The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-08
MOTIVE FOB MURDER.
Full Story Of Friedrich's Crime
Shows it Plainly.
A ROMANCE OF TWO SISTERS.
Fried rich Having . German wife, 0oaGht
70 Marry Agsin-Sehsrbrin8
Threatened Exposure.

Prosecuting Attorney Miller On Friday
told to o Posr-INTELLIaEScER repoteY the
whole story of the murder Of Scherbring
by Friedrich, showing that the latter had
motive for the crime and was guilty OF
murder in the first degree. The story will
be found deeply interesting. Mr.. Miller
said:
The decision Of the supreme court modifying
the verdict OF the superior court was very much
OF surprise to me. do not question the righE
OF the supreme court TO modify the decision OF u
lower court, but expected that the verdict in
this case would be affirmed. The supreme
court gives as Its reason In the premises the
fact that a murder in the hrst degree
verdict should not have been brought
in because the state failed to show .
motive for the crime. If l had thought that
the higher court would have raised such Q point
In this case, would have produced evidence to
show a motive, though it would have cost the
county about 5000. / will tell . little OF the
inside history of this case, for it has never yet
been given to the public.
In the 70s Julius rbring, under the name
OF Alfred Homan, enlisted q soldier In the
Fourteenth United States infantry ct Fort Ham,
iiton, New York. He afterward deserted in
Mexico and returned to California, whore he
had previously been while in the army, and
after spending all OF his money re-enlisted,
under the name OF Julius schsrbring, in the
First United States ARTILLERY, then In garrison
Benecia. There he met Albert Friedrich, who
was also q soldier, and the men became warm
friends. In 1856 they deserted the army and
came to Seattle.
Upon their arrival in town Friedrich opened
shoe shop and scherbring worked a. a deck
hand on the steamers Eliza Anderson and Idaho.
Friedrich had previously told his friend about
his early lifo; told him that he had
wife in Germany, whom no had deserted
and from whom he had never been legally
separated. In 1857 the two deserters became
acquainted with two sisters who were Dress
makers, fell in love with them, proposed mar
rage and were accepted. The girls still live in
town, are highly respected and have never been
married. OF course know who they are: but
it would be unkind to give their names. Sohsr-
bring thought a great deal of his sweetheart
and, have reason to believe, could net con-
seientiously stand idly by and allow Friedrich to
ruin her sister; so one day he told Friedrich
that he would tell the girl he had wife and.
what was more, was deserter from the United
States army. Here was the motive for the
murder
Friedrich paid no heed to his friends threat,
but ordered his wedding suit and made all the
necessary preparations for the marriage Both
couples were to be married 1t the same time
On July IA, 1887, few days before the day set
for the marriage, Friedrich quit his shoe shop
and invited Scherbring to make day OF IL with
him. They left the city in q row-poa and rowed
around Duwamsh head, went leisureiy down
the beach to Alki point, lay around in the shade,
drank beer, cracked jokes and related stories Of
garrison life. They returned late in the even.
ing. believe that all that day Friedrich was
scheming and planning to murder his friend.
He was watching every opportunity to commit
the crime. That same night he did shoot him
down on the Grant street bridge, and the afro
cious details are known to every one.
Friedrich's wife is now In New York. He has
always denied the relationship existing between
them. have their marriage certificate, how.
ever, and photographs of himself and his vita
taken together the day OF their marriage in Ger
many.