The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-03
MURDERER KILLS HIMSELF.
POLICE HAD TRAPPED SCHUMAN
IN HIS OWN ROOMS.
He Had Shot and Killed Louis Wetzel. to
Whom He Had Sold His Grocery store
Their Quarrels FreQuent-Schuman
Had Threatened to Xiii His Own Son.

Frederick Schuman, who lived with his
family in the basement OF tenement at
1913 West Thirty-seventh street, shot and
killed Louis Wetzel, grocer. who lived
on the same block at 1897, yesterday morn
ing. and then killed himself after the police
had chased him and penned him in his
rooms. The shooting was the result OF
row of several weeks standing, which began
soon after Schuman, who formerly owned
the grocery store at 1877, sold the business
to Wetzel.
Schuman according to his wife and
neighbors. had good business. but spent
too much money in the saloon in the middle
of the block. run by Caleb Simms, negIo o.
As a result he had to sell his store, and after
the sale he and Wetzel had frequent rows
over several articles, which may or may
not have been included in the deal
disagreement on Thursday is said to
have ended in fight in which WetZel and
his wife threw Schuman from the store
and cut his face.
That evening Sohuman told Simms that
he would kill the man, but Simms argued
with him and Schuman appeared to think
better of his resolution. However, ne
walked up and down the sidewalk in front
of Wetzel's store, with revolver in ms
pocket, looking for his enemy, but Wetzel
wasn't home.
Meantime Mrs. Wetzel had been to the
West Side court and got summons Tor
Schuman's appearance in court In hopes
OF having him put Under Eond to keep the
peace. The summons was served on lhurs-
Gay night.
acn,unsn weht into the grocery stoi about
$50 o'clock yesterday morning and 1ounu
yA1ry lnts
to wrangie AID tinai.y engaged IN tight
in which. considerable stock WAS smashed
and scattered. At iGkt SchuIuan drew
revolver End fired. lne nIst shot went
wild, hui tho second struck Wetzei in the
temple and 10 fell beGiEld TIE counter.
Schumau ran Out into the street toward
hiE own house and put HIS revolver IN tis
pocket az ne did So polic.man McLl,c CHI
con OF the West Thirty -seventh street
station was Eear by when the shooting
occurred, and he and Policeman Delaney
ran into the store and found Wetzei lying
unconscious. McCutcheon and Policeman
Priest. who had also come up, followed
Schuman into his ROOMS, while Delaney
called an ambulance for Wetzel.
Schuman ran into his rooms in the rear
of the basement and locked the door. The
policemen couldn't force it open. so they
went through the tenement next door into
the back yard and entered his rooms by
the rear. When Schuman saw the police
he pulled his revolver again and pointed
it at McCutcheon. The cop kept coci, and
it probably saved his life.
Don't shoot, he said calmly. Schuman
changed his mind in a hurry, turned the
revolver toward his own temple and fired
He died almost Instantly. An ambulance
surgeon worked over Wetzel for about
half an hour, but he died.
Wetzel had wife and three children.
Schuman leaves wife and six children.
His wife said that he had been acting
strangely for several days and, early yester-
day morning, had threatened to kill their
eldest son in fit OF anger.