The sun., 1899-09-17
JEALOUS LOVERS CRIME.
WFISRR KILLS THE WIDOW ASTER
AND DIES BESIDE HER.

He Had Been Devoted to Her fer Year
and She Told Her Friends That His At
teptlons Were DistastsfuI to Hor-Was
shot Down as She Cleaned the stove.
Early yesterday morning, while tho neghbor-
hood was asleep, Alexander Weser, Of 238 East
Tenth street. a German Of whom little Is known
killed Mrs Laura Aster. q widow TO whom he
had been devoted for more than year. In her
house at 126 East Tenth street, and then killed
himself In the same room. No motive is known,
except that the dead woman had told her friends
that Weisor's attentions were displeasipg 70 her.
The killing was done with a 3S-calibre revolver,
and but two shots wero fred each producing in
| slant death Mrs. Astor was a woman Of ex-
cellent reputation and her house was ono Of the
clean and respectable furnished-room houses
which are common in the German section, Of tho
city. Her age was about forty years and her
admiror was probably fow years her senior
Tho hrst that was known OF the killing was
when the driver Of delivery wagon, with a case
OF beer for tho house. wont there at nine o'clock,
and failing 10 get any response TO his ringing.
looked In at the front basement window. On
the floor Of the kitchen he saw two bodies lying.
There was blood around them. and, greatly terri
fed, he ran along tho street until he found po-
liccman 20 whom he told what he had seen. Then
he ran back, jumped into his wagon and drove
house and tried the doors, but found them locked.
They went to the rear OF the house and broke in.
In tho basement kitchen they found tho woman
lying In front OF the range with bullet hole in
tho back Of her head and the hair burned around
the place. showing that the muzzle Of the revolver
had been held close 10 her. II not actually press
ed against the scalp. Beside her lay brush
black with stovepolish and her fingers wero soiled
with the polish. Sho had evidently been furbish-
ing up the range when she was shot
Near tho door leading into the hallway lay
weisers body. A misshapen splotch Of lead
lay near it. II was tho bullet which had gone
through his head from temple to temple and
Hattencd against the wall The pistol was found
on the floor near by. Two exploded cartridges
and three loaded ones were found in it. There
was no sign Of struggle. Evidently Weiser
had shot the woman before she had any intima-
ton OF what he was about TO do, had then
crossed the room. leaned against tho door Jam.
and shot himself Police Captain Diamond.
of the Fifth street station, learned at the house
at 23s East Tenth street. where Weiser had fur
nished room. that he had spent the night there
and was gone at o'clock in tho morning Tho
people al the house knew little Of him, but under
stood that he was wdowor who had an income
as he never worked yet seemed 10 be pretty well
supplied with money. He had talked to somo
OF the people in the house about Mira Aster in
such a way as to give them the idea that he was
deeply infatuated with her.
AT what time he reached Mrs. Aster's house
is not known She must have let him In her
self, presumably at tho basement door. as she
does not keep a servant and none OF the lodgen
admitted him The cook in the adjoining house
says that she heard two reports like hrecrackers
al little after o'clock, but contradiction 10
the theory that tho shooting done as early
as that is the testimony OF neighbor who is quito
sure she saw Mrs. Aster walking down the street
toward the house with package In her hands
at O'Clock.
About Mrs Aster The police were able 10 get
fuller information than about her adniirer and
murderer. She had been widow for ten years.
and was childess. After the death of her husband
Heinrich Aster who was head waiter in Slim
mels cafe on the Bowery, she returned 10 Ger
many where she was born, but came back TO
this country several years ago. and little moro
than q year ago bought the lease Of the house at
12e East Tenth street from her brother, Henry
Felgner, Of 326 East Fig hty ffth street. and sup
ported herself by letting out furnished rooms
She became acquainted with weiser shortly after
she took the house. He was then living at IS
Stuyvesant street. directly in the Of her house.
and he used TO visit her. coming through the gate
In the rear fence.
This house at 35 Stuyyeeart street was kept
by Mrs Weischcrt. to whom Weiser had lent
the money 70 purchase the lease aud with whom
he subsequently quarrelled. the difficulty lead
ing to his being turned out Of the house. lie sued
tho woman and secured part Of the money. After
leaving there he still paid unremiriing attentions
to Mrs Aster. visiting her and writing letters to
her She told her brother. Felgner. that Wei.
| sers attentions were distasteful to her.
He acts as II he's crazy about me-" she said
Il wish he would stop botheting me- dom
| want him around"
Felgner went To the house yesterday and tolt
! Capt Diamond that ne had met Weiser only
once. He understood. however that Weiser hac
been importuning Mrs Aster to marry him eve
| since he knew her The police found no letter.
| among Weiser's effects that threw any light upol
the crime. On his bureau was a photograpl
| OF Isabella Urquhart the actress, with the sig
nature "Crquhart," on the back. On Mrs Aster
| bureau were found number Of papers, ais
an unsigned letter telling ono Barron that tn
| secret service men had his trunk and that a
he had been arrested, Mrs Aster did not wis
| 10 have any further communication with him. Tn
letter was not written by her. There were two ban
books. showing a total bank account Of 81. Wit
| a card Of her dead husband was a newspape
clipping embodying German verse from wi
|
| Death flashes swiftly on our race.
| No time for thought: no warning given.
| Forth from his long accustomed place.
| Mans little self 10 sharply risen;
| Prepared or unprepared to go.
| The Justice of his God to know"
A number OF German letters were also ioun
among the papers, but mono OF them was froI
Weiser Mrs. Aster's brother says that he think
she destroyed Weser's letters
Tho zeal which charActerDes certain branche
OF the undertaking trade caused the arrest
Mrs. Asters house yesterday morning of Phil
Boelzer. of 500 Fast Eighty sixth street. WHIT
learning Of the tragedy went there to do strok
Of business. Another undertaken had got thel
before him. however and had permit from Cor
ners Physician Donlin for the removal of tn
bodies. Boelzer made much fuss that Polio,
man Kealey. OF the Fifth street station, who wa
on guard ordered him away. whereupon he abuse
the policeman and threatened TO have him broke
Kealey stood il for while and then locked hi
up ON a chargouf disorderly conduct
A great crowd gathered when tho bodies wei
/ N.l.a TaIr AL. IL, a.