The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-03
Minneapolis
KILLS HIS WIFE AND
ENDS HIS own LIFE
Fred Ehrenreieh, a Cooper, Com
mits Murder and Swallows
CarboIic Acid.

Fred Ehrenreich, cooper, madden
ed by drink, yesterday morning shot
and killed his wife, Bertha A. Ehren-
reich, at 2201 Second street northeast,
and afterwards drank carbolic acid,
from the effects of which he died with
in a half hour.
The murder was deliberately planned.
Ehrenreich fired five bullets from re-
volver at his wife at close range, each
one of which took effect. Indications
are that the woman died instantly at
the first shot. and that the murderer
stood almost over her PROSTATE body
and fired the other four shots.
While Ehrenreich was in a frenzied
condition because of liquor, jealousy
and rage. occasioned by the knowledge
that his wife contemplated beginning a
divorce suit, led to the tragedy
Ehrenreich was forty-eight years old,
and his wife thirtynine. They had
been married nineteen years. For sew
eral years they had quarreled, he COM
planning that she received the atten-
lions of other men, and she objecting
to his drinking and abuse.
About year and half ago they
bought a boarding house, where the
murder was committed, and it was put
in the wifes name. She conducted the
place and Ehrenreich worked at his
trade, but lately had been out West.
He had been living in the house, how
ever for several weeks past.
Had Been Drinking Heavily.
Last week Mrs. Ehrenreich decided
to sell the property to Mrs. Chris Klos-
ter, and entered into negotiations
whereby Mrs. Kloster was to have
taken possession yesterday. Ehren-
reich objected and was very much en-
ragged when his wife declared that 1t
was her property and he should not in
terfere. Ever since then he had been
drinking heavily.
Yesterday morning he entered the
house about 10 o'clock, evidently in an
excited frame of mind
A chambermaid told him his wife was
in her room on the second floor. He
said to the girl as he mounted the
stairs: Il was going to do it yester-
day, but I'll make sure of her today
you'll know what it is pretty soon."
He could be heard quarreling with
his wife about the divorce, and a few
minutes later the sound of the revolver
shots rang out.
Mrs Ehrenreich neither screamed
nor called for help, and from this it Is
argued that the first bullet probably
killed her. Her body lay in the hall
way, outside her room, near the head
Of the stairs, face downwards. Three
of the bullets had entered the back of
her head. one had entered her shoulder
and the fifth her cheek.
Murderer Dies Soon~After.
Ehrenreich ran down stars and out
the back door He fell writing on the
sidewalk Of 222 Washington street, a
block away The patrol wagon was
summoned, and he was driven to the
city hospital. He died few minutes
after arriving.
In the meantime the servant girls
had run, screaming, into the street, and
the neighbors rushed in to find Mrs.
Ehrenreich dead, lying in pool Of
blood.
On Ehrenreich's person was found
about $4,000, and as he had shaved off
his mustache Sunday, it is conjectured
that he may not have contemplated
suicide, but intended to escape, and not
drink the carbolic acid unless he was
captured.
Mrs. Ehrenreich lived with her
father, Otto Thur, at LIE Sueur Center
until she was twenty years old and
married. The couple had three chill
dren, none of whom lived at home be-
cause of the fathers cruelty to them.
One daughter is in Portland, Or, and a
son is at Osseo. The third, girl
fourteen years old, has lived with Mrs.
M. T. Leonard, 2117 Second street
north. She says that her father had
often threatened to kill her mother if
she undertook to get divorce, but her