New-York tribune., 1890-01-05
AN ANARCHISTS CRIME.
KILLING HIS WIFE, CHILD AND HIMSELF
HE WAS DISGUSTED WITH HUMANITY - HIS
LETTERS TO THE CORONER AND A FRIEND
rNSANrTv Ten TO THE DEED.

! triple tragedy, the circumstances of which
are peculiarly revolving, came to light yester-
| day morning S. VI. Francken, a Swcde, forty
! years DID, living in small house in the rear of
| the four-story tenement No. $50 Maujer St,
| Brooklyn. T.. D. shot his wife at some time since
! New Years night, stranged his only child, three
| years old, and yesterday morning shot himself.
| The murderer was a saddlcr, but for some time
| had not worked at his trade. During this time
/ his wife supported the family by washing,
being assisted by Francken. In this way the
couple had managed TO earn the bare necessaries
OF life They were the only occupants OF the
house. in which there are but two They
had lived there about three months. Francken
was said to be an Anarchist of the most pro-
nounced views. lie was in arrears for the rent.
and had recently told the landlord that he in
tended to move, as he did not like the rooms
Monday last Edward Katzenstein, of No. l01
Ewcn-st, bookkccpcr. had sent his soilcd clothes
10 Mrs. Franckcn They were usually finished by
Wednesday or Thursday On Friday. the wash
not having been returned Mr. Katzenstcin sent a
servant girl to the house. She returned and told
! her employer that the door was locked and she
could get no answer TO her knocks. Yesterday
morning. thinking there must be something
wrong he went 10 the house himself There
no response 10 his repeated knocks. and in
quiry from the nclghbors revealed the fact that
nothing had been seen of Francken on his wife
since Wednesday.
katzcnstcin then informed Screc1nt Wormcll.
of the Sixth Precinct Roundsman McNamcc and
Officers Lchr and RuoH were sent to force an
entrance. into the house Ohccr Lehr decided
TO crawl in by one of the yard windows. On
entering the bedroom ne was startled to see
Frauchcn seated on the foot of the bed with
revolver in his hand. Lying beside him on the
bed was the dead body of his little child, which,
rs was evident from the appearance Of the face
and the marks on the throat, had been stranglcd
On the other side OF the bed lay the body Of his
wife, who had been shot through the head
The officer had barely time to take in these
details at glance when Franckcn pointed the
revolver at him, saying: We'll, l
must GO Lchr did not pause TO
await results, but made his escape by
the rear window. While the door was being
forced q shot was heard. On entering the house
the police found that Franckcn dying from a
shot in the head. the child had been stranged,
and that the wife had been dead for over
day. An ambulance surgeon was summoned, but
before his arrival, Franckcn died.
ON q table alongside the bed were found letters
addressed to Coroner Lindsay and 10 J. e. Scott,
40 - California-st., san Francisco, and Henry
". Faust, 30 $50 Haruson-st., san Francisco.
The letter 10 Scott was only begun. That 10
Faust was follows:
] have passed the night with nay darling wife and
.tu when it came 10 the point my darling could not
face 10. sometime, she would ask me o. give Her
have had dreadful experience, and fl particular
since Christmas. Dr. il only va, over Here am am
0 ,'H M S," "IT I eJ.H .t' ic ,ouIt saw death is ~
..F ..urfI d. ar
'''', .rl N .,l' d,tb i.lf drl%t away
W. d.,.,.St. ic.t and onIy friend ju-t died. an
me down to death Great heart and soul.
Darling pet child aud wife.
one of Tie letters addressed to tie coroner read
as follows:
order of the United state, Cremation COMPANY ioI
thr purpose Of cremation. This crcW't'y ~ d frc'd
.t,rg f., t t .fr.,d eomp,ny NTH BE- foand in
th.- room. Please Do" careful OF th a money !, m IT,
the SUM of go. respectfully, =. NJ. FEANNhtN.
The coroner found uo money u the envelope.
Another letter which WAS addressed TO the coro-
rcr. read in part:
have used every means n my power 10 induce
this splendid woman, my VIE To expect death. No
anger. uo 900 feeling OF amy Kind b, lu thl- act.
mother. The only disagreement Vc have ever had is
she loved NE. have told my wife again and again
must so and She should remain n She wanted At
last She came. Life are hateful and di. gushing got
tired of this cousomcrtion Of ua-tIu'7- the human
hos,. only hog can I've In plenty and see suffer
Ing All around.
ON the clalds table in one corner Of the room
were q set of toy dishes. evidently arranged by
The Httlc thrccy ycar-od child before going 10
bed coffee pot on the STOVE, partly filled. and
some dishes ou "a table showed that while his
wife aud child lay dead ON the bed IN the other
room, their murderer had eaten.
Mrs Blrhai, Schwartz who lives in the first
floor of the tenement Iu front of tic little rear
house. WAS tie only person who saw any members
, of the family since New Years Day. IhurSGay
morning. vIlr sine VA, lu tic yard Of the house,
+ FrIuchcu came from his htic house. and alter
carefully locking thc door, told the woman that
hc was Going tor some washing and would return
suOu
Mrs Elizabeth Klein, Of 40. ll7 Bocum-st.,
went To thc fuuc>cu house this morning 10 y SIT
Mrs Fauckcu. When informed of tAc TRAGEDY
that had been enacted, She was not Srrpr Scd
She said that the IuuckcuS had, until thIeo
months 40. lived i'm her house IN Bocrum-st
They lived there for two years after coming from
san Francis trauclIcn was am 3Nowrd An'r-
chist and constant reader of Nociall>tlc papers
and pamphlets. According 10 Mrs kieinz Franc
ken was not hard drIukcr, and, from Ecr two
Years acquaintance with the family She does not
think that poverty drove him to tie crime
nc2hbor of the FuNckcus, c. W. Ncnaricr.
said thai the murderer was IN receipt oi small
amount Of money weekly from Slddlcrs Union,
heinz on MS sick list.
In tine carly part Of last summer, Fr,ncAcn
was found wandering in thick wood near
Jamaica. l.. l. Ills clothing was torn, and hc
was ravug incohcwutlV about the wrongs OF
the spot where he found. his little girl was
found lying asleep in some bushes
coVr m u-tTvrcy rJEr VtrTVC PVUTRIT