San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-17
A FATAL BULLET.
IT ENDS THE EXISTENCE OF CHRIS
TIAN AMUNDSEN.
A Well-Knowp Young Man of This City
Found Dead on the Salado he Leaves
Wif5 and Little Child.

Cold and stiff in death was the body
of Christian Amundsen, well known
young man of this city, found yester-
day afternoon on the banks of the Sa-
lado after an unrelenting search of
twenty-fOur hours.
Amundsen was last seen alive Friday
afternoon about 2 o'clock, when he
said he was going to the Second mis-
sion on business. He left the Ger
mania Insurance companys office,
where he was employed, about Ills
o'clock Friday afternoon, in his bug
gy, and took with him two insurance
policies he wanted to deliver to A.
HOrnung and Bertha Schramm, of 326
Nolan street. He did not return that
night and his wife became uneasy and
made inquiries about him to his
friends. His horse returned Friday
night about o'clock, but without man,
buggy or harness.
His friends were 10th to believe
anything serious could have happened,
but suspicion dawned upon them that
he would have raised an alarm had
he met with an accident His friends
began a search for him that night,but
of no avail. He did not return yester-
day morning, nor did he report to the
office. The unfortunate wife was al
most in a state of frenzy. The au-
thorities were notified and Constable
Joe Kohr spent most of his time, look
ing for young Amundsen. Besides the
constable, the police also looked. Fred
Scudder. Christian Dullnig and Emil
Haueisen, Of the insurance company
and Charles Elmendorf and X. M. Mix
lass also Joined in the search. They
believed Amundsen might be found
and inquired of everybody they met.
The search was renewed in the af-
ternoon. each taking a different direc-
ton. Mr.. Scudder rode out to the
Salado on a bicycle. He went along
the Lavernia road, and crossing the
Salado he noticed a buggy about 300
wards from the Salaao. The buggy
was near the road, close to a pasture.
This attracted Mr.. Scudder's attention.
He went to the buggy and saw that II
was Amundsen's. He then went into
the pasture, and found the harness.
Going a few feet further he found the
body of Amundsen. He was lying on
his back. with a pistol at his right
side. near his feet. The pistol was a
hammerIess Smith & Wesson, 3S cali
bre. and two chambers were empty.
Mr.. Scudder was horror struck and
on his return to the city met Mr.. Dull
mig, whom he informed of the sad dis
coyery. The sorrowful news was
brought to the city and Coroner Phil
Shook was summoned. He went out
to view the remains and issued GER
tificate of death, giving as the cause
a pistol shot self inflicted. Undertake
err Riebe was sent for and brought the
remains to the city about o'clock last
evening to prepare them for burial.
The bullet entered the right temple
and went through the head and out
near the left ear. On his body were
found two insurance policies and 90
cents in change.
Amundsen borrowed the pistol from
Frank White, Waterman at the Ala
mo Fire Insurance building, last Fri
day. Deceased evidently shot himself
Friday afternoon, as he was stiff when
found.
1t is believed that Amundsen UNI
hitched the horse outside of the pas
ture, fed it, turned it loose, knowing
that it would go home and thereby
cause a search for his body.
No cause can be assigned to Amund-
sens action, except that it be tinan-
cfal troubles He was solicitor Tor
the Germania Insurance company, and
formerly was in the insurance business
with w. S. Murphy and Joe McAllis-
ter. under the firm name of Murphy
Amundsen and MCAllister He was
native of Norway and had lived in San
Antonio about seven years. He was
90 years of age and was married rev
years ago to Miss Bertha Barbeck,
daughter of the late Prof. VIM. Bar
beck, of this city. His wife and a
little son are left to mourn his loss.
They live at the corner of Omaha ana
blackberry streets. Their domestic
relations are said to have been of the
most pleasant kind. 1t is believed that
he has suffered financial reverses,
which resulted in his rather freely i'm
bibing in strong drinks.
Deceased was a member of Friends
shin council, No. %, Order of Chosen
Friends. The funeral will take place
this morning at 10 o'clock from the
family residence, under the auspices
of that order. The pail bearers will
be Messrs. Christian Dullnig, Jr.,Frank
Beitel, X NJ. Niklass, Fred Scudder,
Haelig and Brinkman.
Deceased has a mother living in
Menominee, Wis. Her name is Mrs.
l.. Rood.
Coroner Shook will take testimony on
the inquest tomorrow.