The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-11
FATHER AND DAUGHTER.
Laura Horn Hangs Herself
and Her Father Puts a
Bullet Through His
Head.
BEAUTIFUL BUT INSANE.
The Grief Stricken Man Cut Down
Her Body, Wept Over 1t, and
then Tried to Join Her
in Death.


A fifteen foot rope and an old fashioned
revolver stained with blood lay behind
The desk at Hoboken Police Headquarters
this morning. They had been the means
chosen to end two lives, that Of an aged
father and his demented daughter. The
daughter had first accomplished her
death with the aid of the rope and the
aged father when he was confronted by
his dead daughters body, could not bear
the ordeal, and while the attention Of
those about were attracted elsewhere,
he picked up the revolver and sent bullet
into his head above his right ear. He
fell insensible and is now in st. Mary's
Hospital in dying condition.
The names of the unfortunate people
are Frederick III orn, sixty-eight years old,
and Laura Horn, thirty-one years old.
There are two others in the family, a
mother and son, and the family live at
No. 130 Fifth street. About three years
ago Laura Horn, who was then hand
some young woman of twenty eight years.
began to act queerly. She did all man
ner of strange things, and finally it be-
came necessary to incarcerate her in the
asylum at Snake Hill This was done
with whom Laura was great favorite.
The girl remained in the asylum until
about Two weeks ago, when, at the
earnest request of the father, she was
discharged. The father intended to take
her to Germany and had purchased
tickets for passage on the steamer Column
bia of the Hamburg line, which sailed at
three o'clock today.
After being discharged from the asylum
the unfortunate girl acted tolerably well
and the father and other members of the
family looked forward with great pleas
land. Laura was oyerioyed as
the prospects of the trip
and the family had hopes that her reason
might be restored. On Tuesday some
thing occurred which brought the fact
forcibly to the mind Of the father that his
daughter was still insane. A fire started in
the pencil factory and Laura went out on
the sidewalk with the other members or
the family and watched the flames. Sud
denly she was missed, and diligent search
failed to find her. About three hours
after the fire she was found in another
part of the city by Chanceinan Harrison
and brought back to her folks. A closer
watch was kept on her after this incident.
TALKING OF THE TRIP.
Last night the family remained awake
until nearly twelve o'clock talking about
the proposed trip to Germany on the NOR
row. Whenever the trip across the ocean
was mentioned, Laura's eyes spaFkled
and she never seemed happier. AZ ahont
twelve O'Clock the family retired At
about half-past one o'clock the father
daughters room adjoins his and he was
compelled to pass her door to get the
water. While returning to his room he
peered into The chamber of his daughter.
He recoiled with a cry OF horror The
bed had not been occupied. His cries
i .fn<4N -
family and a search of the premises was
at once instituted, but no trace or the
missing girl could be found in the house.
The yard was then searched and there,
suspended by rope to the transom OF
an clubhouse, was the lifeiess body OF the
missing girl She had walked out to the
yard and tied knot to y cross beam and
hanged herself. The body seemed all the
more ghastly in the darkness. The father
seemed dazed.
THE FATHERS SHOT.
One of the party went for DOCTOR All
of the others returned to the house with
| the exception of the father, who cut the
body down and kneeling beside it kissed
| the face repeatedly and begged her to
| speak to him. Then he left the corpse.
| An unnatural glitter in his eyes was no.
| ticed by those who had gathered in the
| hallway of the house. He went to his
room, unlocked drawer in which was
| concealed an old-fashioned French revol-
| yer, cooked it, pointed it behind his ear
and pulled the trigger. The report was
| heard by those in the hallway and three
| or four hurried to the room. The poor
old man lay on the floor with his blood
| pouring from an ugly wound and his
gray hair dabbled and dyed
| He was gasping for breath, but was
yet sensible. All he could say was:--
Laura, my poor Laura, where is she?
| will join her in death" 4"
A CoNTEMPTIBLE ACTION.
| By this time the entire neighborhood
! was aroused, and a crowd gathered in
! front of the house. Sergeant Rathjen
! and several policemen. attracted by the
| shot, arrived, and at once made an inves-
tigation. When the facts were learned
I the sergeant went to the watchman
| of the pencil factory to telephone for an
\ ambulance as the old mans life might
| yet be saved. The watchman refused to
allow the sergeant to use the telephone,
although he was told that if this cour-
| tesy was extended mans life might be
| saved. A policeman was then sent to the
morgue and the ambulance and Dr.. Hell
| fer were soon on the scene
| The dead body of the young woman
was removed to the morgue. DIR. Helfer
! made superficial examination of the
| fathers wound and said that he could
not live. He ordered his instant removal
to the hospital which was done. This
morning the hospital authorities stated
that his recovery was impossible. The
morgue and the house in which the
double tragedy occurred were visited by
crowds of curiosity seekers all che morn
ing.
The Board of Finance.
The Board of Finance held meeting
this morning in the City Hall. Accm-