St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-08
ANNIE BREE AVENGED
Ernest Schroeder, to Escape
Arrest, Puts a Bullet in
His Brain.
He Was the Discarded Lover
and Mupd eper Of Annie
Bpee.
DR.. Miller Gives a Clue as to
the Cause Of the
Tragedy.
The Murdered Woman Had
Shortly Given Birth to a
Child.


The cowardly murder of Annie Bree,
at Gladstone, has been avenged, and the
man who, beyond any reasonable doubt,
took her life, has, by the act af his own
hand, followed his victim to the un-
movable.
Early yesterday morning Chief Clark
ordered dozen policemen and detect
ives to search the woods in the vicinity
of the murder in the hope of capturing
alive or finding the dead body of Ernest
Schroeder. the farm hand upon whom
suspicion was directed from all sides.
Five mounted police officers patrolled
the roads from st. Paul to Saltwater,
and all trains were carefully watched.
The story told by Andrew Kohler, for
whom the murdered woman worked as
housekeeper, and the evidence secured
by the police yesterday morning, left
no doubt but that Schroeder was the
man who fired the charge of shot
through the window of the kitchen of
Kohler's house.
The police learned that Schroeder
Thursday went to Burkhardt's store on
Jackson street and purchased shot
gun for SIC and a revolver for 81, at the
same time buying a number of BIB
cartridges for the shotgun. Friday he
returned to the store and said that the
cartridges were not heavy enough, and
exchanged them for No. 1, a heavier
caliber. During the day he went to
Hamm'S brewery, where ne formerly
worked, and told some of the men
that he had been whipped that morning
by Kohler, that he had also defrauded
him of SIS and would geteven with him.
At 5 in the afternoon he was seen
walking on the shore of Lake Phalen by
driver of one of Hamm's brewery
wagons, and at that time he carried
dOuble-barreled shotgun over
his left shoulder. The police had no
doubt after securing the above evidence
that Schroeder was the man who shot
Annie Bree, and the general surmise
was that after committing the dastardly
deed he shot himself while hiding
In the Dense Woods.
The theory of the police proved incor-
rect, for Schroeder, desperate and cow
ardly, heSitated to take his life until
driven to bay, and the CallOwS and
deadly moose rose in all its horrible fan
tasy before his eyes.
Yesterday afternoon at a resident of
North st. Paul named Miller passed a
man in the northern part of the village,
on what is called Thirteenth street.
He recognized the man Schroeder,
and at once hurried to the house
of Marshal Strouge and Informed
him that Schroeder, the suspected
murderer, was only few blocks away.
The marshal at once hitched up his
horse and buggy, and, taking Miller
with him, drove after the man the latter
had seen. When they came in sight of
him he commenced to run, and the mar
shall lashed his horse and overlook the
fugitive in the dense brush which ran
each side of the road. The marshal
recognized at glance that the man
ahead was Schroeder, and, pull
ing his revolver from his peck
ct, he sternly called upon him
to throw up his hands and surrender.
Schroeder had his hand in his hip
pocket, and as the marshal called upon
him to give himself up, he uttered an
imprecatiOn in German, and pulling
3S-callber, placed the muZZle behind his
left ear and pulled the trigger. The
heavy bullet passed right through the
skull, coming out on the right side of
Death was instantaneous, and the muir
der of Annie Breeswas avenged.
Marshal StrOuge placed the body in
his buggy and drove to the city hall,
where it was laid out. Telephone mes
sages were at once sent to police head
quarters in st. Paul, and to Coroner
Quinn. notifying them of the last act IN
The Terrible Tragedy,
which had been enacted in twenty-tour
hours.
Coroner Quinn proceeded to North
st. Paul, and was followed by the UNI
dertaking wagon of Wallblom d Thor
sell, of East Seventh street, bearings
casket to bring in the remains of the
murderer and suicide. The coroner
searched the body, and the only things
found were anumber of shotgun cart
ridges, and aanote for 5000 in favor of
Schroeder, signed by Theodore Hamm,
the brewer, payable in six months from
Oct. q, 1891. The body, by order OF
the coroner. was conveyed to the city
morgue and laid on slab beside that of
Annie Bree.
When the bodies were viewed last
evening by GLOBE reporter, the feat
ureS of the woman were calm and
peaceful. and she seemed as if in a
heavy sleep, while those of the man
who took her life were vicious and dis
torted, and rendered more horrible by
the fearful rents which the bullet had
made in the skull.
AS to the cauSeSWhich led to the per-
petratiOn of the horrible double crime,
some remarkable developments were
made yesterday. Sunday, Oct 25. the
murdered woman gave birth to a child,
which Schroeder informed his master,
Kohler, was his, as he had been Intimate
with her during the previous six months.
DR.. G. /. Miller, who attended the
woman, informed Schroeder that he
could not be the father of the child,
as the birth was not premature, and he
had only known the girl for six months.
When Schroeder learned that the Wom-
an had deceived him as to the paternity
of the babe he became enraged and ut
tered threats of vengeance against the
mother and her offspring. DIR. Miller
stated yesterday that Schroeder,
when he called upon and engaged
his services, said he had got a
young woman in trouble. When he
was informed that the child was fully
developed, he insisted that the doctor
was mistaken, and that it must have
been born prematurely. Last Monday
Schroeder called on DR.. Miller and said
the child was dead, and asked for a
death certificate, which DR.. Miller re-
fused to give, saying he must go to the
coroner. He returned again and in
formed the doctor that the deputy cor
oner had told him that DR.. Miller should
certify to the cause of death. DIR. Miller
said Yesterday that, in view Of the fact