Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-08-07
LITTLE GIRL MURDERED.

n L
Lisa Weissenberger, a child OF 10
years, was brutally murdered In Wash
ingtop, yesterday morning, by Benja'n-
in b. Smell, man of gigantic stature.
forty-fve years old, and married. He
is special examiner in the Pension Of
fee. and man OF intelligence and good
education. Shell was arrested while
trying to escape half an hour after the
murder. He says he has absolutely no
recollection of killing the girl, or OF any
action of his from the time he rose until
he was arrested. An autopsy performed
yesterday afternoon showed that the
victim had been subject to criminal
misuse, presumably at the hands OF
Smell. Her head was nearly severed
from her body by two slashes of q razor,
with which the murder was done.
Six years ago Smell took Lisa Weis-
sen berger into his home, where he has
wife and two children, but has dis
played an iuordidate fopdues5 for his
neig hbor's child. Lisa remained with
the Smells until about year ago, when
her parents grew suspicious that Smell
was not treating the child properly, and
removed her to their own home. She was
permitted to return to the Smells at the
urgent request of Smell, but was
brought home again. This happen
ed twice afterwards, the child con-
Tossing to her mother, after she had
been taken away from the Shell
house the third time, that Shell had
behaved improperly towards her. This
was several weeks ago, and since that
time Shell has importuned Lizzie
father and mother, and even the child
herself, though she always exhibited
repugnance to him. He tried to bride
her mother, threatened to kill Lisa
and himself, and daily begged and men
aced the parents of Lisa.
On Friday last he vas go rudely re-
butfed that he appears to have lost
hope, aud it was then he told Nlrs.
Weissenberger that he and Lisa would
die together. While Mrs. Weissen.
berger was preparing breakfast for her
family yesterday morning Shell came to
the door and asked Charles Weissen'
berger, the father, for drink Of water.
The old man went to hydrant, some
distance of, to get the water, and Smell
entered the homo, passed through the
front room, which the parents occupied,
through the middle room, in which
Lisa and her ten-year old brother,
Henry, were asleep, and stood at the
door of the kitchen. Mrs. Weissen-
berger ordered him from her house, and
told him that Lisa had confessed his
evil conduct towards her. Smell
then turned to the sleeping child pulled
| her from bed, and drew razor from
his coat pocket. Wild with horror,
the child cried Murder" Smell
wound his hand in her hair, drew back
her head, and slashed at her three
times cutting her throat from ear to
ear and nearly severing her head
Henry, the little boy, jumped at his
SISTERS murderer and struck him in the
face with his baby fist. Mrs. Weissen-
berger attacked Suell too, but
knocked her down and tried to cut her
throat. also, but made only long and
deep wound on the wrist and forearm
| cueli tHeH LIEU, lOiio"cu NY SouIc J JULY
men, who stoned him until mounted
policeman placed him under arrest.
Smell was appointed in the Pension
Office in 1890, and was promoted from
5000 to 81 900 under the Hoke Smith
/; administration. He got in u drunken
row three years ago and had his leg
broken. As result, be was about to
be dismissed, but accepted reduction
to 81 300, and was made special ex-
aminer in the Southern division.
He broke down this morning and
wept like child. The officers talked
10 him about the horrible crime and he
denied that he had any recollection OF
what had occurred during the previous
twenty-four hours. "If l did it," be
said, lam willing to take the conse-
quences." An inquest was held at the
sixth Precinct today.
The coroner's jury, this afternoon,
returned verdict holding Smell re-
sponsble for the death of Lisa Weisen.
berger.