The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-29
Sturgeon DiGtZ Kills Ills wife and
Commits Suicide.
TAKE GOOD CARE OF LITTLE WAFTY."
Gh&1Y Work Accomplished With a Shotgun.
Insanity Said to Have Been The Moving
Cause.-The Relations Of the Couple Were
the HaDDiRSt-NQlG witnessed The Awful
d. Tragedy.

tne scene Yesterday morning Of the most
horrible homicide that ever occurred in
army circles on this Coast Captain William
d. Dieiz, Post Surgeon, shot and killed his
wife, Ella, with a double-barreled shotgun
and then ended his own life with the same
weapon. If there was any other motive for
the murder and suicide than temporary in
sanity it was not disclosed by the rigid in
quiry so promptly made by the proper
officials.
Captain Dietz was one of the most popu-
lar young officers in the army. and during
the three years lie has acted as Post Surgeon
at Alcatraz he made many friends. Refined,
intellectual ard highly accomplished lie was
at once a fayorite With all he became as
ISOLATED with, both in military and civil life.
His wife was an attractive young woman,
and among her many accomplishments was
that of being a superior musician. She also
was a favoTte among her acquaintance.
Why then had the lives of this happy couple
been so suddenly ended and in such a shock
ing manner?
While his wife slept plaeidly on Tuesday
night, Dr.. Dietz was actively engaged in
administering TO the wants Of his atents
On the island. Several times during the
night lie made the rounds at the hospital,
and vas last seen in that Institution at 6:10
o'clock yesterday morning Then he re-
Tired to his Office and quarters on the
pinnacle of the island. lie remained in his
office a few moments. passed through the
parlurs adjoining, and assembled TO the two
rooms above, occupied as sleeping apart
ments.
\ BABE IN HIS CRADLE.
Nestled in cradle in a corner of the first
room lay his three-year-old son, Watson.
In the adjoining bedroom slept Mrs DietZ.
Exactly what occurred after his entrance
will never be known. There were no wit
neSseS to the tragic scenes that epsued and
no suspicion even of them was entertained
before the cOrpses were found cold in the
embrace Of death. The Chinese servant
employed by DR.. DietZ prepared breakfast
for the family at the usual hour yesterday
morning, but waited until II O'Clock and
then went upstairs to awaken his master
and mistress.
He knocked several times at their bed
room door, and, receiving no answer, called
Dr. Dietz by name. Becoming alarmed, the
servant ran 10 Lieutenant Gallup and in
formed him of the circumstance. The officer
hurried to the house and went upstairs
His raps and calls received no answer.
Pushing open the door, terrible sceneand
q sickeulng Odor of burning clothes and flesh
were encountered, and in the Ded with the
quilt partly drawn down, lay the body Of
MIS-. D.etZ.
In her abdomen was a CHASTITY wound and
her nlght-dreSs was charred and burning.
Il Enutted mass over her forehead. \ big
pool Of blood had flowed from the wound
and saturated the bedding. Near the foot OF
the bed lay the body Of DR.. DielZ, with
gazing wound in the stomach inst above the
navel He had removed his coat, vest and
shoes before firing the fatal shots. A few
inches lrOm his feet rested the barrel of the
-. gun.
HOW THE SHOTS WERE FIRED.
An examination showed that both of the
CHARGES Discharged he riy1t
barrel. After shooting his wife he had APP
parently opened the breech Of the gun and
removed the empty she'll aud thrown it on
the carpet near the bed, where it was
found. Putting in another cartridge he
had placed toe on the trigger, and sent the
charge INTO his own body. In falling the
bTeech of the gun opened, and il was found
in that position. Nothing was disOTdered
in the room, for the furniture and orna-
meHts were all apparently in their proper
places, indicating that there had been no
struggle.
1t is believed that the woman was killed
while asleep. ana peculiar circumstance IS
that the child in the adjoining room was not
awakened by the reports Of the gun. In
fact, no one heard the reports, and there
was no intimation Of the tragedy until Lieu
tenant Gallup entered the room. When
Major A. c. Wildrick, Fifth Artillery, and
the commandment was informed of the affair
he dispatched Lieutenant Gallup 10 this
city, ana BrigadieT-General Gibbon at once
at the service Of the Coroner, and IN her
DR.. Garwood, the Coroner, and Deputy
BIidgw0Od went at once TO the island.
