The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-03-06
KILLS SISTERS HUSBAND
Tragedy in Brooklyn, N x House
Caused by Death.
Funeral Of the Alurderer's sister
Set For 10 O'Clock. ne shoots
His BrotI,er-in-Law at 8.

New York City.-A man ran out OF
the nat house at 1856 West Ninth street,
Brooklyn at $50 O'clock in the morn
ing. Around the corner Of Court street
he went, into S. Chess drugstore, and
behind him lie left a red trail on the
pavement The man was Fritz Fen
men, bartender. He had been shot
by his brother-in-law, Thomas Beet
man, d plumber
Fennen fell dead as he entered the
drug store Back in 1876 Beetman
put bullet through his head and killed
himself instantly. Mrs. Fennen, who
had died of blood poisoning, lay in her
coffin in the front room Of the fat
awaiting burial The funeral had been
set for 10 O'clock.
Fennen married Beetman's sister
only three months ago. She had been
sick q month before her death. One
story had it that Beetman blamed the
husband for not giving proper care to
the wife, and that this lay at the bot
tom of the crime. But Beetman's
brother told the police that the plumber
was angry because Mr.. and Mrs. Fen
men had taken his furniture and had
not paid him. The police think that
brooding over his troubles led Beet
man to the shooting.
Beetman and Fennen ate breakfast
together. The dead woman's brother
had come to the house on her account,
and addressed few remarks to his
brother-in-law. There was no quarrel.
When Fennen rose from the table
Beetman quietly pulled .44-calibre
revolver and fired at him four times.
Two shots took effect.
The wounded man made dash for
the door, bound for his pharmacist
friend, Chess, to seek aid. AS he went
Beetman turned the pistol on himself.
The first shot went wild and shattered
mirror hanging on the wall. The
second went through his head and
killed him instantly.
Mrs. Louise Lower, sister of Mrs.
Fennep, and Mrs Annie Larsen, a
nurse, were sitting in the front room
with the coffin. Hearing the first shots
they ran into the dining room and mar
rowly escaped being hit by the flying
bullets.
Policeman Mehaffy, of the Hamilton
avenue station, was standing in Court
StlctI WuGu II elutu Idu OuL Ol Tie
house. Hearing the mans cries and
seeing the blood, Mehaffy ran toward
him, but before he reached him Fen
nen was dead in the arms of the drug
gist. The floor of the little shop was
soaked with blood.
In three minutes an ambulance had
come, and the surgeon had pronounced
the bartender dead. Nfehaffy tele.
phoned to his station, and the Sergeant
sent four men to the scene Of the trag.
edy. Leaving the telephone, Mehaffy
followed the trail of blood into 156
West Ninth street, and there found
Beetman dead. and the two women in
Mysteries.
A year ago Beetman was employed
by the India Wharf Brewery, near the
foot of Hamilton avenue. He got to
drinking and was discharged Shortly
afterward his wife died. Up to that
time his sister had lived with him in
a fiat in Sixteenth street, Brooklyn,
and after the death of Mrs. Beetman
acted as housekeeper Then Fennen
married her and took her away. Beet.
man went to live in a furnished room
at % Atlantic avenue
The druggist, Chess. said that Mrs.
Fennen had had plenty of medical as
sistance, and was in the care Of
good nurse
The bodies of the dead men were
gwen over to an undertaken Mrs.
Fennen's burial was postponed.