The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-10
A FRANTIC HUSBANDS DEED.
Cuts His Wife With a Ratchet
and Stabs Himself.
Jealousy the Cause That Moved Him to Com
init the Crime Placed Under Arrest
by the Police.

At about 6 o'clock last night Henry Piath
and his wife were taken to the County
hospital in the patrol wagon. both seriously
wounded.
His throat was cut in several places, and
the woman had large cash on the side OF
her head.
The man was nearly unconscious ana
could not speak intelligibly. The woman
was not in a dangerous condition, but she
would not say very much.
Esr wounds were examined by the
superintendent aud it was found that there
was a gash through th6 scalp and slight
fracture of the skull underneath.
The wound was probed, but the instru-
ment did not penetrate the skull
She refused to stay in the hospital, saying
that she would not be well taken care OF
there, and as there was no charge against
her she could not be detained and went
home.
just after Plath's wounds were dressed
the patTol-wagon came back alter hlm and
took him to The Receiving Hospital.
The arrest was made by Officer Gala
CHER near the corner Of Twentieth and Ala
bama streets.
When the woman was injured she ran
from the house, and some neighb0rs, seeing
her condition. called the officer, who took
them both TO the County Hospital.
At the Receiving Hospital the man was
in an unconscious condition. He has at
least half dozen wounds in his neck that
were made with some small instrument.
They are all ragged and while not very
deep seem 10 have severed several small
blood-yessels.
Later in the night Mrs. Plath was seen at
her home on Alabama street. near Twen-
tietb, by CALL reporter.
According to her statement the cause OF
the trouble was jealousy.
She married Plath eighteen years ago
and they have lived hap, ily together.
About year and half ago they pnr-
chased on the installment plan the house in
which they live ana made the payments
regularly. Only S505 remained to be paid.
and Mrs. Plath. who Is an Industrious
woman, took washing from the neighb bors
to assist In paying the debt.
She also borrowed n small sum from
Henry Kicker. her Dr0ther-ln-law, and gave
her note for the amount.
Mrs. Plath carefully secreted all the re-
ceipts for payments made in the cellar OF
the house.
Last evening Kicker and a young man
named Powell called on olath. He was out
at the time, but returned just as the two
men were about to leave.
Plath approached Powell, who was carry
ing a small bag, and demanded to know the
contents. he was told that 1t contained
fishing tackle, and after calling Powell a
name and accusing him OF stealing the re-
ceipts, went into the house.
Plath had frequently charged his wife
with being too friendly with this man. He
Immediately went into the cellar, and moi
finding the little iron box in which the papers
we're kept, concluded that Mrs. Plath had
given them to Powell.
With yell of rage, he picked up an ak
near by, and rushing upstairs dealt his wife
blow over the head, telling her to the
ground.
he then returned to the cellar and. taking
ou. his pocket-knife. commenced to hack al
his throat. which he cut frigh.fully.
Mrs. Plath's screams for assistance brought
several neighbors to the scene, who took the
Bnife away from the frenzied man and sum
moned the police. Although Plath';
wounds are painful. the physicians do no
think them serious.