Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-04-05
HUNG ON 4 BELLPULL
A Philadelphia Family Finds a
Corpse on the Doorstep.
SUICIDE OF A DESERTED HUSBAND.


the steps OF the House where she Il
Hiding.
PHILADELPHIA, April 5.-After for
giving his wife for one escapade and
taking her back to his home, Gottlieb
Wechter, German blacksmith, of
Wilmington, tried to induce the faith
less woman to return to her family, and
falling, devised a method and place Of
death which should both punish her,
fasten shame ON her and leave no doubt
as to the cause of his suicide He
hanged himself by the neck to the door
bell Of the house in which he knew she
and her paramour were together and
was found there In the morning dead.
There was something horribly grotesque
IN the betrayed mans manner of ac-
complaining his end and making it as
effective IN proclaiming the woman's i'm
fidelity as in procuring his own death.
The whole story is full of misery. The
couple came to this country a couple of
years ago with their children, four boys,
now 81, IS, -, and s years old
They settled in Wilmington, and
Gottlieb Wechter found work at his trade,
blacksmithing. He was acquainted with
Peter Kurtz, machinist, and Kurtz Wis
tied at his home. He became an init
mate friend and was welcomed. What
ever the relations were between husband
and wife can only be gauged by the fact
that they had lived together many years,
and by what the wife saysof their inhar-
mony within the past three months, and
this later phase of their life she sets down
70 the husbands drunkenness.
Whatever the cause, about ten weeks
4.
husbands friend, Peter Kurtz, and they
set up housekeeping in two rooms, at No.
022 South Third street, on the corner of
Marriott street, renting them from Chris
tan Kauffmann, who occupies the
house with his family, and keeps pro-
vision store there. The Kauffmanns
thought that Mrs. Wechter was Mrs.
Kurtz until the woman herself one day
betrayed the fact that she was q runaway
from home, and that Gottlieb Wechter
was her husband. She was told then
that she must seek other quarters, and
was apparently preparing to when Wech-
fer came and induced her to return home.
This was about three weeks ago.
Wechter was q man of Al years, small
in stature, very light in complexion and
OF very commonplace appearance.
Kurtz Is about 80 years old and good
looking. The woman is - years old,
but at glance could pass for 80. She
Is smallish, buxom, well favored and
blonde.
After she went back to her husband,
Nina Wechter kept up correspondence
with Kurtz. She had gone back to the
old love, but could not give mp the new
and the other morning came again to
the city and went to Mr.. Kauffman's
house. She was refused admission by
Mrs. Kaufman. Al few hours after she
arrived her husband came and began his
search for her about Carpenter and Sec
end streets, part of the city he knew
she had frequented with Kurtz In the
afternoon he met her with Kurtz and
the three were seen talking ON the side
walk outside Kauffman's store. They
were not Quarreling then, but the hus-
hand appeared to be pleading with his
wife. The three went away and Wech-
ter and his wife went to Charles Bart
mann's restaurant and hotel on Second
street below Christian. There Gottlieb
Wechter was heard begging his wife to
return to her home and she was heard
refusing. They remained some time
and in che evening the wife went away,
leaving her husband there.
When Nina Wechter left her husband,
she met Kurtz, who smuggled her into
mis- rooms at Kauffmann's through a side
entrance on Marriott street. The Kauff-
manns did not see her goin or they would
have denied her admission. The husband
wandered about the streets all night. He
was seen near kauffmann's several times
walking about as though suffering in his
wTetchedness, and once he rung the
bell violently and asked to be admitted.
There was no room for him there, and
besides the people did not care to admit
HIM.
Before d. M. Mrs. Kaufman was
disturbed once more by Wechter. Sho
looked out of the window and saw him
standing, as she thought. on the walk,
and leaning against the house moaning.
He was really strangling to death. At
little after o'clock she again looked
out and saw him leaning against the cas-
ing Of the door, and thought he was
sleeping. He was really dead. Her hus-
hand had gone out very early 10 market,
and she called to Frederick Keebler. 4
baker. whose shop Is ON the corner Of
Marriott and Third streets. and when he
came asked him 10 call policeman 70
wake Wechter and take him away.
When keebler went to rouse the man,
and shook him, he found that he was
fast and that blood was ON his shirt 'front.'
The wretched Wcchter had made 4
marble gallows platform of the doorsteps,
tied his neck a. the bell pull with his
bandanna handkerchief, and stepped of.
Under the moose round his neck there was
small cash IN his throat. Just on tho
Adams apple. and the blood had
streamed down from il. keebler had no
knife. bat lie tore the handkerchief and
the man fell FOR ward, striking heavily en
the side Of his face and temple. and q
little blood flowed from the wound, %