New-York tribune., 1896-02-03
The News of Brooklyn
GAS. POISON AND PISTOL.
SUNDAY MORNING SUICIDE ON THE
PARK SLOPE.
xEs AUGUSTA sCHVARz MADE DELIBERATE
ATTEMPTS TO END HER LIFE AND Sue
CEEDED on HER HUSBANDS BIRTH
DAY ANNIVERSARY.

DAY ANNIVERSARY.
The Park slope startled yesterday morning
while the bells in the nearby churches we're still
ringing out the call to early service. by a tragedy
which was committed in such methOdical and
deliberate way as attract more than ordinary
attention. The victim was the widow Of Anton
Schwarz. who died suddenly IN an uptown New
York fat Oh September "a Of last year. The
woman was forty-eight years old.
Since the death OF her husband Mrs. Augusta
Schwarz had been melancholy and had acted for
weeks past in such manner 10 attract the
attention Of the members OF her Immediate fam
iy, which consisted Of three sons and daugh-
ter Two OF these children by former
wife Of Schwarz.
The house at No ll2 Berkeley Place where
the tragedy occurred. is a pretentious four-story
structure, and one of the many which Mrs.
SchwarZ owned In the neighbOrhood MRS.
Schwarz retired early saturday evening. She
had been suffering from neuralgia. and Dr. Ben
nett. Of No. $50 President-st had prescribed for
her. At O'Clock yesterday morning the report
OF a pistol sounded through the house, and a
son OF the woman. who occupied an ADJOINING
room. cried out that his mother had shot herself
Dr. Bennett was hastily summoned. but the
woman dead when he arrived at the house
1t was then learned that Mrs. Schwarz had
committed suicide in most methodical way. A
piece OF rubber tubing was in her mouth, and the
other end was attached 10 a gas jet The woman
was in q chair Near by was small bottle
containing laudanum. while on the floor was
a s-.en-chambereG revolver, with one chamber
empty The bullet had passed through the
mouth and entered the brain. Death was prob
ably Instantaneous.
Friends Of the family were hurriedly sum-
rnoned. and the police informed Of the case Two
and
posed to contain something relative to the dis
position Of her body. and the other to her son.
were found in the room. These the police took
charge #. and later turned over to the Coroner
who will hold an inquest Yesterday alter
noon Mrs. Paula. the married daughter OF
Mrs Schwarz. went TO the house and IN
hystercal way demanded Of the servants
knowledge OF the death Of her mother. When
Tribune reporter called at the house member
Of the family said that the only apparent cause
OF Mrs SchwarZ's action was the death Of her
husband which she had worI1ed continually
The poor woman, said the informant, SUI
fered long from nervous prOstratiOn and the delay
Of settling up the estate OF her husband Every
thing was progressing nicely But then Mrs
Schwarz had been de 'anged for some time. In
fact she often said that her troubles We're more
than she thought she could stand. The crime, or
act certainly was gone about In a methodical
way. The gas was not turned on fully enough to
do any harm in quick time. Then the amount or
laudanum taken irom the bottle was Marcy Marcy
enough cause death. Mrs. Schwarz. seeing
this decided that the only remaining agency
through which she could pass out Of the world
was the pistol This she used.
The woman threw element OF pathos ABOUT
her suf-nurder by choosing yesterday for the
deed. F1fiy-seven years ago yesterday her nus
band was born. 1t seems probable that she
had been contemplating the suicide for weeks
She was born In Stuttgart, Germany, ana was
we'll known in German charitable circles Her
husband was connected with the Brewers Ex-
change In Chatham Square NewYork. for many
years Ills Max succeeded him In that
connection.
DE-. W H. Bennett OF No. S39 Fresicent-st. who
rad been attending Mrs. Schwarz. last night
when asked as to the unfortunate woman's
mental condition Immediately prior to her death
said.
II don't think any one can be called correctly
balanced who commits suicide. Mrs. Schwarz
was suffering considerably with her teeth and
neuralgia. ! noticed that she was despondent
and low spirited, but for all that she had never
shown any symptoms OF insanity. l believe she
was good woman heart, and I've heard Of
ter doing many charitable Her tragic
death great surprise to me and shock to
her friends.
A few weeks before her husbands death she
said TO an unmarried young man who called 10
see her about real estate tran saction: Don't
marry for lOve-marry for money. Love files out
Of the window over night. She is said TO have
left fortune Of over 100000
The letters, IL was learned last night, were
both written in German. Coroner CoOmbs re-
fused to give them out until they were translated
The one TO the Coroner makes number OF be-
ouests Of 81 900 each TO her servants and
ruests the settlement OF number OF small
counts In Il she also says she IS in trouble over
requests in the strongest language that no au-
topsy be made her body, and that she be Gre
mated The letter to her sons Gustave and Fred
simply bade them goodoy