The Portland daily press., 1900-01-20
Shot Wife and Two Children and
Killed himself.
Is Supposed to Have
Been Crazy.
Formerly Played in Lewiston
N. L. League Team.

North Brookfeld, Msss., January TO-
Martin Bergen. lone Of the best known
ball players in the country and one OF tue
Boston clubs catchers, last season, killed
bis wife and two children with An axe,
then cut bis own throat with razor at
his home In North Brookfsld, this morn
ing.
The horrible discovery was made py
Mr.. Michael Bergen, the father Of Mar
tin, who was staying at the house OF
neighbor about half mile from the scene
of the murder. Mr.. Bergen went to his
sons house about eight O'Clock this
morning but finding the curtains drawn
and no signs Of life about the place, went
away without making an attempt to
arouse the inmates, supposins the family
to be asleep. About noon he returned u
the house and finding every ythiing In the
same condition as when be left, earlier IN
the day, he tried the door. and, finding IT
unfal snded, entered the house.
Martin Bergen's body and that OF the
little girl, Florence, six and ons- half
years old, were lying on the Kitchen floor
while In the adjoining bed room were the
bodies Of Mrs. Bergen and ner three yea
old son, Joseph.
Mrs. Bergen was lying on the bed with
her feet over the side, while her hands
were raised as though In supplioati'n,
trying to ward OF blow. The little boy
was lying on the floor with his brains
oozing from q large wound in the he"d.
Mrs. Bergsn's skull was terribly crushed
having evidently been struck more than
one blow by the infuriated husband. The
appearance Of the little girl also showed
that q number Of blows had been rained
on the top and side Of her head. Bergen's
tt roat had been cut with razor and the
head was nearly severed from the body..
MIR. Bergen spread the alarm as quick
ly as possible, and medical examiner Dr.
K. w. Norwood and the local authorities
were soon on the ground. In the bed
room WAS found an axe, besmearsd with
blood which WAS evidently the weapon
with which the murders we're committed.
The ashes had been cleared out OF the
stove and placed In position for lighting.
but the kindling had net been put In.
The beds In the house bore evidences OF
having been slept In lsst night. There
were signs Of warmth In the bodies OF
Mra Bergen and her husband and all the
circumstances seem to indicate that the
murders had tesn committed but short
time before the elder Bergen paid his first
visit to the house. Medical Examiner
Norwood, after . careful examination OF
the bodies. expressed his opiIion that the
murders were committed by Martin Ber-
gen and that the latter was without
doubt. insane. He thought Mrs. Bergen
was the first victim. that the boy and
then the girl next received their fatal
blows and that after he had slain all the
rsst of his family Bergen stood before the
looking glass and with . razor nearly
severed his head from his body, reeled
around and fell lifeless to the floor.
A chair that stood near the spot where
the littls gill lay, had o large piece
broken from It and had the appearance Of
having been struck heavy blow with an
axe, probably blow that had been In
tended for the unfortunate victim.
Medical Examiner Norwood stated that
there would be no necessity for holding
an autopsy.
The funerals will probably be held Sat-
urday afternoon from st. Joseph's church
and the intermsnt will be in the cemetery
at North Brookfleld.
Mrs. Bergen, the murdered woman was
thirty -one years Of age. and a Miss Har-
rist Gaines of Pittsflsid, married Bergen
about seven years ago.
Martin Bergen at times had been sub
ieot to hts Of melancholy. This was no.
ticsably the case last October when he
showed signs of insanity and Father
Tottier was called to see him. His
mother is not living. but his father. four
sisters and brother. all living in west
ern Massachusetts, survive him.
R,rosn WAS wall known to the baseball