The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-29

that Moment Woe and Trouble Took
Possession Of the Home and Made Life
so Miserable that the Husband Com
nitted Suicide After His Wife had sued
for Divorce-The story of an Election
Night Drunk and the Man Who Came
Home and was Ordered Out.
Denver. Aug. 23-Wlile Christian
Lecke Law stiff in death from bullet
wound inflicted by his own hand on
Sunday there was file in the county
court yesterday a counter afrldavlt IN
the case of Lecke VS.. Lecke, proceed
lngs in which Were in .5ttuted short
time ago. This paper ives prepared on
SATURDAY. and at that inc signed in a
big bold German hand bytAmelia Lecke
and sworn 10 by her. Iii was another
step in her proceedings for divorce and
was aimed TO forestall any claim for
alimcny or counsel fees w hich her nus
band might set up. Their g is very lit
tie danger of any such rocioeedings now
for her husband killed himself on Sat
urady.
She first met Lecke, she lswears, in
Germany in 1894. she was linen home
on a vacation, being employ cd as a gov
erness. She cheerfully conISsses that
she was an accomplished musician.
Lecke VINO was in Germany on a visit
from America was her mot!ser's cous-
in and stopped at their house, He was
fond of music, as most Ger m2nS are,
and was fairly carried awSgy by her
performances on the piano. He re-
NAMED with them about th7ee weeks.
Before he left he told her If she would
come to America with him The would
L, 4 he Kxs.r =
Portable home. His conduct during an
this time had been so exemplary and
ne seemed so well able 10 do. what he
said that she took him at his word
and arriving in America was married
to him at HobOken, n: j., september
4. 1894 In October they came TO Den
yer Everything was going along very
smoothely They found a house and
furnished it. One day about six weeks
after their marriage she was Washing
dishes. Lecke coming IN discovered
that she was using soda instead OF
soap and entered a protest. Soda had
its uses, he alleged, but not in connec-
ton with diSh-W.dShinS.
THE HOME HER PROVINCE
In that direction soap was the nee
essary and proper ingredient for clean
sing To this Mrs. Lecke promptly re-
sponded that her province was the
house and in matters relating to its
management she had certain ideas
which il was her fixed determination
to carry out. Among these things she
instanced soda in DISTINGUISHING, prac-
tice to which she had been addicted
since her youth and which she would
maintain in the vigor Of her woman
hood. This reasonable statement
made Leckes Bavarian blood boil. He
called her vile names and vigorously
slapped her in the face. Mrs. Lecke
claims that she was so shocked and
mortified over this treatment that she
was driven 10 the verge of suicide.
She managed. however, to RESTRAIN
her inclnations in this direction and
when Locke had sobered up and things
domestic again went swflnmfng'y.
This condition lasted until election
night on November 6. On that night,
like patriotic American, he was down
town TO hear the news. Things must
have gone his way for he bowled up
quite freely, visited some houses Of
questionable repute and returned home
at day-break roaring dunk She
calmly alleges he had with him man
named Mcbride for whom he had sud
denly conceived an inordinate admir-
alton. On the other hand Mrs. Lecke
had conceived for him "a, equally vio-
lent antipathy.. She regarded the man
as her husbands evil genius and pro-
hibited him the use of nera house. He
came just the same Until early IN De-
cember last, both OF hem prolOnging
their debauch since ale5-i IN night At
that date, she says. Lecses suddenly
sObered and became fpenite1t. While
the mood was on him ne ieaded to her
his mine and household affectS3nd gave
her 1000 which re mad on deposit IN
thu. bank. Soon after he resumed his
old courses, and continually demand
ed money. Once she Was compelled TO
go to a saloon at midnight and give
Mcbride a check for money which they
had squandered.. While there her
husband roared at her Ike a mad man.
and, terror stricken, che left for home.
When he returned after this escapade
he abused her shaInefullp ran her al
over the house with a loaded revolver,
finally shooting, the bullet lodging in
the ceiling. Another time he tore eli
her clothes off and nearly checked her
to death.
ANOTHER ON CHRISTMAS
On Christmas night. her allagatiors
continue. while drunk he had a fail
and sustained several broken ribs. Dur
ing this time she nurSed him day and
night. Upon his recovery he again re-
sumed his old ways, In the latter
end of last January she YVES at home
with a Mrs. Schrader, Her husband ar
rived drunk and tried to strike her with
knife Mrs. Schrader took away the
knife and a revolver and called the
patrol wagon. When it arrived he beg
sed off and Lecke was not taken to the
static;i. The latter end of January.
having recovered from one of his spreeS
he came to her one morning and said
il was evident that they were not
properly mated. He therefore, propos-
ed a separation and said that if she
gave him $500 he would be satisfied.
Instead she gave him $1500. in full for
all demands and now has the check in
her possession.
She left Denver March last and sail
ed for Bremen. The passage was a
stormy one. on arriving on the other
side she was taken to a hospital and
there was prematurely delivered of a
child. After reaching her home in Neu-
burg, Bavaria. she received a letter
from Lecke asking for $500 to work ?
mine. She sent i to him. The middle
of last June a letter reached her ask
ing her 10 return al once To America
ana he could sell the mine forSSO. GOO
and her signature was necessary to the
papers. Although Still weak and sick
she arrived here the latter part Of
June when she learned that Lecke
had gone back to Germany and that his
claim Of having a purchaser for the
mine was false. On July :, he tele-
grhphed from Hoboi1en asking for 500
to pay his expenses TO Denver and she
sent him $75. Upon his arrived here he
stated 10 several friends thai he inten-
ded 10 kill his wife on sight. Then she
brought suit for divorce. Subsequent
~ he was arrested for carrying conceal
weapons. She paid his fine Of S1a. and
gave him $40 To pay his expenses 10
Breckenridge.
THE UNCLE'S LEGACY.
She claims 10 know nothing about his
having received a legacy Of $4,000
through the death Of a relative in Ger