Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-12-24
SHOT IN THE NECK
John Eckmsn Shot Dead With
Ms Fathers Gun
IT LOOKS LIKE sElF-DtFtssE
re Afs-mpsed 60 Fsrcs Hh Way ssss
Johs waaders~n's House Arasd
Whh . sho<xus and = shoG

WfEh . shofxus and = sno@
TIE polies force xzs treated 10 . ROM
inx ssnsafson lzst evening. unen man
vaIkel ia aad saaoancct. throagh an
inferpr-tsr that be had shot znd killed |
another nan. IL was John "a Wonders
gsa snd tns victim in this latest ease of
honiciGie was john Eckman-
The sceus of the tragedy vac in the |
Hollznd sstfismsnr zt the east snd of !
the city. Wondergen resides IN little |
house on shaf Il knoxu A. kornolie !
alley. and claims the shooting. which
took place about = O'Clock last essning.
was done in self defense. tie IL unabls
O. speak English ard when he appeared
a. police hesdquartsrs. he was accom-
panied by Martin Van oseren, vhs
transiated the much excifsd man
story &c Superintendent Carr and the
other ofilcers. Wooderxen was at once
locked u9 In cell No. !. aad Supesin-
t.ndent Carr. accompanied by squad
of poiies hsstened 10 the scene of the
sbootiag
The Decd Body Foand
They fouad tue body a young Ecx-
nan lying IN \ pool 81 blood. Jus. out
sic.e os the hack door 81 Wondergcn's
house The body lay on its right side.
WIN ths face turned downward Oncer
Scoby turned the body oser. % see u
there was a spark % life left. When
this Was done. large. ragged hole IN
the lcft SHE ol the throat showed that
death had bero swift and sure. Coroner
Locheg soon arrived. aud after ennpanel
Ing jury. adjourned the inquest unit.
Tuesday morning. The body vas taken
g. Eckman's home. No y Custer alley
why He shot Him.
Wondergen. through al interpreter
told the following story OF the trouble
with Eckmans Il wss married 10 Hob
land uine years ago. and came TO
America ons year ago. A sort
time after came here. gus
acquainted With Eckmsn- We wers
fr snds and hs came 10 the house q ute
oitea 70 visit Us hiy wife used TO goto
Ecknan's fathers bakery ard sometimes
she would stay half Loir or longer and
got suspicious of her. Perhaps | vii5
wrong. don't know. Eckman and
often went huoting together and l berF
rowed bis fathers shot gun 10 go With
him. About three weeks ago my wife
told me she Mas afraid OF Eckman aud
did not vsnt him to come there any
more. | told him not to come any more
and be became angry aod threafened 70
shoot us 1 was AFRAID of him and cid
not <now what to do My wife always
told ne wken hs had been To the house.
Two weeks ago he said ho would kill Us
F1iday night he came 10 my house with
. revolver and said he would kill the,
bot We talked awhile aud sDo<stted
matters up. bot | was afraid and my
wife and did not sleep all night for
Tear hs would c0ue IN and Kill Us
sent word He Was Coming
-sTouight my wife went to Ecknan's
store and got snme bre3d Young Eek
man was there. add told her 10 look cut.
for De was coming oveS 10 settle that
matter. When she came home and tod
me did rot know what to do. / dld
not dare a. come 10 tho police. and
wac afraid 10 stay at home. out / de
e.ded 10 stay at home. We did not
light any lamp and locked all the doors.
50 DE coaia not get in. but be saw the
ire burning aud tried the front door.
NV wife saw that he had a gun add
called me from the bedroom. where L
Was lyiux on the bed. and took the gun
| horrowed from Eckman's father and
loaded ~ Tie tried the front door and
the kitchen door. and at last began
.nakiuz the back door and pushed ~
open. AZ he did 80 | raised
nv gun and fred He raiHed
his hands. wheeled half round,
and fell upon bis face. ! sbot him
because be would have killed me X
bad waited That was all | thought
about feel better here IN prison than
dad a. homo Last night Eckman Old
not have bis gun ia his hand when
sAct hia,. but bad sst IL down while be
pushed the door open. aad | shot before
he could rescn -
Eckman's Gun
The police found Eckmaa's gun sct
ting Is the si.le of the door as Wcnder-
gen bal stated The back door had
been fastened with a thumb latch and
the box iay ia the miidls of the kitchen
aoor. where e hal been throWn by the
force ased IN pushing the door open.
F'rom al sest could - learned tfa DO
lico bsl,eve thas Wondergens story Is
tris~ he - about ,1 years Old and 10 4
brixnf. Weli dressed elsn and nas not
the Appearance % a murderer The
neirhbols stats that be - hard work
fua ftitn. - FHFIl"ttrE - htotft WIN
Eckmaa vas aos steady wosssr and
wss considered little tough. Ha vaH
- years olsl ani unmarried.
NrS. woasfrrxcn's story.
Mrs. Wondergen. Who is a rathe'
comsiy Eioiland woman. talks but iitils
Eaa. IN. bat Told her version ~ tht
sfsrY freciy in her native language 4
her neixhtors Young k0rpoiie. ths
soa ~ q sforekeepev VINO isses near IN
seese of the tragedy. says slls tnld hiE
tbat Eekman was m the habit n Wait
inr her konna and compelling bar so q.
hss bssidina az the point d reyrlver
sH@ frranenty made me make hin
uars.rular kind q cake he hkeil" sais
sc. ~and sometimes would make m.
cuok h,na . z.sod suprer. ! sav hiu
cspine tensrht before my husband dad
aad todd my husband 10 CT na lTua. fe
Eckman rad his I teid ny kashsad .
sheot hin 90 &c would ktl "a | di'
sot go the shot fred for ! rae into th
parlos when I ssw he sss ft'fsanx th
back deos 8peur
Cornelius Frknan, father of The dea
man. said be bad never hesrd ef an
trouhie between the tNo nee TIE 81 :
pssei they sers fgisntis and csasia ~
understand shy his sca had h<~n sho
seOtT Sor ctITy.
Ne Wa >as f,e-,.sn.shse re the Bsssi
Greek Di-s-t~r