Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-28
KUSCHMANN'S FATE
Inquiry as to How 1t Was Met
Continues.
MRS. BisTIAN TELLS HER STORY,

Denies Having Prsvious Knowledge Of the
Many Crimes Attributed to Her FIend.
ish Husbana-Othse witnesses Relate
Tales About That Eventfal Night.
No sensational disclosures have
thus far been made in connection
with the Kuschmann inquisition
which continues at the court honse
Most OF the testimony offered has
been presented and the public is IA
miliar with it. 1t is not improbable.
however. that something new will
yet come to light.
| Coroner Halves is conducting the
inquest with the assistance of States
Attorney Searle. who is putting each
witness through a rigid examination
in the hope Of developing something
which will add clearer phase to the
terrible deed which is supposed to
have occurred on the eventful Satur-
day evening when Kuschmann met
his fate. The court room has
been filled at every moment
OF the examination by the
curious who have naturally become
interested in the case. The clothing
which Fred kuschmann wore on the
evening Of his death and the instru-
ment with which Bastian is supposed
to have stricken down his last victim
and other blood spattered articles
are displayed in the court room.
Among the more prominent wit
uesses examined yesterday afternoon
was Mrs. Henry Bastian. the MUIR
derer-suicide's wife. who was neatly
attired in black and accompanied by
her little daughter and her father, Nj.
I. johnson. Mrs. Bastian told a
straight story OF what she knew OF
him who had deceived her through
SO many years.
She Tells Her Story.
IL married Henry +. Bastian five
years ago last November and we had
two children-Mildred, who is now
years old. the other being dead.
We had lived on the farm in Black
Hawk township since our marriage.
Myself and husband resided alone,
save at occasional intervals, when
one of his sisters would come down
from Geneseo and remain q short
time with us. Carrie Bastisn had
been with us about two weeks pre-
vious to my husbands death.
Il was not home the day when
John Lauderbach disappeared. That
morning l went fer q visit to my
fathers, and when l returned about
5 o'clock in the afternoon my hus-
band said that Lauderbach had gone
away. can remember when Fritz
Kriensen went away. It was about
two years ago one evening when my
husband told me to stay all night at
my fathers house. did 60 and he
told me the next day that Kriensen
had gone west. The next day MIR.
Bastian took Kriensen's trunk away,
telling me that he was going to take
i: to the depot in accordance with
Krienscn's instructions.
"Lauderbach's trunk was also left
in the house until the day following
his disappearance, when Mr.. Bastian
took it away-where. do not know.
/ believe that he told me that Lau-
derbach was going to work in q
brewery.
Night of Kusc hmann's Fate.
| 1.-THE last recollection l have of
Fred kuschmann on the night of his
death was about 5 o'clock, when he
was coming through the yard after
cutting some wood. My husband
had been in and out of the house
several times before supper which
Il DO oil
before supper Henry came in and re-
moved his coat and sat down and
read awhile. He did not act confused
While we were eating he remarked
tina; he hoped Fred would get home
safe. l think Carrie was in the house
all this time. She took q bath and
then prepared supper. After the
evening meal nv husband put Mil
dred to bed. Then we sat down
awhile, when Henry suddenly re-
marked that he heard a horse gallof-
ing and went outside. l followed
him to the doorway, but could hear
or see no horss. Carrie accompanied
my husband into the yard. 1 went
back int the house to paciiy Mil
dred. who was CRYING. In a short
time Carrie returned to the house,
but she had nothing to say. In few
moments heard Henry drive away
in the buggy. knew nothing more
until was informed that Fred had
been killed.
Mrs. Bastian said that she had no
reason at the time to believe Ter
husband guilty of the crimes which
have been attributed to him. 1.-The
first occasion he'd to think i'll Of
him." continued Mrs. Bastiau, ..was
when / found that he had committed
a forgery. He felt very bad when
became aware of his wrong doing,
and l think this had something to do
with his ignoring me in his final
statement. And l think the letter
found on his dresser the morning on
which he destroyed himse was writ
ten by him."
On the night Of the Mclaughlin
fire Mrs. Bsstian said her husband
had not been home from 6 till 9
o'clock. But she said Carrie had
been in the house all the time with