The San Francisco call., 1897-01-31
MURDERED BY AN
UNKNOWN HAND
Mrs. Maria Sprinznik Shot
to Death, Her Slayer
Escaping.
Her Lifeless Body Found by T.
Schroff, Who Notified
the Police.
Franz Wolf, the Woman's Escort, Is
Missing, and He Is Suspected
of the Crime.

A mysterious and foul murder occurred
in little three-room cottage in the rear
of 918 Montgomery street at about 5:45
o'clock last evening. Mrs. Marie
Sprinznik, a woman about 81 years of
age, was found living dead on the floor of
her kitchen by Theodore Schroff. a gar
dener who occupied one of the rooms, at
$3.50 P. NJ. The body was resting full
length in a pool of blood.
ragged bullet-hole at the corner of the
woman's left eve. several black powder
burns on the distorted features and the
absence of any weapon with which the
deed might have been committed told the
story of murder. The sound of the shot
that ended the unfortunate woman's life
failed to reach the ears of her neighbors
and her slayer skulked quietly from the
scene of his crime and disappeared
Mrs. Sprinznik was a married woman,
the wife of Franz Sprinznik tailor, who
occupies apartments at 622 Clay stre ct.
She left her husband about six months
ago, and after casting about for short
time met Franz Wolf, man who earned
a livelihood laDoring in an Alameda
County limekiln.
The friendship of the couple was soon
superseded by affection, and they went to
live in the cottage where the woman met
her death. Three days ago Schroff, who
found the body of the murdered woman,
rented one of the rooms. Night before
last according to his statements, the
couple occupied the same room and ap-
peaTed, Judging from their conversation,
the best of friends. Schroff left the house
yesterday morning ana went TO Union
Park, where he is employed.
At 2:30 P. NJ. Tommy Davis, a bright lad,
13 years of age, who resides with his
parents at $50 Montgomery street, noticed
Wolf leave his house. At o'&ock, an
hour and half after Wolf departed the
murdered woman was seen sweeping up
the stairway IN front of her home.
She finally entered her house, and was
not seen again alive. Schroff returned to
his room at 500 o'clock. The kitchen,
which is the first room entered through
the front door, was dark, and the unsus-
pecting gardener walked almost up to the
dead body before he saw it.
When he saw the body he turned
and fed, alarming the neighborhood with
his shouts as he ran Officer Dan Owens,
the once intended target OF Nike Nolan,
with whom he had a shooting scrape on
Grant avenue a few months ago, heard
the gardeners shout and hurried to the
scene. Finding that he had murder on
his hands Owens whistled for Officer D. G.
Bell and they returned 10 the SprinZnik
house.
iron resting on an ironing-board Jew
ieet away, and blood was slowly oozing
from the outlet would in the head.
The Coroner's and Captain Lees offices
were Immediately notlhed, and in a short
time Deputy Coroners Tyrreu and Nc
Innes and Detectives Dillon, Crockett Bee
ard Seymour arrived on the scene.
The body was removed to the Morgue
and the detectives began to study The
case. After an hours work they decided
that although Wolf had not been seen in
the neigh borhood of the killing since 4
O'Clock he must know something about
the murder. They searched for him, but
up to late hour he had eluGed capture.
Without doubt, Mrs. Sprinznik ex-
rected trouble with some of her acquaint-
ances.
Tuesday afternoon Mrs. Antoine, who
resides on the ground floor of 916 Mont
gomery street, visited the murdered
woman. at that time Mrs. SprinznIk
told her that there was a revolver hidden
under the mattress on her bed. The
murdered woman asked Mrs. Antoine to
remove tRe cartridges, saying she was
afraid OF firearms.
The matter was finally dropped, how
ever, and the pistol remained loaded. Last
evening when the BODY was found, a
thorough search OF the house failed to
bring tue revolver 20 light. Undoubtedly
the murderer used it, and after having
slain his victim put it in his pocket and
escaped.
The womans husband, Franz Sprinz-
mix, is a tailor and works and lives at 622
Clay street. He was. notified of the MUIR
der by Detective Seymour and appeared
to- be grief stricken 1T his wlfe's death.
He was taken before Captain Lees and