The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-08-19
HEAT CRAzEO
NAN COMMITS
Z AWFUL CRIME
Shot His Wife as She Lay
Asleep Beside Her
{: Daughter
son s0uGHT TO DSiRM A|n
AND Received FATAL WOUND

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Maniac Then Fled TO His Own Reom
Where He Locked Himself in and
Turned the Gun Upon Himself, In.
flicting . Fatal Wound
Chicago, Aug. 19--A drama Of hor-
fors was enacted in the modest homo
Of Gustav Herring at 21SS North
Francisco avenue early today. De-
pressed by his inability to find work
and overwrought mentally by the heat
Of the last few days, Herring crepl
out Of his bed just as the gray o'
dawn was striking In through tie
window. Taking revolver from a
drawer, he tiptoed into his wifx's
room where she slept with her 1G-
year-old daughter. He shot her With
out word as she lay slumbering.
His grown son, who rushed In and
tried to disarm him, he shot and NOR
tally wounded Then he returned to
his own room and slew himself.
The shadowy hallucinations which
obsessed Herring's brain and drove
him to perpetrate the triple tragedy
will probably never be known, the
police say.
Gives Only Clew to Reason.
The only elew as to tho reason for
the murder and suicide is given by
Albert G. Miller, eon-in-law.
.Mr. Herring was "a years DID, .
hs said. "He was by profession a
bookkeeper. But for nearly four
yeare he had not been able to get
work. About two years ago II
mind. He didn't act quite as he used
70. The last couple Of weeks he
seemed particularly gloomy. We were
1t his home yesterday. Part Of the
time he seemed cheerful and played
with the children. Then again ha
would act strangely. The heat seemed
to bother him q great deal. Oh. am
positive the heat drove him crazy. He
hadn't the least possible reason to do
that terrible thing. His son Gustav
10 20 years old and he supported his
father and mother and sister we'll
enough. They were all happy"
Deed Takes Place at Sunrise.
From The account of the tragedy OBJ
tanned by the police 1t seems probable
that Herring awoke at about the hour
Of sunrise. "a foul fiend must have
got into him in the night" as his
stricken daughter walled today.
Dressed only in his white night shirt
he walked silently to the room where
his wife and daughter slept. The door
was open. He entered.
There on the bed lay the two women
Of his household, quietly sleeping, COW
cred only by sheet. Mrs. Herring
habitually slept on her left side. fac
ing the wall. It fs declared.
Shoots Over Body Of Daughter.
Reaching across the body Of hia
daughter Margaret, Herring thrust
the muzzle Of the revolver close to
his wifa's tangled hair and pulled
the trigger.
Margaret awoke with scream. Her
father stood silently. still clutchins
the revolver. As the girl saw what
had been done her power Of words
deserted her. She could only scream.
Cry after cry pierced the house.
.Herring'e son came rushing into
the room, quickly followed by Fred
]. Biederman, another son-in-law, and
his wife, Clara. They were visiting
at the Herring home.
Girl Dased at the Deed.
Margaret now stood unsteadily at
the head of the bed, gazing as II
dazed at the still body Of her mother.
Herring had retreated to tho wall and
was facing the intruders with an ILL
boding leer. "It was an expression
the like of which was never seen
on his or any other mans face be-
fore" Biederman related later in
'awed tones.
years, rushed toward his father.
my God! What have you done?"
he cried
He seized the demented manes wrist
and tried to tear the revolver from
his grasp. Thereswas an instant of
tussling. Then the younger man was
sent staggering across the room. Be-
fore. he could regain his balance
there was another revolver shot and
he fell to the floor. m0rtally wounded.
Last Act OF the Tragedy.
Biederman and his wife were par
alyzed. They could not move hand.
Herring had stridden past them. back
to his room. They heard the door
slam. The sound OF q third shot a
few minutes later warned them to
stay away from that door. But. lat
Ter when the police cautiously turned
the knob and peeped In, Herring lay
at full length on the floor. a red
wound In his temple.
Meantime Margaret had thrown her
self on her mothers body. and lay
sobbing hysterically. Neighbors who
came to the assistance of the stricken
family did all they could do to drag
her away.
SUGAR CASE AGAIN
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