The San Francisco call., 1895-07-17
A BULLET IN HIS BRAIN,
Kurd Martens Attem pts to
Commit Suicide, With
Probable Success.
THE DEED AsCRIBED TO DRINK.
He Was One of Three Prospective
Heirs to Valuable Estate
in Germany.

Kurd Martens, member of wealthy
German family, fatally shot himself in a
toilet-room of the saloon, 533 Sacramento
street, yesterday morning.
His father was the principal partner in
the firm of Carl Martens & Co., known
throughout the German empire. His
father died recently and left an estate
valued at 3,000,000 marks, and Kurd was
one of the three prospective heirs. Since
his fathers death he has been receiving an
allowance of $500 per month from his
mother, pending the settlement of his
fathers estate.
Kurd studied medicine and received his
diploma as a surgeon and physician in
Germany. Afterward he got tired of a
citizens life and obtained commission as
lieutenant in the German Army.
He had not been long in this City when
he fell in love with one of the daughters of
Mrs. F. Rose, proprietress of the National
Hotel, 512 Bush street, and they were
married in February last. The young
couple took up their residence in Fruitvale.
Yesterday morning they came to the
City together, and Mrs. Martens went to
her mothers hotel on Bush street. while
her husband called upon his brother-in-
ramento street. When he entered the
saloon he called for glass of wine. He
had been drinking heavily for several days
and was under the influence of liquor at
the time.
His brother-in-law urged him not to
drink any more, but to go to Bush street
and join his wife. He refused, and Trefz
left the saloon to go for Mrs. Martens.
After he had gone he again called for a
oil of nd RI
He drank the wine, and, without saying
anything, went to the toilet-room in the
rear. A moment later the people in the
saloon were startled by the report of a
pistol. Several men rushed into the room
and found Martens on the floor with blood
pouring from gaping wound close to his
right ear. A 32-caliber Harrington &
Richardson revolver was clasped in his
right hand.
1t was at first thought that he was dead
and the Coroner's Office was notified, but
when the Morgue wagon reached the place
the ambulance had been there and Martens
had been taken to the Receiving Hospital
as it was discovered that life was not ex-
tinct
Drs. Berry and Mays promptly attended
to the wounded man. They found he had
placed the muzzle of the revolver in the
aperture of the right ear and pulled the
trigger, the bullet lodging in his brain.
The doctors expressed the opinion that he
could not recover.
When Trefz and Mrs. Martens reached
the saloon they learned of the shooting and
that Martens had been taken to the hos
pital. They returned to the National Ho-
tel, and accompanied by Mrs. Rose and an
attorney hurried to the hospital with the
intention of inducing Martens to make his
will, but they found him unconscious.
When the young wife saw her husband
she was frantic with grief and pathetic
scene followed. She threw herself upon
his unconscious body and amid her sobs
implored him in piteous tones to speak to
her. She was led away, weeping bitterly,
by her mother and brother.
No reason could be assigned for the rash
act unless Martens had become tempo
rarily insane from over-indulgence in
drink.
1t was learned last night that Martens
had been previously married. but was
divorced from his wife in New York. His
present wife is only is years of age.