Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-09-30
And in the Evening Deliberately
Sets Fire to His Bed
Clothing,
Lies Down Upon It and Com
mits Suicide by Shooting
himself.
His Charred and Blackened Body
Found After the Fire Was
distinguished.
A Tragic Occurrence,


"A Tragic Occurrence,
Charles Lupnitz, the shoemaker who
became dangerously insane on last Mon
day, and who secreted himself in his
room and defied arrest, terrorizing the
entire neighborhood, completed the
evidence of his insanity by suiciding
Wednesday evening shortly before 6
o'clock.
A visit to Mr.. Lupnitz stronghold dis
plays a puzzling condition of affairs. He
occupied an upstairs room, the only
access to which was a staircase, from
the front OF the house, about two feet in
width. At the top of this staircase, he
had constructed a rude barrier of rough
boards, just high enough for him to
look over comfortably, when seated. He
had moved a rocking chair up to this
place, and seated himself comfortably
down, where he could command a view
of the entrance. From this place he
gently discouraged the efforts of anyone
to come up the stairs. He did this with
a pistol, and al he looked the very in
carnation Of anger, his discouraging
words we're very effectual indeed.
Tuesday night he did not get his &C.
customed rest as he was busy the entire
time in keeping his eye on the guards,
outside. He was heard moving around,
at times, and finally
CAME DOWN STAIRS
and carried all the food he could find
upstairs with him, to prepare for a
siege. Early yesterday morning an at
tempt was made to force an entrance
into the outside door, which he had
locked. Lupnltz heard the guards
fumbling at the door latch and COM
manded them, in no very gentle tones,
to get away. The guards desisted for a
few moments, and then made another
attempt. This time Lupnitz sent down
an objection in the shape of a
TEN-PoUND sLEDGE HAMMER,
which went through the door as if it had
been pasteboard, and landed heavily on
the ground outside, scattering those
there congregated like sheep. The force
with which this hammer came down the
stairway evinced plainly that Lupnitz's
intentions were good.
Sheriff Donnelly returned yesterday
just in time to get into the thickest of
the conflict. Upon being made aware
Of Lupnitz condition he made his way
into the house, and started up the stair
way. Mr.. Lupnitz objected.
care you a friend of mine, Mr..
Donnelly?" queried he.
"Of course I am" was the answer II
came up here to protect you and this
house from damage" said MI. Donnelly.
"Um," remarked Lupnitz. "You can
watch the outside of the house if you
want to, but I'll take care of the inside.
Now, if you are a friend of mine, Mr..
Donnelly," he continued, cody, "you
better go back down %stiars," and he
n PoKED HIS REVOLVER
over the barricade and directed it at Mr..
Donnelly. The persuasive power of the
revolver was all powerful and Mr.. Don
nelly was forced to give up the contest.
A stay of proceedings was then had
for awhile. Michael T. O'Conner then
went into the house and exhausted all
of his persuasive powers and crafty elo-
quence IN the crazy man, but with no
effect. Finally Mr.. Donnelly took the
wife of the insane man into the house
with him and attempted to lure Lupnitz
down stairs. This had a bad instead of
a good effect on him, for he reached for
| his revolver and seemed to be exas-
perated beyond endurance at the sight
| of his wife, and would without doubt
have shot her, had not she been hurried
out of the house. Lupnitz seemed to have
some grievance against his better half,
and swore he would kill her on sight.
[ AT about 4 o'clock in the afternoon he
came to the window and called to Nels
| White, who was standing near, and
asked him whether, if he Uupnitz) were
to come down stairs in his shirt sleeves
and without his revolver, he would Ee
molested. White answered that he
would not, and as evidence of his good
will tossed his own revolver into the
brush by his side, and waited. This
seemed to be the end Lupnitz was striv-
ing to attain, for he rushed down stairs,
locked all Of the doors and then made
his way upstairs again.
Here was another stay of proceedings,
and nothing was to be done but to wait
in patience.
AT about $50 Sheriff Donnelly started