The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-03-06
CUT THEIR THROATS.
Saltwater the Scene of a
Double Tragedy of a Sen.
satiOnal Character.
A Wife and Mother Killed by
Her Husband, Who Then
Ends His Own Life.

SALTWATER, Special Telegram.-A double
tragedy of a sensational character occurred
here this evening. August Gorth, a German
employed as cooper in the Northwestern
brewery, murdered his wife and then COM
mitted suicide. The deed was accomplished
in each case with a razor. and all the sur
rounding circumstances lead to the belief
that both man and wife had agreed to
thus put an end to their existence
Gorth was of an intensely jealous disposi-
ton and has frequently accused his wife of
being intimate with other men. Their quar-
rels on this account have been numerous.
During the past few days Gorth's jealousy
seemed to- have been Increased and he
charged his wife with numerous instances of
infidelity. What really occurred between
them to-day will never be known, but it is
said that the woman confessed that she was
intimate with policeman in Germany six
years ago. Neighbors, however, are of the
opinion that she was driven insane by
HER HUsBAND's CRUEL TREATMENT
and unfounded jealousy, and while i'll this
state imagined that such thing had really
occurred. However that may be, it seems
pretty certain that it was then that husband
and wife agreed to die. Their children, of
whom there were four, were sent to bed.
Both parents kissed them affectionately be-
fore they were sent to their room, and ad-
vised them to be obedient to their new
parents. Little dreaming of the fear
full tragedy that was about to be enacted,
the little ones returned their parents caresses
and were soon wrapped in peaceful slumber
1t was about 7:3O o'clock when the terrible
tragedy occurred. The wife lay down on
the bed and prepared for the horrible death
that awaited her. Then her neck was barred
and the keen, sharp blade of the razor
grasped in the Jealous -crazed husbands
hand, was drawn across the white throat.
The blade did its deadly work surely and
well. The warm, crimson blood spurted
from the gaping wound upon the form of
the almost inanimate woman. The wind
pipe was
sERvERED BY THE BLOW,
which had sunk the keen-edged razor deep
into the slender throat. A faint gurgling,
and in a few brief moments nothing re-
mained but Eteless body, bathed in the
blood which poured in torrents from the
gaping cash. Waiting but to satisfy HIM
self that his work of butchery had been
successfully performed, the murderer raised
9
the ife-blood of his wife, and
struck at his own throat. A
i deep but not fatal wound was the result,
and almost ere the blood had time to squirt
forth he drew the blade across his throat,
inflicting another and deadly cash. With
the bloody razor in his clenched hand and
the blood flowing in a stream from the two
gashes in his throat Gorth staggered
blindly for an instant around the narrow
, room and then fell PROSTATE across
THE BODY OF HIS VICTIM
now growing cold in death. Meanwhile
the noise attendant upon tie tla5cGy, and
the heavy fall of the murderer-suicide. had
awakened the children in the adjoining
room. Cropping their way from their
own bedroom to that of their par
ents the awful sight of both weltering
in their blood met their Mortified
gaze The neighborhood rang with their
screams, and soon the small dwelling was
filled by a crowd of people, attracted by
their loud cries. 1t was indeed horrible
scene The floor of the small room and the
bed upon which the two-murdered and
! suicide-lay in the embrace of death
fairly ran with blood. On the floor,
beside the outstretched hand of the
man, from whose grasp it had fallen
lay the becrimsoned instrument with which
the awful crime had been performed. The
! police were quickly summoned, and the
| coroner was notified and took charge o1
! the remains, while the weeping children
were removed to neighbours house. Gortf
was about thirty-two years of age and hi:
wife was several years younger. They have
resided in Saltwater about three years
| coming here from Germany.