The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-06
ENDS HER LIFE
BY HANGING
Mrs. Behrns Commits Suicide
In Cell Of Psnltsntiary.
KILLED HUSBAND WITH POISON
Motive was to Secure the Sum for Which
He Was Insured In tho Knights
Of Pythlas.

| Davenport. Iowa, July 6.-Mrs. Chris
tine Behrens, life convict. for the mur
der OF her husband in 1897, committed
suicide by hanging herself in her eel
with the bed clothing. Her body wal
found by the attendant. Sheriff Nc
Arthur was given the particulars, which
he narrates as follows:
About ten days ago Mrs. Behrens. who
on previous. occasion attempted to end
her life. ate a quantity OF lye soap. which
made her deathly sick She had beer
confined to her bed in the cell she occu.
pied since then. and had an attendan,
whose duty IL was 10 keep her under con.
slant surveillance.
Early Saturday morning the attendant
went to get her breakfast and returned
with that of Mrs Behrens on a tray
Mrs. Bhrens told her TO lay 81 down by
the bed and expressed the intention OF
eating IL later. Shortly afterward the
attendant left Mrs. Behrens for a few
moments.
When she returned she found the wo-
man hanging from hinge which had
been placed In the cell for q
sesred sssu ,n.t.sa, door which Sh had never
made use OF the bed clothes TO form a
rope and thus strangled herself.
1'hus Is closed In suicide the last chap
ter In the history OF one OF the most
heinous crimes ever recorded In the his
tory Of Scott County.
In July. 1897. Christine Behrens and her
husband. Claus Behrens, lived In the
Newcomb tenement. east OF the Daven-
port Mating companys plant on West
Second street.
Claus Behrens was hard working man
and was employed at the Brammer Manu.
featuring company's shop as fireman He
was insured In the Knights OF Pythias
order and IL was shown that the motive
Of the murder was the possession OF the
Insurance policy and the realization en-
Its face.
Que night Claus Behrens was taken
Ill. His agony was great and his wife
reluctantly sought DR. Braunlich. who
gave her some medicine. That night the
man died.
Undertaken Runge was called and was
about 10 proceed with the embalmins of
the body when he grew suspicious No
physician had signed the death certifi-
cate. DR.. Braunlich would not do so.
He therefore called DR.. j. w. McCort-
ney. the coroner. who performed an au-
topsy Poison was suspected and the
stomach and its contents were removed
and sent to Chemist Frank Nader for
analysis.
Mr.. Nader reported the presence of
paris green In the stomach in sufficient
quantity 10 cause death
The verdict caused the arrest of Mrs
Behrens on the charge OF murder.
The preliminary hearing was held in
the court room before Justice j. S. Alt
man and lasted a week. County Attor-
ney Julius fischer and William NJ. Cham
berlain prosecuted. and Schmidt 81 voll-
mer. Ely & Bush and Major j. NJ
Beardsley defended
The hearing developed evidence that
the accused had given her husband paris
green In his beer. Henry Bendt, father
in-law OF Hilda Behrens, the eldest
daughter OF Mr. and Mrs. Behrens.
gardener near Milan. showed up In bad
light and appeared accessory to the
crime.
The woman was held for murder in the
first degree without bail TO the Septem-
Der grand jury Bendt was also held
The September grand Jury indicted
them both and the case was called for
trial during the term OF court before
Judge was stricken with a severe case OF
quinsy. and the hearing was called a mis-
trial.
The case came UP again during the No
vember term OF court before Judge Wa
terman. who tried II Immediately before
he ascended the supreme court bench
The case was a sensational one by reason
OF the Introduction OF thumb prints OF
the exhumed hand -ef the -Aead-rnnn as
evidence. II resulted I'm a verdict OF
guilty as charged. and Judge Waterman
sentenced the murderess TO the peniten-
tiary et Anamoss. for the term OF her
natural life. at hard labor. Henry Bendt
wes tried and acquitted In December
1897. Mrs. Behrens was taken to the peni-
tentiary. where she has been ever since
The daughter Hilda. who is married 10
Bendts son. resides somewhere I'm West
ern Iowa. and the younger daughter
Paula. has since married and lives on
the o'Fer side Of the river
Sheriff Macarthur succeeded in locating
Paula Behrene tho youngest daughter
who Is now Mrs John woeber. wife 81 a
railwrv man residing ~ No l4is Fifty
second avenue IN Rock Island She did
not desire 20 assurne the burden of bury
ins tNe ~'~'he~ whose act had deprived
her of a father