Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-11
iCtimS the Family of Henry Haubsns Of
the stsrz Brewing Company.
EEO COMMITTED IN THE BED CHAMBER
Father and Husband is Absent and IL
Summoned HsmS by Telegram.
wOMANS DEMENTIA CAUSED BY SICKNESS
Gradually Disease Pteys Upon Her
Until Her Mind Gives Way aud
the Premeditated Calamity
Is the Result.

In a room at her residence, l547 North
Twentieth street, Mrs. Amelia Haubens and
her two sons, Walter and Emil Haubens.
10 aud ~ years old, lie dead. the mother
a suicide, the boys victims Of her insane
act
Mr. Haubens, the husband and father,
was out Of the city on business at the tins
of his wifes terrible deed but returned
yesterday afternoon.
The bodies were discovered about
yesterday morning by Miss Caroline IIau-
bens, sister of Henry Haubens, who for
several months had been living at the Hau-
bens home. The three bodies were in the
room Of the mother
Walter, the younger son, lay on the floor
| near the door, leading into another room.
/ His little arm was stretched out In front OF
/ him as though he had made last dying
! effort to reach the door knob and escape
| from the room. He was in his nightclothes
and had crawled from the bed, distance
/ OF several feet.
! Emil, the older boy, was still in the bed,
/ but his position showed that he, too, had
/ made an effort to escape from the death
chamber. His little body lay half out OF
the bed, one hand reaching up to his face.
! Across the foot of the bed, with her feet
hanging owe! the side, was the mother. The
Pkeyholes in the two doors leading into the
room were tightly plugged with paper, one
j door was locked and the gas was turned on
| full.
! Room Full of Gas.
! Miss Haubens went to the locked door
! first to call Mrs. Hsubens to breakfast Re-
! ceivlng no answer to her raps on the door
she tried to enter and found 1t locked.
! Thinking that the mother and children were
J Of bo he a
the various rooms and finally returned to
/ the other door Of the mothers room. This
was unlocked but closed. She opened II
and entered. The escaping gas almost sti-
! fed her and she realized instantly what had
| happened.
At this time Miss Haubens was alone in
| the house with the dead people. She
screamed at the sight Of the dead bodies
! and this brought several OF the neighbors
to the house Miss Haubeps then went TO
the telephone and called Dr. j. O. Moore.
but death had occurred several hours be-
/ fore his arrival. Miss Haubens then noti-
/ fled the StorE Brewing company, Of which
! Henry Haubens is the vice president. and
/ remained in charge of the house until the
arrival Of w. F. Willrodt, bookkeeper for
| the company, who relieved her. She re-
mained calm until the arrival OF Mr. WILL
rodt and then broke down completely. She
! is now confined to her room with nervous
] prostration.
Appeared 20 he Insane.
That the deed was planned by the mother
and that she had contemplated It the night
before there is little doubt. For six months
she had been in i'll health and at times ap-
I peared 10 be insane.
Thursday Mrs. Haubens complained of
feeling i'll and said that she could not sleep.
She then said she desired to sleep in the
boys room and allow them to occupy her
room. Miss Haubens consented to this ar
rangement and the two boys retired in their
mothers room and the mother went to the
room of the boys. Miss HI Ibens retired to
her own room. These four were the only
people in the house. Mr.. Haubens having
been absent several days out in the state.
Act Was Prem edItated.
The mother had evidently remained in
the boys room until Miss Haubens and the
boys had gone to sleep. Then she quietly
went to her own room, plugged the key
| holes. locked the door most frequently used
and turned on the gas. That she had
planned suicide and the death OF her boys
is shown by the fact that she insisted on
the boys occupying her room. The room
usually occupied by the boys is an alcove
of another room and it is impossible to
]
Mrs Haubens, which has only the two
doors and a window Mrs. Haubens was
unusually nervous Thursday night, but by no
word or action did she betray the deed she
contemplated.
Six months ago Mrs. Haubens began to
fail in health and for the last three months
her condition had been gradually growing
worse. When she was first taken IN Mr..
Haubens sent for his sister, Miss Caroline
Haubens, who since then has been doing
the hOusework and nursing Mrs. Haubens.
At times Mrs. Haubens would seem to re-
gain her normal state but someone had to
be with her almost constantly.
BesI of Attention.
She was 40 years of age and was married
about fourteen years ago. The family is
possessed Of ample means and during her
illness Mrs. Haubens had the best OF at,
tentiOn and the best OF skilled physicians
Her boys attended the Kellom school and
among their associates and neighbors they
were favorites, Both were bright and well
advanced in their studies.
Mr.. Haubens is vice president and one OF
the principal stockholders in the storz
Brewing company. He is a man of much
influence, especially among the German peo-
pie.
Coroner Bradley was notified some time
after the bodies were discovered and imme-
diately ordered the house locked and kept
all parties out. After thorough investi-
cation he was satisfied that the mother had
done the deed and will hold no inquest.
The bodies will not be removed from the
family residence until the funeral
Mr.. Hhubens Returns.
Henry Haubens arrived IN the city at 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon and at tho
Union station first learned the nature OF
the calamity at his home OF which he had
been warned by telegraph. He was COM
, pletely prostrated. Some friends OF the be,
reaved man had gone 10 Fremont whcse
they expected 10 meet him and break the
: terrible news, but Mr. Haubens, on receive
ing the telegram, changed his route at
Columbus, by which means he could arrive
here at an earlier hour.