The San Francisco call., 1897-12-14
One Is Dying and the Other
Suffers From a Painful
Injury.
VAINLY ATTEMPTS TO END
HIS OWN CAREER.
Was Despondent Because Divorce
Proceedings Had Been Brought
Against Him.
Special DISPATCH TO THE CALI.

MODESTO, Dec 13.-As the result of an
awful tragedy enacted here this morning
at about o'clock one woman lies dying
with bullet wound in the upper part OF
the right groin and another in the chest /;
another woman has wound in the chest,
and their assailant lies seriously wounded
in jail.
Pistol reports and the screams OF women
attracted the attention of people living in
the vicinity of the residence OF w. f.
Tiedemann, at Fourteenth and G streets.
Then they saw Mrs. Tiedemann run from
the house. blood pouring from a bullet
wound in her breast. Her mother and
father, Mr.. and Mrs. George C. Owens,
were found lying in their own blood on
the kitchen floor. By Owens side was
revolver and three empty shells.
Owens, who is a carpenter and an old
resident of this city. has not lived happily
with his wife since September 80 At that
time their daughter Eta married William
Tiedemann, young blacksmith. Owens
dl'sented, but his wife favored the match.
When the couple were married Mrs.
Owens and a younger daughter. who was
a. school at the time of the shooting took
up their abode at the home of Tiede mann
She then applied to the courts for di-
vorce. He fought the case.
Before daylight on Saturday morning
some one attempted to gain entrance TO
Tiedem ann's residence, leaving a bent
key fastened in the doorIock. This morn
ing Owens called at the house and
knocked.
His daughter, Mrs. Tiedemann, opened
the door. Owens forced his foot In before
the door could be closed, and pushed his
way through. His wife sat at the breakfast
table. He asked her to return TO him aud
withdraw her divorce proceedings. She
replied that they could best live apart.
Then Owens drew a revolver, shot his
daughter through the breast and fired
twice at his wife, one bullet entering her
groin and the other lodging in her chest
Another shot was fired at the daughter,
but missed. Mrs. Owens fell, and Mrs.
TIedemann ran out of the door.
Owens then turned the revolver toward
his own head and fired, but the bullet
only tore through the top OF his skull.
The weapon was then empty. He elected
the shells and reloaded, but before he
could fire again he fell nconscious from
the wound.
Officers and physicians were summoned
Sheriff PurVis removed Owens TO the jail
When he regaired consciousness he
begged Under Sheriff Waterhouse TO give
MIN revolver so he could kill himself
He said that if he could only kill his SON.
in-law, who was then at Pacheco Contra
Costa County, attending the funeral OF his
father, he could die In ueace.
Since his separation from his wife Owens
has been despondent. Years ago he was
a habituaI drunkard, but he forsook LIQUOR
and was softer and industrious until only
recently. His friends knew Of his morose
disposition of late, hut did not consider
hira On
nisht he said TO an acquaintance:
"When my oldest daughter had trouble
it almost broke my heart. but l overlooked
it. Then when Eta married Tiedemann
against my wishes and we quarreled I
overlooked thar, hut now when they all 20
back on me and try to force the old man
out OF his home he is not going 10 stand
it."
Physicians pronounce Mrs. Owens
wound fatal.