New-York tribune., 1912-03-07
DIES TO END TROUBLES
Girl Jumps from Roof After
SlaShing Former Lover.
SPENT NIGHT IN HIDING
Had Disappeared from Court,
Where She Was to Face Lar
ceny Charge, and Had Got
Hatchet.

To escape prosecution on a larceny
charge and put an end to a one-sided love
afair, Lena StoCkfish. whose brother-ln~
law runs delicatessen store at No. 80 Irv-
ing avenue. Brooklyn. slashed the head OF
Henry Harberger. of No. S24 St Johns
Place. with a hatchet on Tuesday and yes
terday morning jumped TO death from the
roof of a house about two hundred feet dis
tant from where she had spent the night
believing her former lover was dead
The girl had been arrested on complaint
OF Mrs. A. G. Hewison. of No. 93 Madison
street, by whom she had been employed
until few weeks ago. when her honesty
was questioned. The case was set for Tues
day in the Gates avenue court. but when
IL was called the defendant was missing,
having disappeared after vain attempt TO
speak with her former employer. Her sub
seduent actions lead to the supposition
that her mind was giving way. She OBJ
tanned a hatchet somewhere, and went TO
Harberger's boarding place, got in and hid
under his bed.
Three years ago. while at a picnic In the
Ridgewood section. she had met Henry
Horberger butcher. He was nineteen
years old. a year older than she Later he
asked her to marry him and she consented,
hut her people broke up the match. The
man remained true to her until few
months ago and then began to appear in
public with other girls He borrowed her
savings. about $780, five months ago, TO set
himself up in the milk business, but did
not succeed. She failed in her efforts 10
get him TO repay the loan.
He entered the room at 7:30 o'clock Tues
day night and began to get ready to meet
another girl. STOPPING to reach for his
shoes, he saw Lena under the bed. She
came out at his command and quarrel
followed Lena declared that Horberger
was not going out with her rival and
when he declared that he would do so in
spite Of her, she drew the hatChet from
her coat and hit him blow upon the head
that cut a long cash in his scalp and nearly
split his skull. The sound of his body fall
ing to the floor aroused the other people
in the house and they ran to his room.
Lena ran down the stairs. leaving the
weapon behind her.
Some Of the people started 10 follow her
but she outstripped them. While Dr.
straubb. of the Swedish Hospital. was at
tending her victim and preparing TO remove
MIN 10 the NOSpltdl lllt 6iii tht'4VN q ii"N
house at No 79S St Johns Place. She
found hiding place in a vacant hat, from
the window of which she watched the am
bulance bear away Horberger and saw the
police start out in the search of his slayer
No one heard her moving about through
the night. for she had removed her shoes.
and she threw her hat beside them wnen
she departed in the morning.
She went to the roof Of the four story
building No one heard her on the way or
saw her as she dropped TO the street
Charles Schierenberg. her brother-in-law.
identified her body at the morgue. Last
evening Mrs Hewison received brief note
in the last mail II read:
Dear Mrs Hewison-May God forgive
me- / am not guilty Of everything. / Will
be dead when you receive this letter.
LENA"