The record-union., 1891-11-16
Sad Ending of Salvation Army
Meeting at Omaha.
CRIME OF A WOMAN CRAZRD WITH
RELIGION AID JEALOUSY.
"1thou6 the Least Warming She
Shoots and Fatally Wounds a Cap
tain OF the Army. and Then Ends
Her Own Existence by Putting q
Bullet Through Her. Brain.
Special to The REooRrUN1oy.

NatiolI Army at Omaha to meet La Mar
chaie Booth Clibborn Of France has ter
minated III tragedy sad, sudden and in
/ eXp!icablc. While yet the bell of the
army's headquarters in Omaha toiled a
curiew-like requiem for the dead Sunday
ana the soldiers were filing slowly out of
'he barracks the sound Of pistol shot
rang out above the notes of the bell, and
with a groar one of the army's Captains
leIl to the pavement, the blood gushing
from her mouth and nostrils. Her BODY
mad not yet lodged on the sidewalk when
a second report was heard and a private
reeled from the ranks and Staggering
pllndIy step or two then fell dead in the
gutter, her soul winging its way amid
cloud OF smoke from her own pistol.
| 1t was just after 6 o'clock in the even
ing, and the army's forces had gathered
at the barracks for the purpose of making
Inc usual parade prior to services TIE
! presence IN Omaha Of the official heads of
the army in France and America. La
Marchale Booth Clibborn and brother.
darlington Booth, had drawn hither ali
the forces Of this division which in
cludes Iowa, Minnesota, Dakota and
Nebraska.
For four days the army has held daily
and nightly demonstrations and the
work was seemingly meeting with great
success. The real motive for the fearful
double crime is not clear. but Indications
! point to rather queer combination of a
jealous, seml-religious frenzy. However
! obscure may be the motive that prompted
the Geed, its results stand out only too
| plainly. Tor the body Of Nettie Biedler,
the murderess and suicide, rests on a
marble slab at the City Morgue, and her
] Nript i'm fai- 81
! YaIon Band at OSkaloOsa, Ia, is awaiting
IN untold agony the final extinguishment
Of the vital spark at her temporary board
ing place on Davenport street
Ihe murderesS came upon her victim
as she was standing on the sidewalk con-
/ Verslng with companion. Without
! speaking, she drew a revolver and fired.
The wounded Captain gave a Shrek OF
pam, and with her cOmrade started 10 run
down the street. The craZed murderess
followed, hiring a second time, just as her
victim reeled and fell. Without waiting
to see the result of the second shot. the
murderess placed the muzzIe of the
weapon to her right temple, muffied re-
port was heard, and the body of Nettie
Biedler plunged forward and sank lifeless
! into the gutter, blood and brains gushing
from the CHASTITY wounds All happened
so quickly that not a hand could be raised
to prevent the commission of the awful
deed.
The lifeless body was carried into
livery stable near by, and the wounded
captain was taken to a drug store and
| physician summoned. The doctor whis-
pered after feeling of the pulse of the
Bledler woman: ''She is still alive" Just
then, with convulsive gasp, she died.
AS the doctor crossed her hands above
her breast, there was a commotion at the
door, and a young man entered. He
| looked on the corpse, and a sob of anguish
burst from his lips. Then he spoke. say
ing THAI he was her brother, but knew
nothing OF the crime or its motive, and
hurriedlY left.
| Captain Smith was soon removed from
the drug store to a boarding-house near
| by. The physician said the wounds
would certainly prove fatal.
Rapidly sinking, the Captain spoke a
/ few words concerning the deed and it's
motive. She said she sought to induce
Miss Biedler to join the army in Council
! Bluffs month ago. On coming to
| Omaha, Biedler sought her out, telling
| her how much she loved her, and on
/ several occasions attempted to enjoy her
company to the exclusion of all others
! AT meeting yesterday afternoon she
! sent word from the rear of the church to
! Captain Smith that she wanted to talk
! with her. The latter was busy then, but
/ alter lunch went back and conYerSed for
a time with the Biedler woman. 1t is
not known what either said. Later Cap
/ tain Wallace called Captain Smith to 90
! to the boarding-house with her wal
! lace) The Captain tried to leave her
companion, but the latter barred the way,
refusing TO allow her to pass, and finally
! expressing threat that If the Captain
/ left her she would be sorry FOR It.
When IL became known shat Captain
! Smiths life hung by thread numbers
! of the army in the room dropped on their
| !-n iUr ha - -,
true army style il behalf Of the grew
| oGs!y wounded courdde. Il was very
! pathetic scene. AS the ferN ent supDlica-
tions rolled upward there could be heard
! above all others the voice OF the dying
! girl, praying that the cup might pass from
/ her, but it was without avail.
Among others kucellnc at her bedside
was Lieutenant Berry OF Boone, Ia., TO
! whom Captain Smith was soon to have
! been married. be sat all night by his
/ dying 1ianGee, Offering such consolation
as his bruised heart could suggest.
! Captain Wallace, who was with Cap
! tain Smith at the time of the shooting.
told reporter that just before the shoot
| ing The Biedler woman came up behind
| them, saying she desired TO talk with
! Captain Smith. I'he latter replied that
she had not time to talk with her The
girl said: "You'l be sorry if you don't
/ talk with me-" "a few moments later q
revolver shot was heard right at our
| backs. CAPTAIN Smith screamed and we
started to run. TheG there was Il second
shot. / never knew the assassin. She
was not a member Of the army"
To reporter who called at the resi-
dence of w. w. Biedler, father of The
murderess, at Council Bluffs, n younger
sister stated that Nettie and Captain
Smith had been fast friends q long time,
and the former had been in the habit of
attending the army meetings for the pur-
pose of meeting the Captain and other
| girls. When she left home yesterday
| afternoon to go 20 the army celebration
| she had no revolver as far as her sister
knew, nor had any trouble arisen be-
tween the girls which might account for
/ the fearful deed.
/ Commissioner Ballington Booth would
not talk concerning the tragedy, simply
saying, 'sIt's terrible terriblc!n
/ At an immense meeting tonight La
Marchaio Clibborn Booth made an adj
dress upon the work in France and
/ Switzerland. Ballington Booth vibrated
| between the church and Captains ness
room. announcing to the audience two or
three times her condition. He wanted
/ the audience to distinctly understand
/ that the assailan: had never been q mem
| ber OF the army.
| The weapon used was 32-caIiber bull
! dog revolver.