New-York tribune., 1912-02-05
INSANE, HOLDS POLICE
BACK WITH REVOLVER
Jersey City JeWeIIer Fights Re-
serves for Nearly Three Hours
at His Home.
WOUNDS ONE AND HIMSELF
Fires Many Bullets Through
Ceiling Into Rooms of Neigh
bors-Captured After He
Fired Shot Into Abdomen.

Fired Shot Into Abdomen.
Edward Fortmann, a jeweller who was
temporarily In hard circumstances and had
been living In the basement of two story
house at No. 20 Stagg street Jersey city
Heights. became suddenly insane late yes
terday afternoon and for nearly three
hours terrorlzed the neighborhood and
stood off the police reserves, one of whom
he shot. Only after ne had exhausted his
ammunition and had attempted suicide by
shooting himself through the abdomen were
the police able to get him under control.
According to Mrs. Charles Melln. who
lived on the floor above the Fortmanns, the
jeweler had been acting strangely for sew
eral weeks. She is borne out I'm this by
Mrs. Fortmann, who told the police that
her husband had been depressed ard ner-
vous for a month or more. but that she had
attributed II TO worry over his troubles.
She noticed, however, that with the out
break of the strikers in the mills at Law
renee, Mass, Fortmann suddenly became
more erratic and continually talked about
the situation there. Within the last few
days any newspaper item telling of the
movements II the striking mill workers
would be sufficient to set the jeweler on
into a terrific ft Of rage. lie was specially
bitter against the strikers and declared
that they all ought to be shot"
About o'clock yesterday afternoon
Mrs Melln was in her kitchen, which is
directly over the basement occupied by
the Fortmanns With her was her seven
teen-year- old daughter, Lucy. They were
preparing supper and talking together as
they moved about the room, when the
quiet was suddenly shattered by wild
yell from the room under them and two
bullets ploughed upward through the
wooden floor. Two Jets OF plaster puffed
out OF the ceiling above their heads where
the missiles entered the ceiling. and be-
fore they could even run out Of the room
another yell arose from the room below
and four more bullets ripped up through
the floor in quick succession.
Mrs Mellin and her daughter raced out
OF the house screaming. As they ran they
saw Mrs. Fortmann run iround tho corner
Of the house. thinly clad and crying that
her husband was insane and was shooting
in all directions. Mrs. Mellin found Pa
trolman Martin Murphy, who hurried
around TO tlie basement. saw what was
happening and sent in call for the re-
serves Then with Patrolman Patrick
Walton. young policeman. who had been
on the force only six weeks, he sneaked
around the house and started through a
narrow alleyway toward the rear door
leading into the basement
As the two men worked their way
through the narrow passage between the
houses and neared the basement door a
bullet suddenly whstled through a small
window opening into the basement and mar
rowly missed Murphy's head The two men
hurried around TO a storm door protecting
The basement entrance and entered IL 10 Try
the door Instantly the sash was shattered
by a fusllade OF bullets from within. snd
the two men heard Fortmann yell, I'm Kill
the strikersT'
At that moment Walton, who had raised
hls club To break tine glass had IT split
cleanly in halves by bullet and a moment
later he dropped with a bullet in the side.
Murphy seized the young man and dragged
him out ot the doorway and around to the
front OF tho house. From there he was hur-
red TO Chlist Hospital in an ambulance.
BY this time the reserves had begun TO
arrive and reconnoitre the house. Within
they heard the wild yells OF the jeweller as
ne fired shots at the windows and ceiling.
They lid not wish to shoot the man and,
on the other hand. could not expose them
selves needlessly.
All kinds of strategy were tried, but Fort.
mann was never Off guard and kept his re-
vover working ceaselessly After about
two hours of this. however, some OF the po-
lice. who had crept into the rear doorway
TO listen. heard two shots, and then the
sound OF a thud on the floor. like that OF a
falling body. followed by groens. They I'M
medIately jumped UP and broke In the door.
Inside they found Fortmann lying in a
corner with a bullet hole through his left
hand and another I'm the abdomen. He was
carried out OF the basement and hurried to
Christ Hospital, where he was placed in a
cot next TO that OF Walton. The injuries OF
both men are serious.
Inside the basement the police found
many bullet holes in the ceiling OF the
room. In the Mellin kitchen above the
ceiling was badly damaged, and china and
tinware were broken. The room itself was
Uttered with splinters from woodwork and
furniture.
Mrs Fortmann, who was later taken TO
the hospital herself suffering from shock,
said that her husband was sitting quietly
in the basement yesterday evening when ne
suddenly leaped out OF his chair, blaZeo
away with the revolver and cried out tha'
"he would kill the strikers" Mrs. Fort
mann ran along TO him and begged MN 20
put the revolver away, because he mlght
hi some one In the room above. For
answer, Fortmann put his arm around her,
kissed her and told her not TO MIND pc
cause no one was going TO be allowed 10
hurt her. Then he emitted another wild
we'll and sent more bullets through the
ceiling. , ,,s,
At the hospital the doctors said late last
night that they hoped Walton would re-
cover, although they had not located the
bullet In his back. Fortmann VIII prooaoiy
die
H. B. SHEPARD A SUICIDE
Eoro,a, DroLar Tnb 1ng Gas IN