New-York tribune., 1894-10-31
HE SHOT HIS WIFE.
FREDERICK MERIT. BAKER. THEN
| ENDED HIS OWN LIFE.
SHE DIED ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL
JEALOUSY THE CAUSE OF TRAGEDY IN


EAST RTY-sECoND-sT.
Frederick Mertz a baker. thirty seven years old.
murdered his wife. Marie. yesterday, and then
killed himself The tragedy occurred about p m
on the third floor OF No 227 East Forty-second-st
The woman was shot in the side. and died while
being removed In ambulance to Bellevue Hos
pital. Mertz sent bullet into his own head and
died instantly. The motive for the crime seems
to have been insane jealousy on the part OF the
husband The place where the murder and suicide
occurred is a barroom and clearinghouse kept by
George Wiser. Mrs. Mertz is said TO have had an
interest in the business.
Mertz and his wife TO this country in
August. 1881. from Germany. on August 10. 1881.
they were married. The woman had little money
which she invested In small barroom in Four
teenth-st Mertz worked at his trade baker
while his wife managed the barroom Business
did not prove profitable and the place was finally
abandoned. The couple then went to live at No.
l52 West Sixty -thlrd-st. where Mrs. Mertz became
janitor Of four houses. She saved Sl.l0O. Mertz.
however 1t is said, squandered the most OF It,
Ponderins over the question Of how to retrieve her
fortunes. Mrs Mertz conceived the idea Of taking
boarders She mentioned the subject to her husband
In a few days "A boardcr appeared George Wiser
n baker, and one Of Merits chums. The Mertzes
moved to No i9S West Thirtysixth-st. and Wiser
went along Wiser was not extremely bright, Dut
he had n snug sum Of money laid by About five
weeks ago he announced that ne had discovered =
barroOm and boarding house. at No 22I East Forty
second-st which he thought ne would like to become
proprietor Of He finally bought IT, Wiser mad
great regard for Mrs Merz's ability az housewife
He therefore proposed that she and her husband
make their home with him. Their board would be
free in return for Mrs Mertz services az cook and
manager IL Is possible that Mrs. Mertz put what
little money she had gathered together again into
the concern After this Mertz worked little at MS
trade Some OF the boarders say that MertZ would
express to his wife in words the Jealousy that was
mastering him. Then in turn she would uporah MIN
for squandering her money.
At ( O'Clock yesterday afternoon Mrs. MerZ was
supervising some work in the kitchen servant
girl named Minnie vas with her Wiser was De-
hind the bar call sounded on the whistle OF the
speaking-tu which led from the third loor 70 tle
nres,im.d that her husband ordered his dinner. as
she prepared meal and carried 1t upstairs 70 the'
sitting room \ few minutes later Minnie nedtu =
pistol shot. The people downstalrs ran ups.a,a'
70 the third floor and looked into the Mertzes st,ing
room They saw Mrs. Mertz PROSTATE on tne noor D.
Without waiting whether sne was iedu VI
no, ,hey rushed out into the street for poceIndi
4 crowd OF almost 500 men. women ana cniirH @ r
lowed the policeman back To the mousse MIs .iei 20
though conscious. was unaoIe 70 MAKE any '
Tha nol,ceme, entered the adjoining bedroom. and
there they discovered Mertz lying dead Oh w Isser
bed He had shot himself In the rgnt teinpe, ate tha
must have died instantly Mrs MertZ NV" '' ''''
way TO the hospital. , ,,,,,do 70
suited from quarrel which took piaTe H., S;rner
7, is believed that the husband was under the IN
nuence OF liquor. and gave free vent TO hs Jeao@us @
passion theory FOR Merits acton , - nfTrte
"a the result Of a blow upon the head wnicn ne sus
tanned several years ago.