The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-28
JUSTIFIES MURDER
BY WIFE'S CONDUCT
Sussman Declares None Can Blame Him
f.. for His Crime. 49,: ~-~-~- ...--.-...,
The Murderer Halted by
Police on Verge of
Suicide.
Resuscitated, He Confesses
He Killed His Wife in
a Rage.

a Rage.
ct shot my wife,
Betraying no emotion, Henry Suss-
man has confessed to murder. III shot
my wife," he went on, cat 6:3O Wed
nesday morning, in the Glenwood hotel,
after we had quarreled for more than
seven hours. asked her to 20 to La
Crosse and testify, for me at my trial,
which was to have been this week, and
she refused. accused her Of being
unfaithful, and she laughed.
We were never happy after we were
married and I was not in a pleasant
mood that night. / had been drinking
and my wife 8 Indifference to my plead
ings and accusations drove me to des-
peration. Finally stood up, took the
revolver from my pocket and shot her
as she sat on the bed. No one who
knows what have gone thru will won
der at my act.' ~ q.
With this statement Henry sussmarl,
arrested in the Nashville hotel, 422
Hennepin avenue, early today, for the
murder of his wife in the Gler.wood
hotel, Wednesday, began his confession
of the crime to Assistant County Attor-'
ney j. F. Bernhagen, Acting Superin
tendent Mealey and several detectives.
When Sussman was arrested he was
| in stupor from the effects of the gas
| in the room where he had tried to com
NIT suicide. When he had recovered
! from the stupor he was anxious to tell
his story His own story tallies well
with the facts learned by the police.
The first move toward the crime was
in La Crosse, where he purchased the
revolver with which he committed the
murder. He went there to appear for
trial in the 4Inited States court on q
charge Of forgery His case was con-
| tinued and after purchasing revolver
his wife. =. = .$:-:.s =
Sunday night he and his wife had
stayed at the Beaufort hotel. There
they had quarreled. He wanted her to
accompany him to La Crosse and she
refused. He then accused her of be-
ing unfaithful and they quarreled most
Of the night. Monday morning they
parted and he went to La Crosse.
! He returned from La Crosse Monday
afternoon and spent that night in the
Curtiss hotel, Washington and Nicollet.
He was alone that night.
Took Wife to Theater.
Tuesday afternoon he met his wife
downtown, took, her to the matinee
and then sent her to her home. In the
and took her to the theater. AS soon
as the show was oyer they went to the
Glenwood hotel, Washington avenue n.
where they registered as cfMr. and Mrs.
Fred Tyler" After being shown to
the room, the strife that ended in the
murder was begun.
Sussman started the conversation by
demanding that she make the trip to
La Crosse and testify for him in his
coming, trial: As on former occasions.
she refused. He then upbraided her.
saying that she wished to stay in the
city because Of her love for some other
man. This she denied, and from mid
night until early morning they quar-
relied. -. .
Shortly before midnight he went to
a sal oon across the street and purchased
whisky and gin. At q fruitstore he
purchased candy and fruit and returned
Sussman drank some of the liquor, tho
not much Of it, and prepared for bed.
lie says she never went to sleep, how
ever, for he reiterated the demands
that he had so often made.
His wife.'s refusal to help him out
of his trouble threw him into frenzy
and several times, lie says, he was on
|
waited for Il more opportune moment
His wife became drowsy, but did not
lie down. She continued to block his
attempts to induce her to consent to 20
to La Crosse, and f:nslly, when he could
stand it no longer. he stood up and
pulled the revolver from his pocket.
At this moment, he says, his wife
her head on her hand. He was much
higher and she paid no attention to
his movements after he stood up.
Revolver at Her Head.
Anger made him cool. He placed the
revolver to her head SO that the bull
, let would take downward course. He
, was determined and his hand was
steady. He pulled the trigger, the re-
volver was discharged with q, loud re-
port, and his victim, his wife, fell
over on the bed. A slight gasp and she
\ was dead. s;s.-.. ), -, I'LL. ! ....s
pocket and walked down the stairs tt
the street. Ill: ; ,..,74sr
The exact time Of the murder, a,
near as Sussman can place it, was $3.50
am. Wednesday.
l Leaving the scene of his bruta
7 crime, he walked to Hookwith's salool
| on Nlcol!et avenue and got severa
/ drinks From there he went to tn
studio Of his brother, J. I. Sussman
8 where he remained until nearly noon
! He said nothing about his wife and .dit
5 little talking to anyone. At noon III
, went to Regan's restaurant on sFourtl
J street S and ate lunch ss..
) Thinking his case might be called
in La Crosse that afternoon and feel
+ ing sure that if the dead body 81: Iii
: wife was found, it would not be iden
titled, he left Minneapolis at a.2!
Wednesday, afternoon for La Crosse
Arriving there late in the afternoon
he went to the district attorney Is of
, fee to sec about his trial The at
+ torney was not in, he says but il
Z talked with the United States marsha