New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-17
NEW-YORK, THURSDAY. MAY II, Is9A-TWELvE PAGES.
MURDERED HIS OLD MOTHER.
CHARLES SAMSMULLER THEN KILLS
HIMSELF

TENEMENT-HoUsE WITH THEIR THRoATs
SIGHT PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE
KEEPER-FEAR OF DEsTrTUTIoN
THE ONLY MOTIVE KNOWN.
It was discovered last night that in little
box Of bedroom on the second floor of the rear
tenement house No Gal East Twelfth-st., a son
had cut his old mothers throat with a razor and
then ended his own life by the same means. The
woman. who than ninety years old
and tottering on the brink Of the grave. was Mrs
Lena Samsmuer and her son Charles. the MUIR
derer and suicide. was man Of fifty years.
Just when the deed was committed Is not
known but 1t is supposed to have been accom-
plished late on Tuesday night, or before daylight
yesterday morning.
II was not until O'Clock last night that the
bodies of the mother and son were found. and
their discovery then was due to the solicitude
OF Mrs Annie Boen. the housekeeper, who lives
in the front house. No. 6i3 East Twelfth-st The
house. No. Gal is a four-story, brick tene-
ment and IL faces sOne-paved courtyard. some
forty feet square. The yard is entered from
long corridor. which runs through the front
building
Old Mrs. Samsmullcr and her lived
in two small rooms the second hoor-the
kitchen. some sixteen feet square. with two win
dows. looking out on the courtyard, and in the
rear Of this dark bedroom. twelve by twelve
feet.
40 SIGN OF LIFE ~ THEIR ROOMS.
Mrs. Bolen yesterday morning noticed that the
shades Of the kitchen window were drawn. and
the day advanced there was no sign OF life
in the SamsmLller apartments When night
came and the window shades had not been
raised Mrs Bolen grew anxious. and she de-
cided to investigate for herself
The door at the top Of the stairs leading into
the Samsmuer kitchen was locked and Mrs
Bolen went into the apartments Of Mr.. John
HENLEY across the hall. There she procured
candle and getting out on the ire-escape she
walked along to one of the windows of the
Samsmuller kitchen. THIS she could easily do.
the escape stretches across the front OF the TWO
rear houses. Nos. 6i1 and Gi2
The window Mrs Bolen found unfastened. and
she raised It and entered the kitchen. little
thinking Of the frightful sight that was to greet
her eyes The kitchen was unoccupcd. and shad-
ing the candle with her hand. Mrs. Bolen walked
across to the little bedroom. one glance caused
her to nearly faint with terror.
HER HEAD CIT NEARLY OFF
on the double cot on the left OF the doorway.
or a little to the west side Of the bedroom. lay
the body Of Mrs. samsmullcr She was reclin-
ing on her back with her head on the pillow
near the ives, wall. The head had been nearly
severed from the body The wlndppe cut
as well as the jugular veins. Nothing held the
head but the muscles OF the back ~ the neck
and the vertebrae. The old woman was In her
night robe and the right leg and foot hung over
the edge Of the cot At the foot of the bed was
a feather bed used as covering. This looked as
II It had been rolled OF the old woman by her
yer in order that II might not be in his way.
II was a blood-soakcd pillow that held the
aged head with its scant gray hairs The eyes
were closed and the toothloss mouth was slight
~ open There were no lines Of pain on the thin
face Except for the cash In the throat the old
woman looked as peaceful as II she was asleep
Whether che was Killed while she slept or, In
her waking moments calmly consented 70 her
death may never be known. Certain It Is that
there was no evidence of a struggle
THE MuRDERERs BODY
Separated from the cot by not more than two |
feet was the single bed occupied by Charles |
Samsnuller. the son. Ills body was lying across |
the bed and he was dressed only In his under |
shirt HIS throat was gashed in exactly the |
same manner as that ~ his mother. and In his |
right hand black -nandl'd razor, h'ti "
edge and covered with gore.
IT Is evident that after killing his mother he
had sat down on the edge Of his bed and slashed
his throat
on the floor between the cot and the bed was
, grea: pool Of blood that had formed into
hckcred clots one of the mans feet rested
IN the floor the other leg stretched out straight
~ II stinened in death. and almost touched the
DOT Of the murdered mother me hahhs oI
boff clio hel nj
lear the opening I'm the throat. "A If he had tried
% tear open still further the ghastly wound;
The wound I'm the throat was fully five Inches
ong 1t extended almost from ear 10 ear, ana
he mans head had dropped back as he fell over
N the bed 30 that 'he wound was wide open
lis bed was blood-soaltcd, and the blood was
'lOttcl.
Mrs Bolen did not wait to take In these de-
ails She realized what had happened In one
wifi glance. and then with scream y horror
he rushed tO the window and got out
She made her way quickly downstairs and
old Sylvester J. Russell. the landlord OF the
Iouse who at once called I'm Policeman John
.iulholland Of the Union Market station. Mul-
holland made a more careful examination. lie
aw that the deed had been committed some
lours before.
violence Of such dire poverty. There were seven
ane- seated chairs. an Old rocker. small sec
etary in one corner. a table between the win
ows and In another corner small stand In
ront OF the fireplace was small NO COOK
tove a tiny affair almost the smallest size
made 4 few pots and pans, n pitcner' ana one
r two dishes were seen and In the small cup
oard more dishes. but no foou Then there was
small box that contained German catechisn
nd some German letters II old date.
A LITTLE BALANCE IN THE BANK.
A handbook showing balance OF $l6 at the
,owery Savings Bank was on the desk. II
howed that $50 II had been the total deposit
nd that s.. the last money drawn. was taken
ut on May T. In another letter-box on the
land was a pure containing 81 63 and on the
tand IL cents In change
Mrs Samsmullcr had not left the house In
ear. Mrs Bolen said. and the old woman ana ,
er son were like two children together. They
ever quarrelled. Mrs Bolen said she saw theIn
nth AZ II o'clock on Tuesday night. and so far ,
q i.r,o.., aho ,uaa the last one 10 them |