Evening star., 1912-07-21
SLAYER KILLS SELF
Eric Schaeffer, Who Shot Two,
Pressed by Police.
WOMAN ONE OF VICTIMS
Rival. of Whom He Was Jealous,
Battles Against Death.
LETTERS REVEAL SITUATION
Photographs and Post Cards Also
Shed Light Upon Tragedy
at Allentown, Pa.

ALLENTOWN. Pa. July 2O-Har6
pressed by policemen who wanted him
on a charge of having murdered Lovina
Price of Scranton, Pa. and Of having
wounded William ]. Free Of South Beth.
lehem, Pa, Eric Schaeffer. young mar
of this city. came out from cornfield
on the Lehigh mountain this afternoon
and committed suicide by sending bull.
let into his head. Death was instantan-
eous. Schaeffer had travelled with a
theatrical company as property man and
after the company closed for the season
was employed as a bartender In Allen
town.
The young woman, who had been mar
ried to a Scranton man named Price
and whose maiden name was Caynes
was shot while in bed at her apartment
In this city early today. She was found
by neighbors, and near her on the floor
was Free with bullet in his head and
a finger shot off.
Admirer Of Girl.
Suspicion at once rested on Schaeffer
as he was known to have been an ad-
mirer Of the girl and to have had some
difficulty with Free over her. When
Schaeffer could not be found policemen
in automobiles set out to search for
him. He was traced to Emaus, where
the police lost trace Of him.
This afternoon the hunted man made his
appearance on the farm Of John Muth
near Salisbury. He hid in a cornfield as
officers passed and repassed on the road
nearby. Muth met him In the field and
asked him IL he knew that the police
were looking for a murderer 9chaeffer
said he did not know anything about
a murder and explained his presence in
the neighborhood by saying that he was
trampfng his way from Wilkes-Barre to
Allentown. Muth left him and the man
then walked to a tree and shot himself
In the head He was dead when the
farmer reached his side. The officers
were summoned and they identified the
man as Schaeffer.
Free Unconscious.
Free was unconscious most Of the day
In hospital. 1t was said this evening
that the bullet that entered his head did
not touch vital spot. and that he may
recover.
Schaeffer saw the woman with Free
Friday night and became enraged, it is
said. He threatened trouble, declaring,
1t is charged, he would get the woman
and his rival and then kill himself
AT one time Schaeffer was brought be-
fore the mayor. and quite recently was
before Alderman Bower upon a charge of
assault and battery brought by the
woma1l- This charge was settled by the
woman paying the costs and fine At
another time Free received a thrashine
from Schaeffer. This case also was set
tied.
In going through the effects of the
slain woman many letters, photogra phs
and souvenir postal cards were found.
One letter showed that she had been
In Scranton July 8. according to the post
mark This letter was addressed to
Schaener signed by Lowanda Caynes and
was playing no favorites' was also
shown by another postal card found in
Frees pocket. This card was also dated
Scranton. July 8, where the woman went
to see her mother. Another letter found
must have been left at the woman's room
by Schaeffer.
An unmailed letter found on the girls
bureau said: What good will II do to
kill me-"
Schaeffer had given the girl lot OF
jewelry. much of which was found in
her trunk, including locket containing
Schaeffers picture. All the jewelry was
taken to the office of Alderman Bower, in
whose care ii was placed. Her clothing
was also placed in the care Of friend.
An examiS alton of the body showed
that the woman had been shot three
times. one of the bullets entering the
right shoulder. another on the left side
of the neck and another on the top OF
the head