The record-union., 1897-11-20
MURDERER BAUMANN.
MUST STAND TRIAL FOR TIE
AWFUL CRIME.
Baumann Sat in a Stupor While
His Examination Was in
Progress.

On the afternoon of Saturday, the
9Th. Stefan Baumann, in a lit or Jeal-
Gus frenzy, shot and killed his Wlle
Catherine and--as is generally under
stood-then turned the revolver against
his own head and sent a bullet crash
ing into his brain in a vain attempt 10
follow the wife of his bosom into the
realms of the unknown
The murder and suicide took place IN
the rear part of the little cottage at
32..3 N street, and was the result OF
long-cCntinued discomfort between the
couple and jealusy on the part OF Bau-
mann.
Baumann is a Swiss and at one time
conducted the Old William Tell House
at Ninth and j streets. From imam
cial standpoint the hotel business was
a failure and the trouble in the Bau-
mann domicile seems to date from that
event.
Baumann's self-infiicted wound, while
painful, was not fatal, and few days
after the shooting ne was placed in the
County Jail for safe keeping.
About a week subsequent to the
shooting Coroner Clark held an in
case were given to the jury, and after
a few minutes consideration that body
brought in a verdict that the death
of Catherine Baumann resulted from
a pistol shot wound inflicted by her
husband, Stefan Baumann.
The facts in the case, as asceTtained
Immediately after the shooting, as we'll
as the evidence given at the Coroner's
inquest, were published in full in the
Record Union,'' and there appears to
have been no further evidence gathered
since those publications.
Baumann's preliminary examination
for the murder of his wife was con-
Quoted in the Police Court yesterday
City Attorney Brown taking care of the
case for the people, and Attorney +. ).
Sprague appearing for Baumann,
though against his wishes.
Mr.. Sprague explained 10 the court
that he had been approached by num-
ber of men-whose names he did not
mention-and asked to undertake the
defense of the accused, they agreeing
to produce a specified fee for his SER
vices. The fee had not the attorney
said. been forthcoming, and he had re-
ceiyed information that the same men
who had agreed to employ him had
made overtures to another attorney,
which they had perfect right to do.
If the court SO desired, the attorney
said, he would conduct the preliminary
examination to the best of his ability,
as he had been entered as attorney in
the matter, but he stated with en-
phasis that he had fulfilled the func-
a..
tlemen before and unless the prom
ised fee is forthcoming he would drop
the case after the preliminary hearing.
Justice Davis suggested that Attor
ney Sprague proceed TO conduct the
defense of the accused, and the latter
consented.
Baumann was in court, but if he
heard what was going on he gave no
evidence of the fact. He sat in a
humped-up position, and moved only
at intervals to shift his head from his
hands to the desk in front of him
and back again. He was one of the
most detected appearing mortals to be
imagined, and was stupid and inert,
seeming to nurse only his injuries, real
or imaginary, and apparently did not
realize that he was under examination
OH a charge which, if fastened upon
him, meant death on the gallows.
Until the end he maintained his posi-
ton, the white bandages in which his
head was swathed standing out in bold
relief against his thin, grizzled hair
and swarthy complexion. He held no
communication with his attorney and
was aroused only when the officer led
him back to his cell
The evidence was practically the
same as that given at the Coroner's
inquest, except the evidence given
by Officer Hardy and Special Officer
Campbell in respect to the relative posi-
tions of the bodies of the murdered
woman and. her husband after the
shooting
Mrs. n. Zamansky and Mrs. NJ Ken
nedy repeated the testimony given by
them at the inquest, and in the state
ments of Albin Scheiber and Joseph
Blanzer there were no material
changes.
The examination lasted nearly all
day, and at the end Baumann was held
to answer before the Superior Court
without bail