The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-02-09
ADouble Tragedy.

Burlington was buo hC0u0 VI I'LL awful
tragedy on Friday. by which the life Of
one person was taken and that of another
was endangered.
About noon man was seen hanging
around the corner of Dilwyn and Union
streets, in the neighborhood of Budd's
shoe factory. The man was Nicholas
Schaffer. In the factory was his wife to
whom he had been married less than six
months, but who lived with him but a
short time.
When the employees of the shoe factory
started for home for their MONDAY meal,
Mrs. Schaffer was laughing and chatting
with her friends. At the corner her hus-
band put his hand up 50 ehoulder and
as she turned toward him he pom ed q
revolver at her and fred three shots. One
of them missed its mark, the other pierced
the woman's coat, while the third entered
her mouth and went out beneath her ear
Schaffer then turned the revolver to-
wards his own head and pulled the trig
ger. The bullet crashed into his brain
and he fell to the pavement unconscious
Mrs. Schaffer was at once carried into g
house near by, while her husband was
taken to his own home where he died
soon after.
Coroner Fisher held an inquest on Sat
urday in the case Of Schaffer.
Among the witnesses examined was DR.
T. S. Heineken for whom Schaffer had
for some time past conducted an iron
foundry. The doctor testified that the
deceased had told him, in a conversation
about week ago, that he (Scha ffer) had
an uncomfortable desire to kill his wife
and fight it as he would, he could no
shake it off and he was afraid to trust him
self.
This assertion on the part of Schaffel
had disturbed the doctor good deal, ant
he decided to send Schaffer on bushes:
trip and the arrangements were made fol
the latter to start on Friday afternoon.
After hearing a number of witnesses the
jury returned a verdict that Nicholas
Schaffer at the time of the tragedy labor
ed under severe mental strain, and tina
he was irresponsible.
Schaffer on the night before he com
mitted the deed, 1t is said, transferred BIZ
lodge benefits in case of death over to hil
sister, Mrs. Charles H. Parker.
Schaffer had been a resident of Burling
ton for thirty-two years. having gon'
there with his widowed mother from Phil
adelphia. He was a moulder by trade
and for two years was superintendent O
the foundry at Leighton, Pa. In lodgt
and church circles he was generally recog
nized person of extraordinary faith
fitness and well-directed zeal.
1t is evident that the mans mind dwell
on shooting some of the Boultons, anC
for threatening the life of the father
Henry Boulton, only few days ago, BIZ
was made defendant in Justice Baker
court, and was released on paying tn,
costs and promising to keep the peace.
There are hopes that Mrs. Schaffer viii
recover. She suffered considerably dur
ing Saturday. and in the evening DIR
Gauntt removed a bullet near the brain
1t had fattened thoroughly by coming il
contact with the skull.
Mrs Schaffer's maiden name was Boul
ton. She lived with her mother, in Bur
lington, and continued to do so after he
marriage although her husband had pre-
pared home for her and urged her t,
90 there with him. She refused, sayinl
she could not leave her mother. Thi
seemed to prey upon Schaffer's mind ant
undoubtedly was factor in the awfu
tragedy.