Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-06-11
MRS. KATE FRIz, WAUKESHA, WILL
DIE FROM WOUNDS INFLICTED
BY PETER KORN.
YOUNG SON ALSO WOUNDED.
Family Quarrel, Resulting from Settle
ment of Fathers Estate, Ends
in Shooting.
WANTED TO KILL WHOLE FAMILY.

w ACNLcI1A, w Is, June H. Spe-
cial. Mrs. Kate Friz, aged AZ, wife of
Perry l.. Friz, a prominent real estate
dealer, and her 6-year-old son. Henry,
were shot down IN their home, 115 Nc
Call street. at $50 this morning, by
Peter korn, aged about 80, a brother of
Mrs. Friz. The woman's husband had
just gone down town when the shooting
occurred.
The woman is shot through the breast
and Will die. The boy was shot through
the right thigh and will recover Korn
also attempted to shoot Marian Friz, the
Il-year-old daughter of his victim, but
missed her Five or six shots were
fired.
Gives Up to Police.
According to the statement made by
Mrs. Friz before lapsing into uncon-
seriousness she and her children were
standing in the dining room when her
brother suddenly entered the door.
D Drawing revolver Korn exclaimed,
What do you know about this?" and
began firing. Mrs. Friz was shot through
the breast, and with the children ran to
the home of Edward Wells, next door.
where she fell to the floor
horn surrendered himself shortly after
8 o'clock. He walked to the Jail, where
he met Joseph Frank. Il want to see
the sheriff." he said. Frank, who did
not know Korn, told him that the sher-
1T was out and asked # there was any
thing he could do for him. Korn replied
III the negative and left the Jail, and
started west on Main street meeting
Judge Armin of the municipal court.
I've been doing some shooting" he
said. Judge Armin suggested that he go
to the Jail, but Korn replied that the
sheriff was not in.
The two men retained to the court
house, where they sat in the office of the
municipal court clerk for few moments,
and then went to the Jail. Two large
3S-caliber revolvers were found in Korn' S
pockets.
In the presence of Sheriff Gibson,
Chief of Police Enders and newspaper
man, korn freely admitted the shooting
lie also intended to shoot his sister S
husband, Perry L. Fritz, he said, and
also Mrs. Friz's sister, Mrs. William
Steele of Pewaukee, had she been at the
F'riz home.
korn stated that he left Chicago last
night and went to Milwaukee, coming
to Waukesha on the $50 interurban car
this morning and going directly to the
trlz home for the express purpose of
finishing the whole business"
Family Quarrel the Cause.
The shooting today is the result of
long litigation over the estate of the late
Henry korn, a pioneer resident of New
Berlin, who died here a few years ago.
Peter Korn was left only $500 and
made Il contest. There have been vari-
Gus lawsuits in which all of the heirs
became involved. Korn has for several
years had a particular grudge against
Mr.. and Mrs. Eriz and the family have
been afraid of him.
Several times during the past three
years small pamphlets were circulated
about the city in which Friz and his
wife and other members of the KOrn
family were bitterly attacked Peter
korn was always supposed to have been
the author of these pamphlets and this
morning practically admitted the same
In his statement to the officers Korn
said that while he was provoked at the
family he would not have attempted to
kill them had he not become convinced
that they were trying to do away with
him. On one occasion he said his sister.
Mrs. William Steele of Pewaukee had
given him poisoned food and wine.
He also charged that Fritz had on one
occasion taken him to a local lodge hall
and endeavOred to induce him to precede
him up a dark flight of stairs This in
cident was also mentioned in one of the
pamphlets which were circulated about
the city. 1t is believed that Korn
thought he had been wronged by the
other heirs and brooded over the mat
ter until he became slightly demented.
Chance for Recovery.
While making his statement to the of
fcers Korn repeatedly expressed regret
that he had not found Friz at home so
that he could have shot him also. No
charge has been preferred against him.
but he is locked up in a cell in the county
jail awaiting the outcome of Mrs. Friz's
injuries.
At noon the physicians stated that
Mrs. Friz's condition had taken a de-
cided turn for the better and had a
chance of recovery.