Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-04-05
HUNG HIMSELF.
A WlLMi iNGTON MAN WANTED
TO DIE.
A Novel Method Selected TO Commit
Suicide-IIis Wife Had Left Him
for Another Man and He
Hangs OIL the Bell-PuI.

AunEb OIL the Isell-puiI.
PHILADELPHIA, April 4.-The sequel
to a Wilmington e.opement occurred on
South Third street, IN this city, early
this morning, when Gottlieb Weehter, d
German weaver Of Wilmington, hung
himself on the bell pull of the house, at
VIZ South Third street, where his wife,
who had run away from her home, was
found with Peter Kuitz, a machinist,
form, ,rly OF Wilmington.
An interesting story developed when
all the lacts were learned. Mrs. Wech-
ter whose first name is given as Mena, is
az years old, but well preserved and quite
good looking. ehe has lived with her
husband in w lmington for many years
and they were apparently happy. They
had four childteD, all boys, and who are
now 2l, 10, ID and s years old respect
lively. But Peter Kurtz, q machlnist, 81
yeare old, made the acquaintance of Mrs.
Wechter and, It is alleg, d, she became in-
fatuated with him and finally agreed to
fOrt AXE her home for him. The pair left
Wilmington two months ago and coming
TO this city, rented two rooms Of Mrs.
Charles Kaufman, 922 South Third
street, representing themselves to be,man
and wife. Mrs. Kaufman thought 1t
strange That they had no furniture, but
were obliged TO purchase new. But she
said nothing, supposing them to be all
right. Size was very much surprised,
however, In about three weeks, when, In
q burst of confidence, the supposed Mrs,
Kurtz remarked to her that he was not
her husband; that her real husband was
in Wilmington. Mrs. Kaufman told her
that had she known that before she
would not have let her had the room.
TAKEN BACK BY HER HUSBAND.
In couple of weeks more Mr.. wech-
| ter came up from Wilmington, and after
a long talk persuaded her to leave Kurtz
and 60 back to her home in Wilmington.
Kurtz remained at Mrs Kaulman's
house, he having In the meantime secur-
ed employment at machine shop, cor
ner of Broad and Federal streets. Mrs.
Wechter, 1t is alleged, kept up & cores.
pondence with him, and finally con-
cluded to leave her husband again. She
lett Wilmington yesterday morning,
bringing considerable baggage with her,
and. shortly after noon, appeared at Mrs.
Kaufm house and wanted to again oc-
cupy Kurtz's rooms. Mrs. Kaufman re-
fused to admit the woman, who then,
1t is said, took her things to Bartman's
restaurant and saloon, on Second street,
below Ihristian. She came back after
ward with Kurtz, who took her upstairs.
| About O'Clock they left the house by
the side entrance on Marriott street, and
at the corner were met by the woman q
husband, Mr.. Wechter,who had followed
her from Wilmington. Persons who saw
this meeting say that the men shook
hauds and, after q short .alk, the woman
went away with her husband They pro
ceeded to Bartman'e, where he pleaded
with her to return to her home again
She refused and they quarreled, becom-
ing so noisy that they were put out OF the
place. They separate d at the door and
the woman evidently hunted up Kurt2
again, for he took her into the kaufman
House late in the evening.
THE HUSBAND HANGS HIMSELF.
Abant twelve o'clock the kaufman
family were aroused by the loud ringing
OF their door bell, and In response to an
inquiry as to who was there, Mr.. Wechter
said ii was he and he wanted to get In.
Mr.. kaufman feared trouble and told him
that he could not come in and asked him
to go away. The next heard of MIR.
Wechter was when he asked the police
man on the beat to direct him to a lode-
| ihk hohoSs hV OlhAGh ulu bD anu Lne
| man, who appeared TO be IN an excited
condition, turned away.
At four O'Clock Mrs. Kaufman was
again aroused by means Fnd, looking out
OF the window, eaw Wechter apparently
leaning against the door steps, on the
! Marriott street side. She supposed that
| he was drunk, and called out OF the win
| dow to +. Kecbler, baker across the
street, to get an officer. Mr., Keebler
| came over and discovered that Wechter
had hung himself to the bell-pull, using
large red handkerchief instead of a
rope. He was facing towards the steps
with his feet hanging down on the west
side, and had evidently tied the handker-
| CHIEF while standing on the upper step,
and then backed oil, thus improvlsinR a
very effective scailoid. Mr.. Keebler had
no knife. but tore the handkerchief and
the body OF Mr.. Wechter fell forward,
face down, upon the marble step. That
lie was but just extinct was shown by
the fact that he bled from a cut on the
forehead where he struck the stone,
A cut was found on his throat, appar-
emily inflicted by a sharp-blAded instru-
ment, but hot deep enough to be dan
ger0us.
Ofliceri having arrived, the body was
removed to the Second District Station
House on Second street above Christian,
and Mrs. Wechter and Kurtz were ar,
rested aud taken to the station house to
DO held as witnesses before the corouer's
inquest.
the DEAD MAN
was about Al years old and was con-
sidercd a sober and industrious Citizen In
Wilmington. llo was dressed in the
clothes of workingman. In the pockets
were iounda pocketbook, containing about
liity cents In small change, a small two
blsdod knife with one blade bloody.
showing that he hal used it to cut lis
throat, and receipt book indicating that
he bad paid $3.50 to Philip Walsh, an in.
stallment dealer, on bill OF goods. The
expression on bis face when found was
that OF on insanc man, and 1t was cyl
dent that he was demen!ed when he
hanged himself
Mrs. Wechter aud Kur'z appeared
very nervous In the station this morning.
The woman, however, had evidently de-
termined to brave It out, and she
asserted that her husband had been iu
the habit OF getting drunk and
abusing her; that on Sunday night he
alWayS had a crowd OF men a. their house
drinking and carous:ng, and that ON last
sunday night he threatened to kill her
aud their children. On Monday they had
another quarrel aud he again threatened
to kill her. Fearing for her life she con