The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-18
GIESECKE'S DEATH.
His Widow Tells a Startling
Story About 1t.
She Says he Told Her He Had Blown Up a
Saloon, and Was Under Arrest - The
Brother Tells Different Tale.

Frederick Gesecke. the German who
shot himself in the heart last Saturday
evening because, as he said, his wife had
forsaken him for her former husband,
Charles Smith, died in the Receiving Hos
pital yesterday morning.
Ever since he was taken to the hospital
the surgeons there had little hope of his
recovery. The domestic affairs of the
Gieseckes were published at the time of the
hus band committing the fatal act.
On Wednesday night Mrs. Giesecke called
to see her husband, but when he heard her
voice he refused to see her. She, however.
forced herself forward and tainted close by
his bedside. She did not recover for sew
eral minutes, but even then he would not
see her.
She remained around the hospital til
lie died, aud then followed his body to the
Morgue. 1t was at the latter place that she
made startling statement as regards her
husband and which she said caused him to
commit the act. She denied that jealousy
was the cause of his action.
THE WIDOWS STATEMENT.
81 married him eighteen months ago." she
said, land since then he has done very little
work toward supporting US. He acted in a
very queer manner and seemed to be in
trouble about something. AS he remained
away at night went in search of him, and
on July 18th l found him on Third street.
He was in company with another man,
who my hus band said was detective, and
he showed a star TO prove it. When l
asked him why he was with a detective, he
said he had been arrested. Naturally l
inquired what the reason was"
Mrs. Giesecke then went on to say that
t.alA Hsr hal "a
money from man who is known at Ocean
View as Hog Pete" The latter told
Gieseeke he need not pay him the money if
he would do a job for him. The Job was
to blow up S. v Seastrem's saloon at Ocean
View.
A FoURTH-oF-JUlY EXPLOSION.
According to Mrs. Giesecke. her husband
said that on July 4th he had placed a bomb
under the saloon named and blown it up in
order to square his debt. On account of
this act he had been arrested, and was
when she met him, out on $1,000 bonds. He
then told her. she says, that he intended to
leave the country on ship and had left a
letter for her at Mrs. DR.. Tolman'S office
342 Third street.
Mrs. Giesecke says she went after this let
ter, and that in it her husband confessed he
had been arrested and was obliged TO leave
the country. lie bid her an affectionate
farewell Her husband, she says, also
called on Smith, her former husband, and
borrowed S. from him, and asked him to
care for Mrs. Giesecke and the child in his
absence
She says she understood that he had left
the country, and was therefore much sur
prised when she saw him enter her room
last Saturday night, and after saying,
They are after me; good-by," shoot HIM
self.
SUSPECTED OF INSANITY.
BY making INQUIRIES at the police station
she says she found that his statements
were false. 1t is fact. though, that Sea-
SIRENS place was burnad on July 4th.
Although the police were informed of the
explosion at the saloon no arrests were
made.
Some Of Giesecke's friends thought that
he was insane. He was suspected of the
act, but was not arrested, and the police
thought that he invented the story to give
him an excuse to separate himself from his
wife.
Theodore Giesecke, brother of the de-
ceased, tells a different story. He says
that Mrs. Giesecke is an extravagant
woman and asked more of her husband
than he could give her on limited income.
he says she wanted servan. and he could
not afford to pay for one.
Her statements about the blowing up of
the saloon and her husband not working
Theodore Giesecke declares are untrue.
The Spring Valley Water Company, he
says, has given his brother recommends
ton for honesty and hard work, which off
sets what she says. He had done all that
he could to support his wife in proper
way.
finger before his death, was taken possess
sion of by Charles Becker. friend, it hav-
ing been given into his possession by DR..
Wolf at the Receiving Hospital.