The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-08-30
BESSIE SPARR DEAD.
CorOner's Jury Accuses Bert StTieg-
Ell Of Causing Her Death.
Much Evidence That Young Woman Was
Poisoned BY Her Husband Who Is Held
for Murder-sad Ending Of Former
" of GOOdland Young Woman

y lived, met a sad and tragic end in
Boulder, Col, Thursday of last week.
Her death was caused by poisoning
aud her husband, Bert Striegel, is in
Jail at Boulder charged with murder
ing the young woman.
The incidents leading up to the trsg-
edy are long and with many touching
and pathetic effects. Miss Spar and
Striegel. who is a druggist, were mar
ried IN Golden, Col, July last, but
their marriage was not communicated
TO Miss Sparr's parents until a few
days later. Subsequently Striegel and
wife went to Kansas City and the Spar
family, who now live in Denver, heard
shortly after their arrival there of an
estrangement between the couple
From Kansas City, after the exposure
of a former marriage and charges of
bigamy against Bert Striegel, Mrs.
Striegel vent to LOngmOnt, Col, as the
guest Of a Mrs. billiard, of that city
StriegeI was arrested in Kansas City
? August IA on a state warrant charging
him with bigamy- His arrest followed
the visit of his first wife, Leora Brown
StriegeI, of COfeysburg, No, to Kan
sas City in search Of her husband.
They were married in December, 1899,
and StriegeI deserted MS bride in April
following. Mrs. Striegel found her lost
husband living with Bessie Spar
StriegeI, Of Denver, to whom he had
been married in Golden, Col. Striegel
claimed to have secured a divorce
from his first wife in Colorado and fol
lowing his arrest in Kansas City gave
bond and was released. He left Kansas
City August 16, and only a few hours
after his departure officers were after
him to serve a new warrant on the
same charge. 1t is supposed ne went
direct to Longmont to join Mrs. Spar
Striegel.
Their Appearance in Boulder.
Tuesday, August 20. Striegel and
Bessie Spar triegeI engaged a room
in the Lane building in Boulder. They
kept within the room and little was
seen Of them. Thursday morning be-
tween eight and nine o'clock when the
chamber maid raped at the door she
was told by StriegeI that she need not
look after the room as his wife was i'll
and they did not wish to be disturbed.
No one went to the room during the
day Thursday until after five o'clock,
when the owner of the rOOming house
became suspicious, went to the door
and found it locked. He had the lock
picked and entered. Mrs. StriegeI was
found dead and the man gasping for
breath. Cne or both Of them had been
attacked by severe spells of vomiting,
as was shown by the condition Of the
room. 1t is very likely that his wife
was dead before Striegel took the
poison.
Streigel was removed to , hospital
where ne was revived, and on Saturday
he was placed in Jail to await the &C
ton of the cOroner's jury.
Before taking the poison StreigeI
wrote several notes addressed to Frank
NJ. johnson, 1O3 Hardsty street, Kan
sas City. One said that Bessie Sparr-
Streigel was his only wife; another
that he did not do it from remOrse but |
simply because he and Bessie did not
want to live without each other. An
other note was a request that they
both be buried in the same grave.
striegel Held for Murder.
4 press dispatch from Boulder Of
August 20 says:
"The corOner's inquest on the re-
mains of Mrs. Bessie Striegel returned
a verdict that the WOman's death was
caused by poison administered by her
husband, Bert Striegel, with felOnious
intent"
sat the inquest physicians testified I
to the appearance of Mrs. Striegel and |
gave expert opinions. \ druggist tes- /
titled to selling the laudaRum. The
chief witness WAS Gertrude McGovern, /
a chamber maid Of the Lane block, who
testified that Striegel would not allow
the work in his room to be done, claim
ing that his wife was Ill. He told the
girl not to disturb her until four
o'clock, which is apparently the hour
that Striegel himself took a dose Of
poison, in all likelihood several hours
alter the death Of his wife
Striegel continues in a perfectly in
different mood and sullenly refuses to
discuss the case. He still insists that
he has no recollection of anything that
occurred in connection with his wife's
death. He reads continually in jail
Striegle attempted to create the in
preston that he and his wife had
sgreed to take the poison and die to-
gether. as they we're so much attached
70 each other that life would be IN
baarable If they should be separated.
The general belief is, however, that
Strieeel poisoned his wife IN order to