Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-19
RESULT OF FAMILY TROUBLE
Double Tragedy at scribner Caused by I'm
pleasant Domestic Relations.
FRED HARTMAN WAS MUCH WROUGHT UP
Reports of His Wife's Inadelity
Drive Him to Murder ana Sui
cide-.Story of n Country
Town"

sCRIBNER, Neb., Sept. 1s.-(Special Tel
egram.)-Scrlbner is still in an excited state
over the tragic death of two of her towns
people, Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Hartman. The
entire story is a long one, and to those
acquainted with the people it is an object
lesson Of what a little gossip may do and
will be long remembered, though it will
perhaps be seldom put to use.
On February II, 1894, Mr.. Hartman's wife,
with whom he had lived for thirty-fve years,
and with whom he had raised four chill
dren, was fatally burned by an overturned
lamp. The Mrs. Hartman concerned in the
tragedy was the wife of Chris Liestikow TO,
the past twenty-seven years, until about
one year ago, when she became divorced
and soon afterward married the widower,
Mr.. Hartman. Their family affairs were far
from pleasant. Their money matters were
in an unsatisfactory state. Mr.. Liestikow
was sore over the affair and often threat
ened Mr.. and Mrs. Hartman with violence,
but the leading up to the tragedy was from
a far different cause and was given in
these words by a prominent witness at the
inquest:
THE Incorporate talk Of a few people
In the community to Mr.. Hartman about the
intimacy Of his wife with several men in
town" These statements had been working
with terrible effect on Mr.. Hartman and
were the real cause of the murder and sui
eide. Something like a month ago Mrs.
Hartman left her home and took up her
abode with w. II. Meyer of this place,
where she remained until last Sunday, at
which time Mr.. Meyer gave a party and
Mr.. and Mrs. Hartman met and enjoyed the
evening with dancing and social conversation
their old home. This was the last seen of
Mrs. Hartman alive, Mr.. Hartman was seen
the last time Monday morning.
DISCOVERY OF THE TRAGEDY.
On Tuesday evening. attracted by the UNI
pleasant odor, the city marshal went to
the Hartman residence and was convinced
without entering that decomposing bodies
lay within, which was soon proved to be
the fact. Coroner Martin of Fremont was
telegraphed, and this morning held an in
quest, with the following findings:
THAT Mrs. Hartman came to her death
by strangulation, and that said strangling
was done by her husband, by taking her
by the throat and choking her until she
was dead, after which he took his own life
by hanging himself with a rope in the at
Mrs. Hartman lay in an easy position on
a neatly spread bed, and with nearly all
her clothing removed and carefully laid
aside. Everything in the house was in per-
that on arriving home early Mon
day morning some difference arose
between them. and he seized her by th-
throat and deliberately held her until life
was gone. Several short letters were written
by Mr.. Hartman and left on a stand near by.
They contained nothing more than a mention
of the incorporate language before mentioned,
and said he could no longer bear the condl-
tions.
Many think that his Monday morning stroll
up town was in search of some man whom
he considered concerned in his domestic diff
fculty, but not finding him, he returned home
and took his own life, probably several hours
after his wife was dead.
Hartman leaves three sons. now
grown to manhood. who were no.
tilted this morning of the deaths and
who took possession Of the bodies and had
them buried this noon in Pebble cemetery
swithout ceremony. The whole affair is a very
sad one. Mr.. Hartman was born in Germany
October 10, 1882, and moved to this country
during the summer of 1884. He has lived
in this vicinity the past ten years and has
many friends and neighbors who regret the
tragic end. Mrs. Hartman was a lady
highly respected, but one who has labored
with many unfortunate conditions for the
last half of her life.