Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-02
pnrSGrNe nRTTE TO JUSTICE
south Dakota Court About to Deal
with Cruel Murderer.

WIN truci murderer.
| CHAMBERLAIN s. D., March 1.-(Spe-
! cial)-The trial OF Frank Kottwitz. Ger
man farmer. for the murder of his wife and
unborn child, during a term of court which
| convcnes in Grant county on Tuesday, will
attract attention by reason OF the unusually
sensational and peculiar features OF the case
and the probability--if not certainty-that
| the accused will be sent to the galows for
| his cold-blooded crime.
Kottwitz was born in Germany 80 years
ago and settled in Dakota in 1879 coming
| from Fairfield MINI. His wife, whose
maiden name was Rinke. removed with her
| parents from Wabasha, Mimi, to Grant
county. Dakota, in the fall of 1880. At that
time she was about 16 years of age. She and
hottwit2 became acquainted shortly after
hes arrival in the territory and the acquaint-
ance soon ripened into love. The story of
their courtship and ultimate marriage Is a
romantic one. Kottwitz and the girl were
engaged and expected to be married at an
early date, when well-to-do young farmer
named Raisener, living just over the Dakota
line in Lac qui Parle county, Minnesota. by
the assistance of a neighbor named Herman
Schwegel succeeded in prevailing upon the
girl to marry him The nature Of the inhu-
ence employed is not known. II was under
stood that Schwegel received $50 for his as
sistance in bringing about the wedding Kott-
WITT. Notwithstanding his having been Tilted
In this summary manner, attended the we'd
ding. Those present noticed that the bride
gave every indication of being more devoted
to him than to her husband, and the fact
was commented upon by the guests at the
wedding. When the wedding party broke up
the girls parents compelled her to occupy
one room, while her husband occupied
other, both being locked in their apartments.
They never lived together. Some two or
three months later Raisener was found dead
on the prairie near his home. A revolver
was lying by his side and the rumor gained
circulation that he had committed suicide.
From recent information 1t would appear
that kottwitZ, at least-and probably one
other person-knows that he did not commit
suicide and could explain the real cause OF
his death. The young widow married Kott-
WITT. Neighbors say Kottwtz took possess
sion of Raisener's farm and other property
and subsequently mortgaged the farm Other
stories, the truth of which may be developed
by the testimony produced at the impending
trial, are told of his probable connection with
the death of two Of his children, who died
under curious circumstances.
The couple were blessed with eight chill
dren. The oldest of the six now living is
about II years of age, The husband is of an
irritable and quarresome disposition. and
when under the influence of liquor, as was
frequently the case. was very abusive to his
wife, kicking her brutally whenever matters
did not go to suit him.
On the 14th Of last October threshing
crew was at Kottwitz's place, but, having
SuHereu DreakuOWn Ine men were IDLE LOT
the time being. Kottwitz went to a nearby
town to have the broken portion of the ma
chinery repaired, and returned home very
drunk. Taking offensa at something con-
neced with the midday meal, he violently
kicked his wife, who ran from the house and
laid down on the ground. He followed her,
and cked The prostra'e woman several times.
To escape him she ran back into the house
and sank down a bed. August KottwitZ,
a cousin of the husband. was in the house.
and she called to him that she was dying.
expiring before he reached her. In reply to
the questioning of officers, who arrived some
hours later Kctwitz said he did not know
what caused his wife's death, she had
always been healthy woman. The officials
could elicit nothing of Importance, and left
The premises. The following day the hus-
band of the murdered woman's sister informed
the authorities of the true circumstances
with the woman's DEATH and in
Quiry among the threshing hands Justified
the arrest of Kottwitz. He made resist
lnce, and did not show any particular con-
Germ.
The brutal affair created intense excitement,
md the sentiment was freely expressed that
Judge Lynch should mee out punishment to
he perpetrator, but the counsel of cooler
leads prevailed and the law Will be per-
nitted to take its course.