The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-14
Awful Murder Committed by a
Fiend at Laredo, Texas.
KILLS A WOMAN AND CHILD FOR
THE PURPOSE OF ROBBERY.
Realizing That the Dreadful Crime
Hnd Been Discovered. and That
Iyuchiu. Would Be His Fate. the
SLAYER Puts an End to His Existence
by Shooting Himself Through the
Heart.

Heart
LAREDO CTex), Nov. 13.-A diaboli-
cal murder of mother and child, 1t is
supposed for the purpose of robbery,
was revealed to-day, followed by the
self-destruction of the fiend when he re-
allied that his crime had been discoV-
cred and lynching awaited him IN all
probability. 1t is believed the murdered
woman was Mrs. Caroline Menn of Dal-
las, Tex. Her child was a girl of about
10 years The murderer is supposed TO
be William or Samuel Kuentz of KAN
sas City. Kuentz stated while here
that he had been a master mechanic for
a railroad, and letters were found III
his trunk addressed to William Kuentz,
151 Grand avenue, Kansas City.
Last Monday evening a tall, fine
looking man, accompanied by woman
and pretty girl, registered at the Hotel
Hamilton as c. Schuler and family. At
. O'Clock yesterday afternoon SchuleI,
who was really Kuentz, hired buggy
and took the woman and girl to the
depot, despite the incleme Mt weather
AT o'clock he returned the vehicle and
ate supper at the hotel without exciting
any suspicion, retiring afterwards.
During the night a shepherd diScoV-
cred two bodies lying in the brush
just beyond a small reservoir. de
noticed trails where the bodies had been
dragged through the thorns by the muir
derer and the prints of the buggy
wheels were noticed on the ground
Without touching the bodies he came
to the city and notified the Recorder
Officers proceeded at once to the scene
OF the crime and removed the bodies to
the city. They were identified as those
of the woman and child who had gone
riding with KuentZ
The news of the murders was known
all over the city early this morning,
and the sequel came at 6 o'clock The
proprietor of the hotel knocked at
Kuentz' room and asked him where his
family was. Kuentz replied that he
had taken them last night to Aztec,
where they had taken the limited train
for Mexico. Il think you are mis-
taken" said the proprietor. Your
family are not in Mexico
Kuentz shut the door and, drawing
a revolver, shot himself through the
heart. On his person was found a cigar
case containing over $1,000 in bank
bills. On the cigar case was stamped
Sam Kuentz. 1t is believed his brother
lives in Fort Worth. and he was at once
notified of the tragedy.
Kuentz spent most Of his time while
here in saloons, and no doubt meditated
the deed
In the murdered WOman's trunk was
found a marriage license bearing the
names of Catherine Menn and Theo-
dore Menn. kuentz was once chief
engineer of Helms Brewery, Kansas
City.
A letter was found in the woman's s
effects. dated October 4th, from G. B.
Brown Fort Worth, Tex, merchant,
addressed to Mrs. Caroline Menn, Dali
las Tex the merchant requesting her
to send check for SO From this it
is inferred that the woman had a bank
account. She stated that Mr.. Christen,
her son, kept a hotel at Fort Worth
and it is believed Kuentz stopped at
this hotel found out the woman had
money, enticed her here TO murder her
and get her money.
A telegram was received here to-day
from Fort Worth stating that Mrs
Mems son had left that city TO come
here.
The wounds on the chiId's body and
the position in which it was found in
dicated that she died a lingering death.
She was cut slightly on the left knee,
as though she had fallen on a sharp
stone. and the left side of her head was
cut as though by a glancing blow of a
club. There was another wound on the
top of her head. but death had come
from a knife wound IN the neck, sew
ering the jugular vein and carotid ar
terry. The body was found on it's back.
the little arms raised as though to ward
off the murderous blows.
Mrs. Mem. who was rather stout
and about 40 years old, was shot in
the breast and probably struck q crush
Ing blow on the head breaking the
skull. The fiend, in Jack the Ripper
style then used his knife stabbing his
victim once on the front side of the
shoulder. the blow ranging downward
once in the center of the left breast,
twice in the stomach, once in the abdo-
men and once in the right side. between
the sixth and seventh ribs. The blood
stained murderer then probably killed
the child with his dripping knife, to
make sure there would be no living
witness of his deed.
The bodies of the suicide and his
victims We're taken TO Fowser' S
morgue. which was surrounded by a
large crowd of enraged citizens, who
would have made a lynching party if
the murderer had not cheated them.
An insurance policy for $4,000 in his
own favor. a deed of trust, executed
by Catherine Menn on property in East
St Louis. a photograph of KuentZ and
pictures of a handsome young woman
and a child of q were found in KuentZ S
trunk, beside the letters addressed to
William KuentZ. Kansas City.