The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-26

Christopher Eilers, the brutal hus-
band who attempted to Kill his wife at
Carolina Beach severar weeks ago.
was given a preliminary trial before
Justice Fowler yesterday afternoon at
4 o'clock.
Inc trial was held in the court house
Dut only a few people were present as
1t was h general impression before
the trial thai the case would be con-
tlnued- 1t took only a short time to
dispose of the charges under which
Eilers was indicted. When the crime
was grst committed. 1t was thought
That he would be indicted for attempt
ing to commit suicide and hat this
o be the most serious, as far as
penalty went, of the charges. There
mas never been a case tried in the
state Of North Carolina IN which a
person was charged with attempting
to commit suicide and the law on this
point is so remote hat it was NOT
deemed advisable to prosecute under
this charge. The two charges under
which he was tried yesterday were as
sault with intent to kill and carrying
concealed weapons.
EllerS is a man that is lot very well
known in Wilmington and there were
only a few present who had ever seen
MIN before. His appearance was not
such as was expected. He was well
dressed and around his neck still re-
manned a bandage. One would think
mat Il man hat would commit such
a CRIME could not help having q NEAR
face, but such is not the case with
E1lers. Every one present was struck
with his appearance. To look in his
a no one would ever uppos hat
ne could commit suchsa crime as was
enacted on Carolina Beach not MANY
days since. Those who know him saw
he is a worthless character, but hat he
Is not a mean man except when he is
Oh h influence Of whiskey and
then he is a perfect devil.
Eilers was>perfectly composed when
ne came into u Sitting near him
was his son, Hugo Eilers and his
daughter, Mrs. z. B.. Loughlin.
dom does it happen that the only i'm
portant witness is either the defend
ants son or daughter, as Was the case
yesterday When Justice Fowler read
the warrant in which Eilers was
charged with assaulting his wife with
intent to kill her and asked the prison
er If he was guilty or not guilty, he
plead guilty. He plead not guilty to
the charge Of carrying concealed
weapons, and the evidence went to
show That the pistol was at the club,
but Justice Fowler thought there was
sufficient doubt about the question to
let the higher court decide on his guilt.
There were -four witnesses sworn,
Mrs. E. B. Loughlin and Hugo Eilers,
the daughter n son Of the prisoner,
and Constable Savage and Mr.. E. b.
Loughlin. The first witness put OH
the stand was Mrs. Laughlin, who
was the only eye witness. She stated
that her father came to the beach at
s o'clock. Upon reaching the Han
over Sea Side Club, of which his wife
a charge, the daughter said he
came into the DINING room and sat
down 10 the table. In a few minutes
his wife entered. When she APP
preached him the witness testified that
he uttered something, she could not
tell what, but a few minutes later, he
asked his wife in a loud tone if she
was ever going to Louis Friemuths s,
who is her Son-in-law, again.-She re-
piled that she would go when she got
ready Mrs. Loughlin said her father
then got up from the table and enter
ed an adjoining room. His wife look
ed in there and saw him get a pistol
and with a scream she fled from the
with the human brute, craZed
by whiskey. in pursuit. The young
woman said she did her best to catch
her father SO as TO take the pistol
away from him but she could not get
TO him in time. She said her mother
ran until the san became very deep
and then it was that her husband
overlook and shot her. He then turn
ed the pistol upon himself and fired
twice.
Mr.. E. B. Loughlin testified that he
was several hundred feet away when
the occurrence took place and that he
fastened there as quickly as possible
and when he reached the scene of the
trouble he found both Mr.. and Mrs.
Eilers laying on the ground side
by side and Eilers had his arm
around his wife. Eilers got up and
went to the club. but his wife was un-
conscious and had to be carried In.
The testimony Of Young Eilers was
TO the same effect as E. B. Loughlin's
| Constable Savage testified that Eilers
made a voluntary statement TO him
the night that the shooting took place
in which he said that he intended 10
kill both his wife and himself, but as
| he had lot succeeded in killing his
| wife ne hoped she would
After hearing all the evidence JUS
| tice Fowler bound Eilers over under a
S5ee bond for assault with intent TO kill
| and SEQ for carrying concealed weap-
ons. He could not give the required
| await trial at the e term of Superior
which on September 2Sth,
| Eilers had no attorney. Mr.. Marsden