The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-21
O HOME BUT A COFFIN.
ErPENTANT WIFE SCOT DEAD
nv THE MAN SHE ELOFEO WITH.

pretty Babies in Germany Mrs.
pa-th Was Murdered by Ohnacker,
Who Killed Himself an Instant Later.
FROM the Nero York World.
u7v Heavens! You shall not return to
4c.rnanv! have sworn to kill both YOU
+. e-i myself ~
This exclamation came from Philip Ohm
.,sa- German. and a, addressed Mrs.
|r,,nsrine Barth, with whsan be had eloped
-,n Germany, aud who was about to take
4 ,s.are to the Fatherland aboard the steam
&hlp Elder.
4 moment later Ohnacker pulled his re-
! rolver ami fred at Mrs. Barth, killing her
,,s+sntlv. He then turned the smoking
vsspon upon himself and fired. His life
las body was picked up on the Storage deck
/ Of the Elder.
4 The big ocean greyhound Elder, sailing
Under the banner of the North German
15yd Steamship Company, was moored
srngside of her pier in Hoboken yesterday.
One bell Q2:30 O'Clock p. M had just been
,mnded Another half hour and the mag
|rfcent ocean racer would start on her
Tyage across the Atlantic. The pier was
r5wded with men, women and children.
Tnere was big rush for the gangways
hsiing from the pier to the main deck
,b0srd the steamer. The saloon and
homemade decks were alive with passen-
ssrs. who stood along the ships railing
Watching the scenes about the wharves.
Near the forward gangplank at the upper
and of the wharf was a fine-looking man,
with a weather beaten face, and wearing
4, heavy blonde mustache and beard. He
g.
from the field He wore heavy top boots
and a suit of dark clothes. His face
I bad very sad expression. He appeared
sgitated.
SCENE OF THE SHOOTING.
Next to him and nearer the gangplank
was a comedy woman. She was Of medium
SIZE. had dark brown hair, prominent feat
ures and deep blue eyes. There was nothing
about her to attract special attention. She
looked as though she were about 30 years of
age. Her cheeks were very much flushed.
She was holding on with her right hand to
the ships gangway, about to board the
Elder. +. She, too, acted as though she were
laboring under great excitement.
The man was Philip Ohnacker, a native
of Gimbheim, Germany, about IS years old.
The woman who stood by his side was Mrs.
Katharine Barth, also q native of Climb
helm. tTeTIDduY, uIdTTlbl WOIUdD, VINO
had deserted her husband and her two little
children few weeks ago and run away
from Germany with her lover, the man
who was her companion at the Bremen pier
yesterday.
The pair had been standing at the foot of
the ships gangplank for about five minutes,
engaged in earnest conversation. Passen-
gers who went up the plank and passed the
pair noticed that they were quarreling
Ohnacker swore at the woman. He told her
that she must not go back to Germany. She
seemingly paid no attention to what her
former lover was saying. She let him talk
Until he got tired. Then she turned toward
hin, remaTking that she had made up her
mind to 90 back to her husband and chill
dren, whether Ohnacker liked it or not.
We'll, now, we'll see about that said
0hnacker.
The woman started to go up the gang
plank.
The man tried to stop her. She gave him
a hard look. He stepped aside, allowed
Mrs. Barth to pass him, and then followed
her up the gangway.
AS soon as they had reached the deck
Mrs. Barth started for the after companion
way. She then went below decks to the
Storage. Ohnack err still followed her.
They had Just reached the steerage deck
He told her that she had ruined him, that
she had been the cause of his downfall, and
that she was responsible for his presence in
this country. Mrs. Barth insisted that he
had no business to elope with her, and that
everything would have gone all right had
he not grown tired of her
Then it was that Ohnacker uttered his
threat. The woman tried to
laugh. Ohnacker lifted his pistol and the
murderous shot was fired.
HOW THE WOMAN DIED.
The woman, as soon as she saw the weapon
IN her lovers hands, threw up her arms and
uttered a cry. She stood facing the furious
man. Before she had time to turn around
aud flee Ohnacker had fred at her. The
bullet had been well aimed and entered her
head Just above her left eye. The poor
woman fell to the deck and died Instantly.
Ohnacker saw his victim fall. He looked
at her for a second, as though he was salts
fed of his work, aud then, turning the re-
volver: toward himself, held it close behind
his left ear and fired. He dropped upon the
deck. He was dead, too.
The smoking revolver was still in the
mans left hand when numerous passengers
who had witnessed the scene rushed over
toward where the two bodies were lying,
the place where the murder and suicide had
with men, women and children. Some Of
these had just slowed their baggage be-
meath their hunks, while others were still
On the ladder leading to the steerage deck
from the deck above.
The two shots which had been fired in
rapid succession had been heard on the
upper decks. The saloon passengers began
TO rush toward the forward part of the ship
eager to learn what had taken place
Detective Sergeant Rathjen and Officer
Nelson, of the Hoboken police force, were
on the pier They had heard the shots fired
and rushed aboard the Elder. When they
had reached the steerage decks horrible
sight presented itself. Near the lader,
streatcned out upon the deck and bleeding
from their mortal wounds, were the re-
mains of Mrs Barth and her lover.
An ambulance call was sent out at once,
and few minutes later DIR. S. A. Heller,
Hoboken's city physician. and Coroner Will
ham N. Parslow arrived upon the scene. DR..
helter made a hurried examination of the
bodies, AID after pronouncing them dead,
Coroner Parslow gave a permit to have
them removed to his undertaking establish
at No. SO Washington street.
PASSENGERS MUCH EXCITED.
There was great excitement among the
ELDERS passengers when the remains of
Philip Ohnacker and katharine Barth were
brought on deck and carried out on the
wharf. The officers of the ship tried to
quiet the passengers, but many Of them re-
sarded the sad occurrence as a bad omen.
Mrs. Barth had Storage ticket in her
possession which gave her name as Mrs.
ohnacker. Her purse contained 81 in
money. Thirty cents in money