The San Francisco call., 1897-05-29
Mysterious Fate of Mrs.
George Gehrig Of
Nevada City.
Had Contemplated Suicide,
but the Evidence lndi-
Gates Foul Flay.
Left Home on Wednesday After
Quarrel With Her
Husband.

NEVADA CITY, CAL, May 28-Sus-
pended by the neck to small rope
fastened to a nail in the wall, the body of
a woman was found this morning in a
woodshed in the rear Of the National
Hotel. The unfortunate was Mrs. George
Gehrig OF this city, who had registered at
the hotel as Mrs. Francis Zeitler on
Wednesday, after quarrel with her hus-
band. There is evidence to prove that the
woman contemplated suicide, but this is
oulweighed by the marks of cruel blows
and scattered pools of blood, which be-
speak foul play. The mystery is deep
one, and the authorities nave as yet been
unable to solve it.
The Gehriss have raised family of six
children, but though prospering fnan-
cially their life has not been happy one.
On Wednesday they had trouble. and late
that day Mrs Gehrig left home, G ,ing to the
hotel under an assumed name. Gehrig had
been searching in vain for her until he
saw the bruised and blood bedraggled
corpse to-day. He feels certain that
his wife killed herself, but many OF the
officers and citizens believe she was muir
dered.
The woman's body was discovered at
about 6 O'Clock this morning by Officer
w. G. Carr. 1t was suspended by the
neck from a stout wire nail in the south
wall of the woodshed. The nail was
about six feet from the ground and the
body was suspended by a short piece of
small rope, such as is used for clothes
lines. The rope reduced the distance to
the ground to about four feet, and the
woman not only had her feet on the
ground but had her knees bent, so that If
she died in that position it must have
been by slow strangulation. Her lace
was turned toward the wall and both
hands were raised and resting on a cross
timber. as though she had clutched at it
before death.
Deputy Sheriff Nagle cut down the
body. Coroner Hooking soon arrived and
the officers began an investigp ton. On
the ground at the edge of the woodpile
and about forty feet from where the body
hung was a pool of blood. The shed is a
large one. about 40 bv so feet in size, be-
ing used for wagon shed also. 1t has an
earth floor and the dust is deer, but the
officers found no traces in it Of body
having beer dragged about, yet blood Was
spattered from one end of the she'd to the
other.
Near the largest pool lay an ak, its
handle dyed red. but the blade unst aimed.
1t was evident that the ak was not used,
but that stick OF oak stove wood which
lay in the large pool was the bludgeon
with which the woman had been beaten
over the head. The cuts on ner head were
not deep but her skull had been frac-
tured. Later another stick was found
covered with blood and hair.
Mrs. Gehr1g a few days ago wrote in
German a disconnected ana rambling let
ter which was not interpreted until to-
day, and by some this letter is offered as
proof that she killed herself. In it is
sentence to the effect that "if he knew
what loving wife and good mother
have been he would not treat me so"
Another was: II thank God that there
are still many good and virtuous women
in California"
An inquest will be held tomorrow
nisht and the funeral will be held on Sun
day, under the auspices OF Milo Temple,
Rath bone Sisters.