Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-04-21
SCANDAL AND SUICIDE.
Recorder Fritz Susenmiehl of Scott
County Takes His Life.
A sensational sunday Tragedy at
DavenpOrt..-The Circumstances Al
legged TO Have Prompted the Act-.-
Impiieating the Wife OF n DE
ceased County Official.

Fritz Susepmiehl recorder of Scott
county, committed suicide Yesterday
morning at o'clock by shooting. At
about that time his wife was aroused by
the muffl ed report of revolver in the
70 ,m beneath her sleeping chamber.
She went to Mr.. Susenmiehl's room
and finding him not there descended to
the first floor, and in a room directly
under her bed room lay her husband on a
sofa in his night clothes. He gasped his
last breath as she reached his side. On
the floor a short distance from the cot
lay thirty eight calibre five chamber re-
volver. One barrel was empty and
smoking. On the night shirt directly over
the heart were two cuts in the form of a
cross. At the point of one of these was
bullet hole with powder marks around
the edges. showing that the muzzle of
the weapon must have been placed very
close when the shot was fired. So much in
brief de tail are the facts that brought the
Mortified wife to realization of what had
happened. A physician was summoned,
and pronounced Mr.. Susenmiehl dead.
Coroner McCortney was notified, and
after eInpapnelling jury viewed the re-
mains. and postponed the inquest until
this morning.
The tragedy created a profound sensa-
ton in Davenport. Mr.. Susenmiehl had
been about his work Saturday as usual,
and left his Office late in the evening
There was nothing observed in his de-
mesnor by those who last saw him to
arouse any suspicion of rash thoughts
lodging IN his brain. He was just com
pleting his second term as county re-
corder, and prior to his election to that
office was deputy Q. s. marshal for the
northern district of Iowa. For many
years ne was deputy sheriff under the late
sheriff, Nat Leonard. He was in fact one
of the most active and prominent demo-
Gratis n eastern Iowa. Those in a posi-
ton TO know state that financial Difficult
ties did not enter into his suicide, and
they look for the development of scans
dial a. the coroner's inquest which is be-
ing held with closed doors.
1t mas been currently rumored for some
time that Mr.. Susenmiehl was unduly in
innate with the wife of the late Sheriff
Nat Leonard. and at the time of the lat
ter's death it was said that the sheriff s
form er deputy had so iAterfered with the
domestic happiness of Mr.. Leonards
household as to drive him to desperation,
and that he had resorted to dissipation to
such furious extent that it was the ac-
tual cause of his death. Now it appears
that about II O'Clock Saturday night, q
hackman called at Mrs. Leonard's house
to convey away boy who had been in
jured by fall on the sidewalk
and had been carried into the house
until the arrival of tie convey
snce. While the hackman was con-
versing with Mrs. Leonard, Susen-
miehl suddenly burst iato the room, and
after striking Mrs. Leonard across the
head with stick, directed his attack
upon the hackman whom be drove from
the house at the point of revolver,
firing a bullet at him as he fed. The
conclusion drawn now is that Susenmiehl
was exceedingly jealous concerning
Mrs. Leonard, and that this mad infatua-
ton, coupled with his modification at
what he had done in his moment ofinsane
fury, led to his suicide. 1t is distress
ingly ugly case in all its particulars
Mr. Susenmiehl was fifty years of age,
and leaves q wife and three sons, who are
held among the most highly respected
people of Davenport.