St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-16

at the barracks for the purpose of max
Ing its usual parade prior to services.
Tie presence in Omaha of the official
heads of the army i'll France and Amer
ica-Ll Merechale Booth ClibbOrn and
her brother. Commissioner Ballington
Boot, hal drawn hither all the forces
OF tn division, which includes Iowa,
Minnesota, the Dakotas 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 so clear as it might be, but
the indications point to rather queer
combination Of jealousy and semi-re-
lIgious frenzy. However obscure may
be the motive that prompted the deed,
its results stand out only too plainly,
for the body of Nettie Birdler. the muir
dereSs and suicide, rests on a marble
slab at the city morgue, and her victim,
Capt. Hattie Smith, of the Salvation
band at OSkaloOSa. To-, is awaiting in
untold agony the final eXtinguishment
of the vital spark at her temporary
boarding place on Davenport street.
The murdereSS came upon her victim
as she was standing on the sidewalk
converslng with Capt. Wallace, from
she drew revolver from beneath the
folds of her dress and fired. Almost
simultaneously with the crack of the
pistol came the shrek of PAIN from the
wounded Capt. Smith, and she and
Capt. Wallace started to run down the
street. Evidently fearing the bullet
had not reached q vital spot, the
crazed Biedler followed her fee
ing victim a few steps and fired
again. The first bullet evidently
went wide of the mark. as even as the
woman leveled the revolver the wound
ed captain Teeled and fell. Without
waiting to see the effect of her second
shot, the murderesS placed the muZZle
of her weapon to her right tempIe and
pressed the trigger the third time. A
mutfied report, heavy plunge forward
and the body of Nettie Biedler sank
llfeless to the gutter. Blood and brains
were gushing from CHASTITY wound in
her forehead. Not twenty feet away
lay Capt. Smith uncOnSciOusly moan
ing, crimson flood dying the bright
red folds of her Sombre uniform, while
her lips were the portals of a fountain
from which blood gushed forth with
every convulsive heave of her breast
All this happened to quickly that not
hand could be raised to prevent or
stay the commission OF the awful deed.
1t was the work of but a moment. Soon
the horror-Stricken onlookers recovered
and the body of the dead woman was
raised and carried into the office of a
livery stable, while the wounded cap
tain was removed to a drug store and
medical assistance summoned, while a
crowd gathered in front of the livery
stable. When the police had taken
charge OF the corpse. awaiting the cor
Oner's arrival, doctor bent over the
wounded woman and felt for her flee
ing, Pickering pulse.
''She is still alive" she whispered,
although her breathing could hardly be
discerned. "Stand back and give us
some roOm," said the doctor, but before
the onl0okers could move there was a
cOnvul.ive gasp, a shudder, and Nettie
BIedler was beyond the reach of medi-
cal assistance or surgical skill She
was dead. A ragged hole in the fore
head, and red line down her pale face
marked the path through which her
spirit shook off its clay. 1t was a grue-
some scene.
IL can do no more for her," said the
doctor with professional calmneSS, and
the hands were crossed above her
breast. Then there came commOtion
at the door. Here's her BROTHER"
said some one, and a young man en-
tered. He looked on the corpse OF his
sister and sob of anguish burst from
his lips. Then he spoke a few words,
saying he was her brother, but knew
nothing of the crime or its motive, and
hurriedly left. The coroner came
and took charge of the body, order
ing it removed to the morgue.
Capt. Smith was removed from the
drug store to her temporary boarding
house, only two blocks away. Hardly
had she been placed upon a bed when
she was attacked by a violent hem
orrhage from the lungs and bled CO.
piouslY. A resident physician, who
had been summoned, said the wound
certainly would prove fatal.
As she lay on the bed, rapidly sink
ing toward death, Capt. Smith spoke a
few words concerning the deed and its
induce Miss Biedler to JOIN the army
while stationed at Council Bluffs, some
thirty days ago. On coming to
Omaha Miss Biedler sought her
out, and with great show
of affection told her she loved her. On
several occasions Miss Biedler sought
to occupy the attention of the captain
to the exclusion of all others. There
was meeting at the army barracks
yesterday afternoon and the Biedler
woman seems 10 have been there, but
whether she was there duIing the en-
tire meeting is not known. as no one
noticed her until after the close of the
service. At that time she was in the
rear portSon of the church and sent
up word to Capt. Smith that she
wanted TO talk with her. The latter
replied to the messenger that she
was busy then and could not grant her
the request, but after eating lunch went
and talked to the Biedler woman for
some time. What was said by either of
them is unknown, as the only person
who noticed what was going on was
Lieut.. Mary Bannister, of What Cheer.
To-. who carrie Miss Biedler's message
to Capt. Smith.
When interrogated by Bee reporter
after the shooting. Lieut.. BannisIer
slated that she saw the captain go back
and engage in conversation with the
woman, but was so far away that she
could hear nothing about what was
said. One of the other officers, Capt.
Wallace. of Marshalltown, finally told
the lieutenant to call the captain, as she
wished her TO go with her Capt Wal
lace) down to her boarding house. The
meeting had closed about 4 80. and it
was then fully an hour later, the Off
GERS having had their lunch served
there at the church, and the
lieutenant told Capt. Smith to hurry, as
they must get back in time for the
meeting in the evening at the First
Presbyterian church. The captain tried
TO leave her companion, but the latter
barred her way. standing before her in
the aisle, and refused to let her pass. The
lieutenant approached nearer and over
heard the captain say several times that
she must go, and the other seemed to be
demonstrating against it. and finally ex-
pressed the threat that if the captain
went out and left her there she would
be sorry for it.
When 1t was known that Capt. Smiths
life hung by thread, the members of
the Army who had crowded the room
dropped on their knees, the doctors
with them, and beseeched the throne of
grace in true army style in behalf
of their wounded cOmradp IL was a