The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-10
DRUNKARD KILLS HIS WIFE
n FEEBLE ATTEMPT At SUICIDE
FOLLOWA.

she and Iheir Younr sop Eept Up Their Grocery
Huslnesa when schieEei Took TO
Became seaIous without Cause and the
Tragedy Rosuited-vyhnt the NeiGhbors Ssy'
A group of women stood outside Of Schlcgels
grocery at 2bl East Sovonty-seventh street
yesterday afternoon discussing the murder OF
Caroline Schlegel. who lay dead in her bed In q
room behind the shop. Her husband, Charles
schlegol, shot her through the head as she slept
some time during tho night. Ho mado q feeble
attempt at suicide when hesrcalized that ne was
to be arrested for his CRIME and probably con-
demned to the death penalty.
well, as the old sayin' goes, there's strength
in the DEVIL as the corp o. that poor woman In
there shows" said one Of the women, who heid
a shawl under her chin.
"She was a good woman" said another.
Decd, an she .was," echoed the group. and
they rccounted all tho virtues Of the dead MRS
Schlegel, telling how she worked carly and late
in the grocery and in her homo in tho rear.
Schlegcl, the husband, is 60 years old. His
wife was q comely matron OF 40 years, and he
fancied that she cared moro for other mon than
for him and was anxious for him to die 80 that
she could marry again. That, at any rate, Is
what he would like to have people believe was
the cause Of the shooting.
Besides Schlegel and his wife, q 15-year-old
son, Charles Schlegel, Jr., made up the fam.
lily. The Schlegels were married eighteen years
ago, when Mrs. Schlegel was Caroline Blumo-
nauer. n buxom young German-American
girl, just out Of her teens, and Schlegcl was a
thrifty cobbler. who had migrated here from
Germany seven years before and had made
enough to start housekeeping with. They lived
happily enough, and Mrs. Schlegel being thrifty,
too. saved enough money TO open the little
grocery In East Seventy seventh street. That
was started six years ago. and for three years
the little family continued to live comfortably
on the profits Of the store. Then Schlegel bo-
gan to drink and neglect his business. His
wife devoted her energies to 1t, and. with the
help Of her son, managed TO keep it agoing.
schlegel finally began abusing her for her al
legged attentions to men customers.
Between his drinking and quarrelling she
had a hard time trying to keep the store and
family. Finally he made an attempt at suicide
by shooting himself. The bullet just grazed
his forehead, and he recovered only to drink
harder than ever. lie gave up work altogether
and boat his wife when she would not give him
money for drink. She threatened repeatedly to
XIII her If she ever tried 10 do it.. She became
frightened at his threats, and declined to share
the same room with her husband. There are
five. rooms behind the grocery, and in these the
Schlegcls lived. The furthcst room was used
fitt 4 hs,s. aSd rn mem aln anS FO1 fRe ro dhe t nstt s SSS 9 ssi
occupied. A short hall separated these from
the two rooms directly in the rear of the gro
Gerry, where Mrs. Schlegel and her son slept.
The son 8 room was between those of his father
and mother, The boy opened tho store every
morning, and when everything was in readiness
for the morning trade, awoke his mother.
One day last week Schlcgcl got hold of some
money and bought a brand new American
bulldog 44.calibre revolver. He threatened TO
kill his wife and son with it, and Mrs. Schlegel
got 1t from him. She concealed it in what she
thought was a safe place in her room.
Shortly after D O'Clock yesterday morning
young Schlegel was awakened as usual by the
milEman and got up to open the store. He
mother. There was no response, SO he went
into the dark room with a match, and was horri-
fled to find his mother dead. A bullet wound be-
hind the left ear and the bed clothing covered
to the rear room and reused his father.
Mother is dead" the lad exclaimed as the
old man awoke.
Yes. and l am satisfied. 1 finished her."
said his father.
Tho boy ran screaming into the street, and
Policeman Galbraith was informed of what had
occurred. The policeman ran into the grocery,
and. after CHANGING at the body OF the woman,
picked up an old shoe knife and slashed HIM
self across both wrists with it. Policemen
Donoghue and Bradshaw were at the scene a
short time after tho murder was discovered.
byterian Hospital and Schlegcl was taken there.
His wounds We're not serious. and as he kept
shouting Historically that he had killed his
wife, and was apparently insane, his wounds
were bandaSed and no was transferred to the
prison ward in Bellevue Hospital. He will be
all right in a few days. the doctors say, and in
committed to tho care Of the Gerry society as a
witness.
Schlegol, 1t appears, had discovered the hid.
ing place OF the revolver. and after shooting his
II was found there by the police after he had
been taken to the hospital.