Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-09-26
BEAT HIS WIFE BRuTALLY
Frederick Wagner Makes a
Murderous Assault.
ARRESTED BY SERGEANT BAyLEy
The Woman at the Hospital in
a Serious Condition.
No Reason Known for wa.ner's Brutal
Conduct-Even After He Was in the cns-
tody OF Two otIieers He Reached Out
and Gave His Wife savage Kick.

About O'Clock Monday night Fred
erick Wagner made murderous assault
on his wife, Lizzie, at their home, in
Moore's court, which runs west from
Tarnall street, between Sixth and
Seventh. He beat and kicked her
about so that she had to bo sent to the
Homeopathic Hospital
A few minutes after 8 o'clock, Dora,
a little daughter, met Sergeant Bayley
at Fifth and Market streets. She was
/ crying and asked the officer IL he would
not go to the house, telling him that
her father was killing her mother. The
sergeant FASTENED there with the little
girl, and when he reached the house he
saw the father sitting on the door step.
Mrs. Wagner was inside the door and
as soon as che saw the officer she told
him that her husband had been trying
TO kill her, and asked that he be ar
f, rested. He had no shoes on and the
officer told him TO get his shoes on
and go with him to the police station.
He started in the house as il to obey,
and at the same time struck Sergeant
/ Bayley The latter at once caught hold
1 of Wagner and the two zen clinched.
The officers helmet had dropped off,
/ and he succeeded in throwing his
! prisoner down, the latter falling on the
\ helmet and breaking IT, Wagner then
tried to bite the officer and did succeed
/ in scratching his hands and face pretty
badly. But the officer got the nip
I pers on him and started out the door
just as Officer Scott appeared on the
scene. Then between the two officers
Wagner was marched ont the alley.
Mrs. Wagner had gotten out and she
was making her way 10 the house Of
neighbor II was with difficulty that
she got along, and she had Just reach
ed the corner of the court and Tatnall
7 street when the officers got that far
with the prisoner, and although he was
between the officers he gave his wife
a terrific kick in the side, which
knocked her unconscious across the
steps of the house into which she was
trying to make her way. She was
prevented from falling off the steps by
two men who just reached the scene as
she was kicked. She was cared for
there and afterward removed into the
house, Wagner being taken to the
police station. Mrs. Wagner did not
regain consciousness for fully Is min
utes, and when she did come to, she
appeared to be in terrible agony. In
few minutes she again became uncon-
scious.
A patrol wagon was summoned as
soon as possible and the injured woman
was removed to the homeopathic
Hospital on stretcher. An examina-
tion was made, but it is not known yet
whether any bones are broken. At
one time during the night it was
thought she was dying.
The unfortunate woman was not able
to tell what had happened in the house,
except that her husband had beat and
kicked her, and that was all that the
two little children--a boy and girl
could tell. The little ones were terri
fed. They were cared for Monday night
by neighbor.
1t was learned Monday that Wag-
ner and his wife have had trouble be-
fore, and short time ago she left
home and went to live with relatives on
East Seventh street. Mrs. Wagner
went to the house Monday night in re-
sponse to letter which Wagner sent
her, in which he expressed a desire
that she take care of the children. A
portion of the note read as follows: 81
have nothing in the house to eat and
no work TO amount to anything. I |
cannot see but to turn the children |
over to you, as | cannot take proper |
care of daughter as it should be done. |
So you can come and get your things.
They belong tu you. You are welcome |
TO them and when I have the money |
/ will pay their board, or you can do |
with them just as you please. AS for
me, do not care what becomes of me,
whether | am in Jail or WHAT Al |
though Mrs. Wagner could not talk after
the fight Monday night it is presumed |
that che went to the house to look |
after the children and her belongings |
and the trouble was renewed. The |
neighbors knew nothing, except that |
there had been fight.
Wagner was arraigned in the muni- |
cipal court on Tuesday charged with |
attempting to kill his wife. City |
Solicitor Harman stated that the hos
pital attendants informed him Tuesday |
morning that Mrs. Wagner's leg is |
broken and she is so badly injured that |
she will be unable to appear for at least |
a month. On the recommendation of |
the city solicitor the prisoner was held |
in $500 bail to answer in the municipal |
court on October 23d.
Reference was made to the two young |
children, and Agent Stout was directed |
TO provide them with home.