A CALL reporter went in Whitehall boat
aud arrived few minutes before the steamer.
coroner GdrwoOd lost 10 time IN beginning
his inquiry and inpaneled the following
jury Tor the inquest:
THE IMPANELED JURY.
c. B. Harton, 1415 Suffer street; B. F. Leeds
Alcatraz Iightkeeper; n. j. Chapman. assistant
Mt EpiT Pat
ieiy A, Fifth Artillery; Charles A Prescott. Post
Quartermasler sergeant first Sergeant Alonzo
Francis MeCaffrey, CommiSsary Sergeant; DR..
Jerom- A. Hughes, surgeon, Third Infantry
Regiment n. q. c.; II. Ii. Egbert, go kearny
syr5et; Sergeant Charles Ghunu, Battery l, and
Corporal Ernest Ludwig, Battery |.
The jurors were shown through the resi-
dence of the deceased couple and then taken
TO the scene OF death. where they viewed the
bodies just as they had been discovered.
The Deputy Coroner searched the pockets
of the pautS OF the dead surgeon and in one
of them found a razor. This appeared con-
vincing proof TO the jury that he had pre-
Ineditated suicide. Tne Deputy was in the
act Of removing the wedding ring and a
diamond ring from the fingers of the slain
woman when Captain William B. Beck in
terfered.
stop" be said sternly 1.-THE military
authorities have the administration of these
effects"
''AH right, sir. Excuse me, 1 did not
know that, said the Coroner apologetically,
and the vauables were turned over to DR..
Steigers, who will succeed DR.. Dietz at the
post.
Descending to the parlor, the jurors and
officials began the inquest, and the first wit
ness called was DR.. a. 4. Stiegers, Acting
Assistant Surgeon, U. 5. A. In answer to
questions he made the following statement:
ASSISTANT sTIEGER's STATEMENT.
was acquainted With tile deceased William
ID. DieZ. He was 80 years OF age and native
nf IL HHa lion vraa Auafa
Surgeon, U. 5. A, and lie ranked as Captain.
He had resided on AlcatraZ for about three
years knew Ella DietZ, the vile Of the de-
ceased she was % wears of age. i last saw
Dr. Dietz alive on Tues day evening about 6
ocloek. Al tnat time he told Inc lie was glad 1
las coming Oaek there and that lie did not feel
wen. he mad dizziness In his head He ac-
COMMANDED me to he top OF the stairs going to
the dock, shook hands aIc bade me good. by
Aflerward Thought q peculiar that lie shook
bands With me when was only going 10 the
cry, DR.. Dietz was very temperate man and
never used drugs. TO my knowledge he never
bad any domestic difficulty with his wife. They
always lived very happily together.
Lieutenant c. G. Gallup testified that he
last saw DIR. Dietz alive al 4 o'clock
on Tuesday afternoon. II saw Mrs.
Dielz," he continued, at the same time.
They we're together just outside the build
ing aud seemed to be on the best of terms.
During the last two OF three weeks DR..
Deiz appeared TO act little more irritable
than usual"
Did you ever hear him make any
threats p
Never; as general thing he was very
cheerful At II 80 o'clock this morning /
hrst heard Of his death. My attention was
Called TO 1t through the fact that the China
man reported that DR.. DietZ and wife had
not made their appearance fer breakfast
lie servant said he could not call them |
Immediately ran upstairs and knocked att the
door. opened the door of the first room
and saw the doctors boy asleep in his crib
In the corner. l rhen called at the door of
ond f.fadta
UPON ENTERING TIRE ROOM
Then / opened the door and saw Mrs
Dietz lying on the bed III the same position
in which the jury viewed her body. /
stepped into the room and saw the dertor's
body lying behind the door. The bodies
were both cold at that time. The gun lay
on the floor by small stand, the muzzie
pointing toward the doctors feet. with the