
very quiet man, and very modest. He
had some strong views on social ques-
tons, and considered that the manu-
iacturers looked on the iaboring men
az no better than cattle. He was
always well spoken OF by his compan-
ions, and the witness had never thought
him dementad. Nelte had told him
of his mothers sickness, and had
talked of taking her 10 the L. Il. A.
Home as he could not take as good
care OF her as he wished.
Several other witnesses We're sworn,
but nothing as 20 the cause of the deed
was brought out more than was shown
by the letters.
The letters 10 the Germdnia and the
Workman were short sketches OF his life.
The story OF his birth and hfe as shown
IN the letters had worked on ms over
sensitive mind until he was un-
doubtedly demented on the subject.
Following is the substance OF one letter
10 the Germ0Hid:
1t was dated "Grand Rapids, IN the
beautifu. May, 1882" and was s"wrltten
for people who study mankind" lie
was born IN Wurtemberg. In hlschlid-
hood he was considered little queer.
and his little playmatcs dubbed him
"Mr." He was born out of wedlock,
and was looked down upon on that
account. Ills mother was a servant
girl, and he was taken care OF by hls
grandmother. From the village school
he went TO the city OF Hebron,
where he learned cablnctmaking. From
Is to 22 he worked at Karlsruhe. Here
he became acquainted with girl, bat
lust a he was about to WIN her he was
compelled To serve three years IN the
army. 1t seemed to hIm that they were
bound TO destroy all he had obtained.
He then thought that he would seek
his fortune III the land where IT was
said labor was given It's due, and IN 1881
he came to America. Though he always
received the highest wages paid for
labor in ms trade he was disappointed
and became discouraged. People
talked about him, and hefclt dlsgraced.
His mother, too, suffered greatly in
body and mind. In conclusion, he
asked that their bodies be sent 10 De
trot and burned. The document was
signed by Carl Velte, aged 80, and
| Christina Nelte, aged %.
The other letter stated that ms
mother had been slightly demerted,
and was never satisfied, and that the
| step was deliberate. A man named
Myer, who had been released from an
insane asylum, told them that they
would be worse of there. The suicide
| had been agreed on. 70 make sure
that his mother did not outwlt hIm be
| had put only water IN hls own
glass. He had kept his senses
uml the last and had seen
neither devils, angels or gob!Ins.
Don't cry" he wrote, for things are
| not a. bad as they seem. Our plants
| viii still bloom and our three birds still
! sing beautiful songs while We sleep.
! The world was a great stage. and hc
thought he had played his part well
| enough. In postscript be said that
| # the police did not Ike their course
the worst that could be done was %
send them To Detroit
The jury were ont only ten minutes
when they returned a verdict "that
Charles Nelte came to has death from
two bullet wounds from a gun and q
revolver in his own hands, fired with
suicidal intent"
Mrs. Neltc was reported as very low
last night. but with small hope Of re-
coverv. She is constantly calling for
her son. She told Coroner Locher YES
terday morning that her son had gwen
] her some beer which must have been
| poisoned. for She vOmited, and that in
the evening. after dark, some man
threw her ON the floor and stabbed her.
| She could not see who q was. She told
| where she lay. and there were bloody
| marks on the floor at that place. Tbs
! does not quito cOrrespoud with the
| sons statement that they had agreed
/ 30 die, for she speaks n Il She knew
..o+Ifrg ab,uf Il or v-hv 4 u-1- done