Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-23
STRIKES A
SHARP SNAC
Wife Of Former Las Vegas Man
Likely to Be Tried For
Bigamy
FOURTH HUSBAND
Sweet Marie Married Her Third
Before She Espoused Fred
erick Knauer

The following from a San Francisco
paper will be Of interest to friends Of
the decedent here:
The unexpected assertion of a
fourth husband for Marie knauer, the
massage artist, who married aged
Ferdinand Knauer when practically on
his death bed, caused considerable
CONSERVATION yesterday among the
proponents of Knauer's will on the
hearing brought before Judge Trout
for a partial distribution to the widow.
Up to yesterday only three husbands
had been alleged for the widow and
sole legatee under the will; but yes
terday evidence vas presented tend
ing to show that at the time OF the
marriage with Knauer the enterpris
ing masseuse had another husband
living, from whom she had not been
divorced, whose identity had not pre-
viously been brought into the litiga
tion. The purpose Of this evidence
was to show that the woman was not
legally married to Knaeur, and could
not. therefore, claim partial distribu-
ton under a contested will.
The matter came up yesterday On
a continued hearing on the petition Of
the alleged widow for a partial dis
tribution. Under the will Marie
Knauer receives the entire estate, val
ued at some $4,000. Contest Of the
will was filed by relatives. including
a brother in Ohio, a sister, and nep-
hews and nieces in Germany. The
relatives are represented BY William
Rix, for Bishop, Wheeler & Hoefler,
by Emil Pohli and BY Gustave Gutsch,
for Loewry & Gutsch. The prepayment
of the will and devisee Is represented
by August Muenter and Frank Madi-
son.
1t is asserted by the contestants
that Marie Knauer, whose maiden
name Guettrich, was first married n
Germany to Otto Taube'kenne, and
that in 1889 she eloped to this country
with Alfred George Herkner, q Ger
man army officer several years her
Junior. Taube'kenne committed sui
eide because of the disgrace Of his
wife's conduct. The woman set up In
Chicago as a masseuse and in 1891
married Herkner, who left her In 1899.
It is alleged that Herkner had taken
out a life insurance policy in her fav'
or and left her in fear Of his life.
In 1900 the woman obtained q di
yorce from Herkner although there
is some question of the legality 81 tbs
decree. In 1900 an adopted son died
and soon after the woman eloped Will
the undertaken who officiated at tbs
funeral, Louis Schuhgnecht, who LET
his family in destitute circumstances
Schuhknecht killed himself March -
1902, in Dantzig, Germany, 70 which
place he had gone with the woman.
This much of the story had appeare'
in the petition and in previous &c
velopments of the case. The c0nten
tion of the legatee has been that ever
If the VIII was broken under the pie
of undue influence contained IN IN
petition of the contestants, the widow
would be entitled TO at least half 2
the estate and that therefore she
entitled to a partial distribution al q
present time.
August Muenter attorney for Mar
Knauer, testified yesterday that som
$4,000 of the money Of the estate ha
been used by the execntrix. Mari
Knauer. without order o. the eouIi'
for personal purposes. With a porto
OF the money she made payment 2
and furnished a house In Elmhurs
and the balance was paid for medic'
service.
Marie Knauer was then put On u
stand and In the course Of her test
mony the sensational feature Of q
hearing was brought out. Under g
animation by Rix she stated that 81
had been married but twice preyior
to her marriage with Knauer, AZ
that she was a free woman &C "
time of that marriage. In the cohrf
of the examination. however, i az
peared. that on her return from &c
many she became acquainted VA
August Libbe. a steward on "a
steamer. and that a marriage licens
was issued to them later IN Chicag'
II also appeared that three days art