The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-10-08
A HUSBANDS CRIME.
He MURDERS HIS WIFE AND KILLS
HIMSELF.

He MURDERS HIS WIFE AND KILLS
HIMSELF.
A Helpless Woman Cruelty Shot-Her
Little Crippled Son Witness to the
; Frightful Deed-The Husband Rushes
to the River and browns Himself.
LOUISVILLE, Sept. 25.-The Courier
Journal describes as follows the double
crime of Frederick Gehm, who murder
ed his wife and drowned himself:
One of the most blood-curdling MUIR
ders and suicides that ever occurred in
this city was committed yesterday after
noon between and o'clock, on Tenth
street, between Main and the river, in
which Frederick Gehm, a young Ger
man baker. shot and killed his wife and
then took his own life by casting him.
self into the Ohio river.
About $50 o'clock Gehm went down
Main street to- the Enterprise tobacco
warehouse and, entering the front door
passed to the rear of the house. Several
men were working in the building, but
he paid no attention to any one, though
he was slightly acquaint ed with them.
at the rear of the place is pair Of
steps leading up to the third story of a
tenement house facing on tenth street.
At the foot of the stairs his little step
son, Adolph, was playing. Without
giving the child any notice, Gehm as
cended the steps slowly until he reached
the second floor, when he was seen by
colored man to put back his hand as if
to draw pistol. Then with two or
three bounds he reached the top floor,
when heavy sound. as Of the falling Of
a large body, was distinctly heard by
those below. This was instantly follow
ed by the firing Of a pistol three times.
A half dozen solored men down stairs
heard the shots, and thinking thatsome
one had been hurt, rushed up the steps,
but not in time to prevent Gehm from
dashing down and out the front door.
They at once gave pursuit, but the des-
perate man ran so rapidly that before
they had reached the street he was al
most to the Daisy trestle works on the
bank of the river. AS he passed under
the bridge he was seen to raise the
smoking weapon, which he still grasped
firmly in his hand, and fire, apparently
at his own head The shot did not take
effect. In another moment he had
reached the canal. He looked wildly
about him for moment and then
sprang head first into the water Dur
ing the excitement Of the pursuit the
shots that had been fired on the third
floor were forgotten, but after the man
had jumped into the river the men re-
turned to make an investigation.
Several members Of the tobacco firm, in
the rear of whose building the murder
was committed, startedup the steirs fol-
lowed by number of others. The sight
that met their eyes froze theiI blood
with horror. Lying in the little kitchen
just at the head of the steps was the
body of Theresr Feige, Gehm's wife ly
ing on her back in pool Of blood.
BY her side was a water bucket which
had dropped from her stiffening fingers,
and from her white forehead blood was
still oozing.
When his pursuerS reached the bank
the man had gone under for the last
time. The life savers were at once noti-
fed, and Captain Devan sent three men
to the scene in skiff. The search had
hardly been in progress fifteen minutes
before Ghem's body was caught il the
graphing hooks and drawn to the sur
face. The corps was lifted into the
boat and taken to the bank, but it was
decided to remove it to the life saving
station, at the foot of Third street, to
await the arrival of the Coroner, AS
the body was lifted out the water two
dollars bill fell from his pocket into the
river.
Crouched in one corner of the room
between some old pots and kettles, was
the little six-year-old crippled son Of the
woman, who lay stiffening in her own
blood. He seemed stupefed, and stared
in dazed way at the lifeless form OF his
murdered mother. Some of the men
tried to attract his attention, but he
seemed not to notice their presence.
After allowing hin to sit in this position
for moment, some one approached him
and caught his hand. Still gazing on
his mother he uttered the first word he
had yet spoken, and slowly said:
'Papa has killed mamma
Tears sprung to the eyes of many and
they left the room with a picture upon
their memories that will always be re-
membered
The little fellow was turned over to
the police, who took him to the Cen
tral station, where he remained until a
man who lived near the family on High
street came and took him to his home.
He is an unusually bright child, and he
seemed to fully understand the situa-
ton.
The couple had not lived happily.
Gehm had treated his wife badly, and
she had filed suit for divorce, which
was the immediate cause Of the rash
deed of the husband.
Lawyer Tarred and Feathered.