The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-05-23
shot AT HER NHIGHD0R
Ex-Director Steger's Wife
Fires a Revolver at
Mrs. FTeiknecht.
FAMILY SCANDAL.
Young Steger Accused Of Being
the Father of Pauline's
Child.

afternoon, and the people who were at
tracted by the unusual occurrence saw
woman running wildly along the street
in the direction Of the Webster avenue
police station.
The woman was Mrs. Sreger, wife of
ex- Director Emile Steger, who has re-
sided for many years at No. 80 Manhattan
avenue. Crazed by scandal affecting
the fair name of her family. she had fired
the shot at Mrs. George Freiknecht, her
next door neighbor, and also an old resi-
dent.
The circumstances leading to the affair
are peculiar. Mr.. and Mrs. Freiknecht
have young daughter, Pauline, who on
two occasions lived in the Steger family
as domestic On the last occasion her
services were terminated several months
ago, and since then for obvious reasons
she remained at hcr parents home, No.
2S Manhattan avenue. A few weeks ago
Pauline became mother. She charged
the paternity Of the child on Alfred
Steger, son of the ex-director, and
rumor with its many tongues was soon
busy in retailing the scandal
No legal steps will be taken in the mat
ter by the Freiknechts, but one day this
week Pauline called on the ex-Director
and threatened to do so unless an ar
rangement could be made to pay the ex-
penses of her Illness, to reimburse her for
the loss of time by reason OF her condition
and to provide for the future support of
the child.
WILLING TO PAY SOMETHING.
To avoid publicity and further scandal.
Mr.. Steger expressed himself as willing
to pay certain amount for expenses in
Cured, but beyond that refused TO do
on M fr1f tho fnof.far The OiFl than
consulted lawyer, to whom she de-
clared she was under sixteen years of
age, the legal age of consent. A confer
ence WAS had between the lawyer and
Mr.. Steger, without result, and it became
certain that the whole subject would be
brought before the Court.
Meanwhile Mrs. Steger, who had been
informed of the conference, became ex-
cited by the disgrace that had come to her
family, and her excitement was increased,
it is said, by conversations with Mrs.
Freiknecht.
Soon after noon OF yesterday Mrs.
Steger changed her dress and stepped
into the little court yard in front of her
house, which is separated from similar
space in front of the Freiknecht house by
a low picket fence. A few minutes later
Mrs. Freiknecht stepped into the court.
yard and Mrs. Steger fired the shot,
Mrs. Freiknech1 retreated into hsi- hcsiss,
slLu <1t6s k1bCACAs 0AORPkAS5 thG EAEfOAfCA,
ran down Manhattan avenue, through
Sherman avenue and Franklin street, to
Webster avenue and into the police sta
ton, where she excitedly declared she
had ''shot woman ana had come to
give herself up. She was quieted and
the case was then Investigated. Mrs.
Freiknecht refused to make complaint,
and after time Mrs. Steger was re-
moved to her home. Later in the day it
was ascertained that she had been taken
by her daughter to friends residence in
New York.
MRS. sTEGER SENT TO NEW YORK.
Mr.. Steger was absent from the Hill at
the time of the shooting, and on learning
of 1t he was almost Frustrated. | found
him late last evening, the only occupant
of his home He was unnerved and
broken down by the affair, and especially
over the condition of Mrs. Steger, and the
publicity of the affair entailed by her
action.
He said that the girl is over seventeen
years DID, and that his son. while not de-
nying an intimacy with her, denies the
paternity of her child.
Speaking of Mrs Steger, he said:-"She
Is completely crazed and / don't know
what the result will be. She is now in
New York, not as fugitive from justice,
but to be properly cared for by friends
Young Steger has left the city, but it is
understood that Mr.. Freiknecht will
commence proceedings against him.
MRS. FREIKNECHT's STORY.
/ called on Mrs Freiknecht to learn
what she had to say about the trouble.
She told me that Steger was the father of
her daughters four-week' '-oid babe and
that Steger had refused to marry Paul
inc.
How about the shootingf' I asked.
II was in the basement where my hus-
band, who is a cobbler, was at work.
There are two windows there and was
near one when Mrs. Steger came in. She
which she told my husband she wanted
him to mend. He said he would and then
she backed towards the door. When she
got there she drew a revolver and pointed
it at me. 1t clicked and did not go off, /
screamed and ran to the back door that
pistol was fired. Mrs. Steger then went
TO the yard and tried to shoot me through
the window. The bullet entered the
window sash right here,' pointing to
hole evidently made by bullet.
Mrs. Steger then ran to the station
house, and while she was coming from
there met the ex-director, her husband,
and said, sNTr. Steger, is this rights Is
your wife to shoot mef' He said, 'pah,
pah, pah,' and passed on. went to the
station house and told the captain all
about it and he said that's all right; you
go homo now; that's all right.
81 went home and then went to see my
lawyer, Mr.. Max Salinger. I had no
words with Mrs. Steger and never
quarreled with her. She tried TO shoot me
between twelve and one O'Clock when all
the school children were around. Before
she came to our house she told Mrs.
White, who lives across the street, that
she wanted to shoot and kill me, but be-
fore Mrs. White could tell me, Mrs.
Steger made the attempt"
Her husband, burly cobbler, corrobor-
ated her story, and said that the first he
knew of the intention of Mrs. Steger was
when he heard the pistol click
Pauline Freiknecht, the daughter, who
had heard the interview, said her moth
er's story was correct. She said Alfred
was the father of her child and he had re-
fused to marry her.
"Did you ever ask him tor"
II will not answer that until see what
is in the papers and what my lawyer says.
When was sick | had eigh-
teen fits and the doctor attended
me seven times day for while. am
but sixteen years old. Mr. Steger, Alfred's
father, has repeatedly offered to pay me
500 to settle the matter"
Pauline is a very pretty blonde and ap-
pears to be very simple minded. Her
mother said her mind had not been right
since her baby WAS born. / left mother
and daughter at the Court House, where
they went to see Counsellor Salinger.
Cases to be Tried.
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