The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-08-28
CUT BOTH THEIR THROATS.
BLOODY TRAGEDY ON FALL CREEK.
Edward Amman OF Cincinnati Murders Ber-
tina En- of This City Near the Bridge
on n. Ininois-st., and Then Turns
the Knife ON Himself.

Another Of those atrocious murders, the par
ticulars of which seem too awful for public
cital. occurred at late hour Saturday night just
north of the city. Edward Azmann Of Cincin-
natl cut the throat of Bertha Elf, young
woman living in this city, at lonely spot on n.
Illinois-st and then, walking a few steps away,
he attempted to take his own life in the same
way, and the probability is that he succeeded.
The scene Of the murder is about one hun
dred yards this side of Fall creek bridge, and is
some distance from any dwelling. II is on the
street car line running to Crown Hill. and the
murdered woman was found lying almost upon
the track Shortly before midnight an old man
living in the neighborhood was returning
home, and would probably have stumbled over
the body OF the woman had he not been startled
by a feeble cry for water. There are no street
lamps in that neighbrhood, and he was unable
10 tell where the cry came from; but he
naturally surmised that something terrible had
occurred, and. badly frightened, hurried away
TO give the alarm. Information was telephoned
to police headquarters, and the patrol immedi-
ately started TO the scene in charge of Officers
Brady, Wait and Travis.
Arrived at the place, most horrible sight
met the eyes of the officers as they turned the
of the woman. She was lying on the declivity
at the side of the road, with her head toward
the gutter. The clothing was torn from the
upper portion of her body, and re-
vealed the fact that her head
was almost severed from her body and was ly-
ing in a pool OF blood and dust. Clots of
bloody dust almost covered her face. and it was
almost impossible to tell her color until a por-
ton of her body was uncovered. The
condition of her clothing gave evidence
of the fact that terrible struggle had taken
place, in which the unfortunate woman had
made a helpless effort 10 tear away from her
murderer Who the latter was had already |
After the police had been telephoned for
several parties started for the place where the
cry for water had come from, and as
they approached they heard means
coming from the opposite side of
the road. IL was Immediately evident
that there were two persons injured, and the
horror of the situation increased. 1t was dis !
covered that the meanings came from man
lying in the grass a short distance south and
on the opposite side Of the road from the body
OF the woman. The latter was now evidently
dead as no other cry was heard from her.
Before the patrol wagon left for the scene of
the murder word was telephOned to the city
hospital 10 send out the city ambulance, which
was done. When il was found that the woman
was placed in the ambulance and taken to the
hospital, while the patrol wagon conveyed the
murdered woman to Kregelo's undertaking es-
Enlistment.
The woman presented a chastity appearance
at the morgue. tremendous cash, almost
severng the head from the body, ran across
her neck from ear to ear. Her clothing.
which had been originally bright and clean.
was one mass OF clotted blood and dirt She
presented every indication Of having been
70 n her
Nothing was found upon her person by which
she could be identified. though who she was
appeared later. In her pocketwas found J
handkerchief and house key.
She appeared TO be a woman about twenty
five or thirty years of age, and before death
evidently quite comely Her eyes and
hair were both dark. Her clothing was of tie
plainest material, though evidently neat and
clean before her murder Behind her ears
were several cuts or bruises, showing that her
slayer had made several attempts before
accomplishing the fatal deed.
When the ambulance arrived at the hospital !
with the injured man, il was found that he was I
well dressed and apparently about TWENTY-FIVE 4
mustache, and weighed about one hundred 4
and sixty pounds. The body was not so
much mutilated as that of the woman,
although the cash IN the throat was
a terrible one. The physicians at the hospital /
Immediately pronounced the injury fatal. The |
man had not attempted 10 speak, and il was |
feared he would die before his name or any of |
the particulars were learned. About / 80 |
o'clock, however, he rallied sufficiently to
whisper his name, which he said was Edward |
Azmann, and that his home was /
Cincinnati. He tried 10 tell the |
woman's name, but could not make |
himself understood. A half hour later. how /
ever, he was stronger, and was able 10 give |
further particulars. His mothers name he /
said, was Caroline Azmann, and she lived at !
365 Central-ave.. Cincinnati The womans |
name was Bertha Elf. Asked why he had !
committed the deed, he replied: "She hadn't /
been treating me right"
A SENTINEL reporter called az the hospital. |
but found il difficult 10 talk with the injured /
man. His story was that ne and The woman /
had been out to KissePs, and while they were /
on the road home. they quarreied. lie was /
somewhat under the influence of LIQUOR, and |
in a sudden frenzy he pulled out his /
knife and told her he was going to /
kill her. He succeeded in almost cutting /
the head from the body, but ghen he realized /
what had been done he stuck his handkerchief |
in the wound and tried 20 stop the bleeding. |
After that he walked about two hundred yards |
further down the road and made up his mind |
70 cut his throat but Is the result in the ma
jority Of such cases, the indications are that /
he did not succeed nearly we'll he had /
with the unfortunate woman. he hospital |