The sun., 1907-08-16

Her km May Mean Her Freedom.
Gustav wassner, who had left his wife,
a hard working little woman, TO shift as
best she might for herself and children,
stepped out OF Third avenue saloon
yesterday. his small blue eyes red from
much whiskey He walked a block or two
northward and mounted the stops Of an
apartment house at 20Ss Third avenue.
where Mrs Wassner had tried for three
months to hide herself and her children
from the man who bad brought nothing
but misery to her. She was in the kitchen
washing clothes over tub when Wassner
fhing open the door and let himself IN.
Her two daughters, Madeline, a widow
and a good looking woman Of rs. and
eleven-year-old Annie were in an cm-
ployment agency Office st the front of the
apartment and did not hear their father
enter.
Mrs. Wassner heard his step and knew
who IL was before he kicked the kitchen
door open. Half dozen times in the last
four years, when she had moved from
place to place trying TO avoid him, she
had had the same experience turning
around from work to zee his red face be-
fore her. She had known. too, that he
hood for several days, drinking and brag.
gins what he was going To do TO his good
for nothing wife.
60 away. Gustav" she said, quickly
You know you have no right here. This
is my home. | slaved for it, ! made II
and Il belongs TO me and my children"
You and your children said Washer,
sDeering.
Mrs. Washer dropped into a chair by the
tubs and began to cry. rhc daughters.
haa ha tn fba chen N
door. Wassper, with his back to the door.
didn't see them.
-Please go away. Gustav" said Mrs.
Wassner, after a while. You know that
your daughter as she IL mine" Then her
anger rising, After what you did to that
child two years ago, how can you stand
there and say word to me3 Get out or
Ill call a policeman
Wassner jerited out a pistol. stuck the
muzzle Of il against her forehead. backed
of a few feet and made believe he was
going to shoot. She did not scream; she
had tainted and dropped TO the floor al
Wassner'p feet. The two daughters Kept
still, too frightened to move. The sight
Of the woman at his feet seemed to excite
Wassner to a frenzy,
Damn you. I've got you nowi' he
shouted.
He fired four shots al Mrs Wassner az she
lay on the floor. The banging Of the re-
tumblng out of their fats and into the hall.
Two bullets hit Mrs. Wassner. one piercing
her Just below the heart, and the other
going into her abdomen.
Wassner stood watching two blood
stains spread on the gingham apron and
shook his fist at the dying woman. With
the first shot Annie cried oh mother,
mother.' and ran back through the hat.
Madeline let her go and Annie crawled
under the bed and hid there. The elder
h,gs- hA Lad hA,.
self together. ran into the Office and took re-
volver from desk drawer. n revolver which
was always kept loaded by Mrs Washer.
Madeline said afterward that she was
frightened and shocked that she did not
know what she was doing. Her brain was
burning with one desire TO kill the man
her father--who stood sneering over her
mothers body. She was back in half
minute and met Wassnei in the hall door
way as he started to leave the fat,
Get ont of my way, you little devil!'
yelled Wassner, swapping his pistol at
her. Let me out. or Ill fix you as ] did
your mother.
The revolver didn't work. Her hand was
shaking and the muXzle Of the pistol wa
vered. but she let him have it before the
I words were fairly out Of his mouth. A
shot went into his shoulder. just tearing the
skin. and the bravado went out Of him
like air from a pricked balloon.
Don't shoot me, Madeline, he pleaded.
For God eaSe. don't shoot"
He ran. owering his head and bending
double. but before he had made ten feet
through the dining room the girl fired
again and the bullet hit Wassner N the
! back and dropped him Another bullet
went into his head and the girl fired twice
more. one shot bringing down chrome
that hung on the dining room wall and
the other burying itself in plaster
Madeline dropped into a chair and buried
her face in her hands Lieut.. John j.
nfN M fy'l tan bar A,
the pistol in her lap. He was in pawn
shop half a block away when he heard
the shots. He broke through the rapidly
growing crowd and was the first into the
fiat
This man is my father" Madeline said
nodding toward the body-a the dining room
/ floor He shot my mother and / shot
| him. | don't know whether he ia dead
or not but l hope so. | wanted TO kill
him"
Scott helped the girl into the employ
ment Office and told her kindly enough
to take q grip on herself. Scott found
Annie under the bed. The girl could hardly
I stand. Maybe the condition Of her sister
helped Madeline, for she took Annie on
her lap and soothed her:
Mrs. Wassner died few minutes after
o'clock and her husband lived an hour
longer Neither recovered enough to make
statement AZ Police Headquarters
/ Madeline told her story to Inspector McCaf-
ferty in a clear, straightforward way, break
! ing into tears svery now and then.
! She said that her father. who was 55 years
! old, came from Germany to this country
fifteen years ago with her mother her
brother Adoluh and herself. Her father
worked steadily enough and supported
them fairly well. but he was always Jealous
| OF Mrs. Wassner. Eleven years ago Annie
was born and Wassner became convinced
! that she was not his child. He got in the
habit Of staying away from home and
/ threatening his wife.
! Mrs. Wassper moved and tried 10 lose
/ herself and family from her husband She
never let Annie out Of her sight. One day.
! four years ago. while Mrs. Wassner was
! living at i4o West ioSth street. Wassner
! found them and tried to take Annie away
| Mrs. Wassner caught up the girl and ran
! out OF the house. As she ran Wassner fired
| two shots at her. For that he was arrested
! and got six months on Blackwell's Island
! Two years ago last July he met Annie
| on the street and persuaded her with candy
and presents to accomE any him When
| she got hack home her mother discovered
! that Wassner had assaulted the girl, then
years old She had Wassner arrested
and the Gerry society tried to send him
away. but he wriggled free. Since then