St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-28
SHOT HIMSELF DEAD.
A Young Bohemian Makes an
Attempt to Murder His
Sweetheart.
After Running a Few Hun
dred Feet He Takes His
Own Life.
He First Accused the Young
Lady Of Being Unfaith-
full to Him.
The Deed Done Just as She
Was Trying to Do Him
a Kindness.
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
SALTWATER, Minn., Sept. 27.-The
lifeless body of Stefan Zecha, Bohem-
ian about twenty-three years of age, lies
at the undertaking roams of Wing &
Simonet. bullet from twenty-tvo-
caliber revolver having passed through
his head. Zecha was a printer, and
came to this city some weeks ago in
search of work. He hung around
several days, but was unable
to find anything to do. and
finally sought and obtained work at
Charles Kern's farm near Lake Elmo.
His object in so doing was to find en-
ployment somewhere near his sweet
heart, Miss Mary Mendlick, domes-
tic employed at the summer home of
DR.. Edward Walther on the east shore
of Lake Elmo. DIR. Walther is a res
ident of st. Paul, and his family spent
today in that city. Shortly after dinner
Zecha called at the house and accused
his sweetheart, comely girl nineteen
years of age, of being untrue to him.
She said that she was not untrue to
him, but that if there was no way of
convincing him on that fact it would be
better for them to part, and that she
would return his ring. This was done
and Zecha returned to the village
of Lake Elmo. At 6:15 the family was
eating supper in the dining room and
two of the employees were eating In the
kitchen when they heard the report of
a revolver. One of the employees rushed
into the dining room and said: MARY
is shot"
DIR. Walther hastened to the veranda,
and seeing Zecha running down the
road he called to his men and thew
started in pursuit. the race was kept
up for nearly 500 feet, when the fugitive
halted and deliberately placed the revol-
yer to his forehead and fired. He dropped
by the wayside and the doctor returned
to the cottage. A hasty examination
was made of the young lady's wound,
which will not prove fatal, the bullet
having entered the back of her neck.
She soon recovered her composure and
gave the following version of the affair:
1.-Two weeks ago Zecha came to the
house and took me out boat-riding.
While on the lake he accused ne of
being unfaithful, and said that if was
he would kill me. Nothing more was
said until today, when he returned and
made the same threat"
"When the family was eating supper
l stopped to get him some ice cream. |
bent over the freezer. and he caress-
ingly placed his arm about my neck.
and with the other hand placed the re-
volver to my neck and fired"
Several letters were found in the
Lake Elmo postoffice written by Zecha.
one of them addressed to his parents in
Austria and another to the girls pa
rents in Bohemia. in which he stated
that he could no longer endure what he
had seen in this country, and
bade each of them an affection
ate farewell. Zecha was unques-
tionably jealousy insane, and his sweet
heart bore an irreproachable reputa-
ton, and was deeply in love with him.
The affair caused considerable excite
ment at Lake Elmo. Coroner Clark was
at the scene, and decided not to hold an
inquest.