Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-03-02
FATE OF BEIls1EIN FAMILY.
FOUR HAVE DIED AND ANOTHER
LIKELY TO FOLLOW.
Bertha Refuses to Reveal why She
Murdered her Mother and
Attemptef Suicide.
Attempted Suicide,

months reads more Ike nCtlon tnan an
actually. The case that prompted
Bertha A. Beilsteln to Kill her mother
and make desperate attempt on Der
own life may never be revealed. The
girl shows every disposition to keep the
secret locked within her own breast
unless indeed, she confided it TO her
brother. now dead, in the letter she is
alleged to have written TO him before
her attempt on her own life.
Scarcely less remarkable than the
crime itself is the fact that the girl
with bullet wounds in her breast and
head, which the surgeons said must
produce death within a few hours, has
survived so long, and may recover en-
trely.
Throughout the weeks that she has
fingered between life md death she
has been conscious large part of the
time ard yet so fer 80 tbnse- a,heGt h.a
will tell has never expressed any con
triton or sorrow for her crime.
Bertha A. Beilstein murdered be.
mother by shooting her three times
with revolver on the morning of Oct.
Q. She then drank large quantity Of
lsudanum, after which she shot her
self four times, using two revolvers,
and inficting wounds which the ply
sicians thought from the first would
prove fatal within a few hours. Mrs.
Beilstein, it is thought died almost
Immediately. Owing to the promi
nence OF the family the tragedy caused
intense excitement
The family retired about 1890
o'clock on Saturday evening. Both
mother and daughter appeared to be In
excellent spirits. and Bertha. who was
very much attached to her mother
babe her good night in a cheerful man
ner.
Next morning about $50, when Ed
ward BcilStein brought the sunday
supply of meat for the family he found
that all were still in bed He went to
his mothers room and called several
times to her lie then knocked at the
door without receiving any response.
opened the door and was Mortified to
find his mother lying on the bed in a
pool of blood and with three bullet
holes in her head and body. The hor-
riiied son then hastily made his way
to the room of his sister and found her
lying PROSTATE across the bed with
blood gushing from bullet wounds In
her head and body. In a pool Of blood
on the center of the bed lay two revol-
vers, one of 80 and the other of %
caliber. The young woman opened her
eyes as her brother entered and recog
nized him instantly. She called him 10
the side of the bed, and pointing to the
weapons. said:
81 had TO die. and killed mother -
she would not grieve over my death"
IN In at let ~
the wounded girl was a large dirk. and
upon the mantel was found a three
ounce bottle that had contained laud
anum. A large handy-billy was found
hanging on the knob of the door
When the tragedy was reported to
the police after thorough investiga-
ton they concluded that the girl ca
tered her mothers room and while
the latter was sleeping fired the fatal
shots. She then returned to her own
room and drank the laudanum. after
which she shot herself The revolver.
knife and handy-billy were all taken
from a bureau drawer in the attic.
where they had been kept for a mum
Der Of years.
The BeilStein family was probably
one Of the best known in that section
of Allegheny. The father. John Fred
erick Beilstein, a former wealthy
butcher in Allegheny, died suddenly
from an attack Of apopleTy while seat
ed nj the breakfast table on the morn.
Ing Of Dec. Is last.
By some surgeons Bertha's case is
considered most remarkable, while
others are of the opinion that there
was nothing unusual about II save the
young woman's extraordinary tenacity
and constitution. From the time she
committed the crime she has endured
suffering. which at times is intense.
with great fortitude and only st
times does She complain.
Each one of BerthaS self-inaicted
wounds were considered by the al
tending physicians of a dangerous ma
turo One Of the bullets of IS caliber
penetrated the walls Of the stomach
to the left and about two inches below
the heart. This was considered vital
spot, vet after the first dressing the
wound began 10 heal Two bullets Of
% caliber entered the left breast. 10
the right Of heart. and both wounds
have almost entirely healed. Tn.
fourth ball was of % caliber and en-
tering the head Immediately above the
right ear, 1t pentrated a portion Of the
head From this wound considerable
brain matter eyuded and the frontal
bone was shattered An operation was
necessary 10 remove more Of the girls
brain.
This wound IL washed and treated
with an anJiSeptic dressing daily TIE
portion Of the brain at the wound is
considered dead and this is responsi
bic for the partial paralysis which set
In several weeks ago. The girl is IN
able to move herself but at the times
when she feels strongest she converses
freely and nationally Nth those about
her bedside
She, il is said makes no allusion TO
the crime. ard has not expressed her
preference Of death She has lost
nearly m pounds In weight, weighing
about - pounds now.
Tho physicians are unable 10 predict,
In raSe Of her ultimate recovery
whether che will be in possession 81
ali her faculties or not
David Reich. better known in the "
cinity as Uncle Davey" and who
made his home with the Beilsteiu's Tor
4 number Of years. was so shocked NJ