The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-30
PRISON FOR PALLESSEN
Found Guilty of Numbering His
Wife, But the Verdict Qualified.
Jury Out nm Hour and n HnIs-Story
of the Crime-Indictments for KILL
ing Julin Hensesbach and the At
tempt on the Life of Her Mother
Likely to Be NoIle Pressed.

tempt on the Life of Her Mother
Likely to Be NoIle Pressed
Olaf Pallessen was convicted yesterday
in Criminal Court No. 1 of the murder OF
his wife, Josephine Pallessen, on March
| IA, last, ct their home, 1121 Twenty-third
Street northwest. The jury qualified its
| verdict, adding the words Without capt.
tai punishment" thus fixing the penalty
| for the crime at Imprisonment in the peni-
| Tertiary for life.
On the day which Pallessen murdered
his wife he also killed Julia, the two-year-
old daughter of Mrs. Mary A. Henges-
bach, neighbor. who was visiting Mrs.
Pailessen, and also made a deadly assault
en- Mrs. Hengesbach. 1t was believed for
time that Mrs. Hengesbach would not
recover from the wounds inflicted by Pal
| lessen.
The crimes of which Pallessen was &C
| cused were committed about 4 o'clock in
| the afternoon, and until Mrs. Hengesbach
was called to testify against the defendant
| on Monday no cause or motive for the
commission Of them had been suggested.
When arrested Immediately after the kill
| ing, Pallessen seemed to gloat over the
deeds he had DONE and with considerable
bravado stated to the crowd which had
gathered that he had been inspired by God
to do the killing. He also said that he had
been commanded by the Father to kill
three persons, but he had only killed two.
He, however, did not state who the third
person was whom he had been commits
stoned to put to death.
Even when called before the court to
plead to the indictments found against
him, Pallessen freely admitted his guilt.
Such plea, however, would not be re-
ceived in capital case and plea Of not
guilty was ordered entered upon the dock
ct. The day after the murders were COM
mitted Pallessen was put to a severe test,
but he never wavered a moment. At the
inquest he was taken to the dead body OF
his wife and asked if he knew it. He was
apparently not moved by the trying or
deal, but answered without even a culver
in his voice, Yes, that's my wife. / killed
her. because my Father told me to do II. I"
From the day the crimes We're committed
Pallessen was looked upon as a maniac.
who imagined that he had been impeiled
by some Understandable influence to commit
the fiendish deeds. This opinion prevailed
until Mrs. Hengesbach was called to give
evidence against him. In her testimony
she stated that she was at the home of
the Pallessens just prior to the commits
sion Of the murder. During her CONVEX
sation with Mrs. Pallessen. the latter de-
plored the poverty in which she was liv-
ing, and said she could not stand it much
longer. Her husband, Mrs. Pallessen
stated to the witness, had expressed an
intention of returning to Europe and TAX
ing one Of their children with him. While
this conversation was going on between
the two women, Mrs. Hengeshach :esti-
fed. Pallessen came out of the room next
to that in which they were and attacked
his wife with his fist, striking her twice
in the face. When he struck her the last
time Pallessen cried out, Where is the
knife; oh, give me the knife!" and then
rushed into the kitchen.
Fearing that Pallessen. in his anger,
would iDjure her, Mrs. Hengesbach picked
up her child from the floor, where she was
playing, and rushed out of the house.
Mrs. Pallessen also gathered one of her
children In her arms and started to follow
Mrs. Hengesbach. She was not quick
enough. however, to escape the m,trderors
assault of her maddened husband.
The women had hardly passed out of the
door when Pallessen, with a carving knife
in his hand. was in pursuit Of them. He
overlook his wife at the bottom of the
steps and, without word plunged the
blade deep into her back, between her
shoulders. With groan she sank to the
ground, and in few moments was dead
Mrs. Pallessen still retained her child in
her arms when she had fallen TO the
ground. and her husband tore the child
away and again and again thrus. the long.
sharp blade of the knife into her body.
Pallessen noticed Mrs. Hensesbach fee
ing. The sight seemed to increase his
anger. and, with rapid strides, n started
to overtake her. This was but the work of
a moment. He was soon along side of he
and made an attack upon her and her
child with the bloody knife with which he
had taken the life of his wife. The street
was crowded at this time with employees
of the Weather Bureau. who mad just fin
ished their days work. Several persons
went to the assistance of Mrs. Hengesbach,
but not early enough to prevent Pallessen
from numbering the child which Mrs. Hen
gesbach held in her arms.
The trial of Pallessen was begun Mon
day In Criminal Court No. /, before Jus
tice Clabaugh. The accused was repre-
scented by Attorneys Andrew Y Bradley
and Richard Merrick. The Government
was represented by Assistant District
Attorneys. Harry Bingham and Thomas C.
Taylor.
The plea OF the defence was insanity and
a number Of expert and other witnesses
were called to testify upon this point
Among the physicians who testified to
Pallessen's unbalanced condition of mind
were DR.. A. Rhett Stuart, his family ply
sician: Dr. d. Kerfoot Shute, the physi-
clan at the District jail: DIR. A. B. Rich
ardson, Superintendent Of ST. Elizabeth's
Asylum for the Insane, and DR.. c. II. Lat
inner, also connected with that institution
a great number of witnesses were called
by the Government, who testified that
they had known Pallessen for a number
of years. They stated that they had never
noticed anything peculiar in his actions.
The arguments to the jury were begun
few minutes after p. m. and the case
was submitted at 400 p. m The jury
remained In the consultation room until
few minutes before p. m, when a YER
dict was reached. Justice Clabaugh re- |
NAMED at the City Hall and when it was |
known that an agreement had been |
reached the jury was called into the court |
and announced the result
There are two other indictments BEND |
ing against Pallessen, charging him with |
the murder Of Julia Hengesbach, the |
of Mrs. Mary A. Hengesbac and |
the other charging assault with intent to |
kill Mrs. Hengesbach. 1t is probable that |
these indictments will now be nolle |
pressed.
Today nj Chevy Chase Lake.