The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-21
JEALOUS OF BABE
Man KILLS WIFE
And When He Saw Her Dead He
Turned Weapon Against
Himself.
Only Explanation of Deed L
Jealousy Of Her Love for
Their Child.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service. 4
Chicago. Dec. 20.-A dog howled; !;
a girl remarked that it was an omen Of
death; and Fred Ffugradt, jealous of
his own newborn baby, shot his wife
to death and killed himself to make
the omen true.
Pfugradt was a hardware dealer at
7039 Halsted street. He Was-27 and
his wife 26. The baby OF. whom the
young father is said to have. been 4desi
perately jealous, was born last Mons
day. 80 -s't
Phugradt, according to reports, was a
good neighbor, but tyrannica1 hus-
band. The couple were married two
years ago, but Mrs. Pt1ugradt left him
five months later because of quarrels.
She remained away from him eight
months Since her return the neigh
bors say that he was SO jealous of her
that he begrudged her even the So
ciety Of the women of the nelghbOr-
hood. Last Monday the baby was
born, and after that his actions are
said to have been more irrational than
before.
HE was upstairs to look at that
baby a dozen times a day." said Mrs.
Matthew Blake, a neighbor, who
helped take care Of mother and child.
He'd just stand like a cat and watch
everything the mother would do for
it, and when she'd talk to it or pet it,
see he always had her help down IN
the store, and the newness of not hav-
ing her with him all the time and
knowing that the baby was upstairs,
seemed to make him entirely daft. He
acted crazy jealous"
Saturday night 18-year-old Rather
+ inc Claudy, the sister Of the dead
woman, slept on a cot in the kitchen
outside Of the bedroom door so that
she might take care Of the mother.
When Miss Claudy aWoke this morning
Pf1ugradt was sitting near her reading
the paper. Mrs. Pfugradt was still
asleep. Miss Claudy, who had not dis
| should need her, got up and began to
stir the fire.
The Dog Howls.
"F'red; put q some COAL, SAID she'
! AS tPfugradt finished this task, an
I Irish setter, a wedding gift. from
Pflueradt to his wife, hoWled dismal
|ly at the back door.
.'Oh, Fred, make that dog STOP. 1t
means a death when a dog hoWls that
way; you know it does exclaimed the
young girl. 1's..s.' -
. Ffiugradt fixed his eyes upon he1
with contemplative gaze. Fhe doe
howled again.
s'Get him his breakfast quick. He
mustn't howl that way; 1t means that
somebody's going
.I'lls give him something to- how
for" threatened Pfugradt turning tc
| the rear door. Thinking that he1
brother-in-law meant merely to chas:
tise. the animal, Miss Claudy picked
4 l1pe the bedding from the cot and car,
erted7it into a front bedroom. Wha'
4 41lappened next she related last"n1ght
j! "As I laid the clothing down on the
he'd" said she, "I heard two SHARP
| Il T
that Fred was striking Lizzie. with the
frazor strop. / turned to run to her as
! sistance. The door between the din
| ing-room and the kitchen had beer
closed I seized the knob and trlec
to open it.. Fred had hooked 1T from
the kitchen side. -,
T. .. Fred, Fred called, open thai
door There was no answer. | raj
down to Sixty-ninth street. and go
home as fast as I could"
Charles Claudy returned with his
sister as fast as cars could carry them
}telephoning the police on the. way
They arrived at the house as the
Englewood patrol wagon Drove up
,Patrolmen Gleason and O'Brien broke
Fin the rear door of the. kitchen.
The baby could be heard crying ir
the bedroom. With Miss ClaudJ
close behind they opened the bed.
room door. The woman lay on the
floor where she had fallen from the
| bed, with her head to the door. The
murderer was doubled UP in corner
near the window in a pool Of blood.