The record-union., 1899-04-10
kurders HIS Former Wife and Then Ends
His Own Existence.
The Tragedy, Which Was Prompt
ed by Jealousy, a Most Brutal
One-The Woman Stabbed Three
Times in the Back as She Fled
From the Murderer, Won
Schmidt Terminating His Life
With the Same Instrument.

ALAMEDA, April 9-Captain A. Won
Schmidt, a san Francisco harbor pilot
and prominent yachtsman, murdered
his former wife and committed suicide
in this city to-day. The tragedy, which
was prompted by jealousy, was most
brutal.
On the last day of 1898 Mrs. Won
Schmidt was granted a divorce on the
ground of extreme cruelty, and the
custody of their five children was
awarded to her After that the Cap
tain made frequent threats against her,
and seemed insanely enraged at the re-
suit of the divorce suit.
When he called at her home to-day
she opened the door. He had pistol
in one hand and a keen knife in the
other. Without word he made
lunge at her with the knife, infiicting d
slight wound in the breast. Then he
threw the pistol at a servant girl VINO
had appeared and she fled in terror.
No one witnessed the double tragedy
which ensued, but when the neighbors,
who were aroused by the servants
cries, reached the place Won Schmidt
lay dead in the back yard with hve
stabs in his breast and throat, While
few feet away his divorced wife was
breathing her last. She had three deep
wounds made by the knife in her back
The theory is that after Won Schmidt
assaulted her at the front door She
turned and ran, and that he stabbed
her fatally as she fled. She died IN
few moments after her prostrate and
bleeding form was found. Her age
was about 30 years, Won Schmidt being
ten years older
Letters found in the murderer'S S pock
cts indicated that a shirt manufacturer
of San Francisco was the object OF his
jealousy, but friends of all the parties
assert that there was no ground for his
suspicious.
Won Schmidt was known throughout
the State and was the son of the Ia
nous civil engineer of that name VINO
did much important work for the
United States Government, in part OF
which he was an associate. He had
also directed part of the work of deep
ening the harbor of Oakland.
For several terms he served as Com
modore of the California Yacht Club
He was Mason, a Native Son and a
member of the Unitarian Club. ftls
wife was woman of slight physique,
while he was six feet three inches tall
and of massive build.
The weapon used by Won Schmidt was
a dirk with an inch blade taperiHg to
q point The pistol he carried and which
he hurled at Miss Thompson, the SER
want, was an English bulldog of mod
ern pattern, 4-caliber.
The attack on his wife was most bru-
tai. for one of her ribs was cut in two,
and her right shoulder almost severed
from the body
Less than quarter of an hour before
the killing Won Schmidt visited Mrs T.
c. Johnson. a friend of the family, and
said he desired a reconciliation with his
wife before the fifteenth anniversary of
their wedding on April 18th. When she
told him this seemed impossible, he
broke down and cried.
On Friday last he made threats
against Robert Eagleson, the man of
whom he was jealous. and addressed
to whom he left rambling letters of
vague accusation.
Colonel A w. Won Schmidt father of
the dead man, arrived on the scene
few moments after the tragedy and
took charge of the five little children,
but refused to view either of the bodies
Won Schmidt appeared in court last
Monday. and by his attorney made
motion to modify the decree of divorce
so that he could visit his children at
his pleasure. Judge Greene refused his
request stating at the time: "Von
Schmidt, it is 100 to l that if 1 should
allow you to go to your wife's house
you will commit some act of impro-
priety there" He was, however. given
the privilege of taking them out for a
few hours twice a month. 1t was sup
posed his call to-day was for this pur-
pose.