Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-07
MANIA WITH HER.
POISONING
FIRST Attempt Was So Successful
Nine. Gottfried Got In Habit of Re-
Moving Everybody She Didn't Like.

tanclng ana SliSlIS. re idu ItCDlflt
the owner of a large, handsome house
n the Pelzerstasse at an absurdly
ow price The owner and occupant
# the house, Nine. Gottfried, had fall
en- into financial difficulties some
ime previously and had mortgaged
ne property. The mortgage fell due,
nd she had no money for the occa-
ion, so the man held the instrument
oreclosed and offered the place for
ale. Herr Rumf made a ridiculously
ow bid and it was accepted at once.
So this merry whealwright felt that
ne occasion needed celebration, and
lie went to his favorite gasthaus and
invited everybody to have something
lie told the good news and was sur
,rised and grieved because nobody
congratulated him. His cronies shook
heir heads and seemed to pity him.
Ierr Kaufman. the attorney, finally
ndulged in plain speech.
you have been so busy these many
ears" said he, that you don't know
what's been happening around you.
rhe undertaken is the most frequent
.uest Nine Gotfried has the evil eye.
nd wherever she goes people sicken
md die If you must live in that
louse. at least see that Nine. Gott-
,ried moves out. She may be a good
woman in her intentions and in her
ife, but she is accursed
Herr Rumf laughed al such a story.
Ie was a hard headed practical man,
md didn't believe in the evil eve, or
n accursed houses. So he took pos
session of the house, he and his fam
L.. Two rho lower floors and
NINE. Gottfried, moving upstairs. She
made pathetic plea to be allowed to
.emain. She was a sad, lone woman.
he victim of unparalleled misfortunes
n a brief time she had lost her father
nd mother her brother, three child
on. and had beer twice widowed
Fbe story of her troubles made such
N impression upon Herr Rumf that
lie let her remain. and made his terms
remarkably liberal.
She was a fine buXom woman, Of
gracious manners, and possessing n
sad, sweet smile that melted the hearts
of men. Her hair was brown and hef
| complexion marvellous. Her teeth Were
snowy. set rather far apart and point
| ed. Had modern eriminolegist not
| ed her teeth he might have been inn
| norvious to the appeal of her eyes. Hell
upstairs rooms were handsomely furn-
| ishd and she had a fine library, chiefly
| If religious books, which she spent
| much time reading. Her piety, while
| not obtrusiye, always attracted at
| tention.
| In few weeks Nine. Gottfried was
i practically a member of the Rumf fam
/ iIy She spent most of her time ~ theil
/ part of the house, and husband ant
| wife agreed that she was a godsen,
to them, she was so helpful so sympa
thetic She was a great comfort t
| Mme Rumf, and when the latter fel
dangerously sick. the widow seldom LEI
her bedside. The invalid's illness wa
| mysterious, and seemed to battle IN
doctors. She suffered exeruciatin
pain. Now and then she showed sign
Of improvement, only to experience
relapse, and at last she died. The grie
of the husband was equaled by TIN
| aifliction of Mime. Gottfried, who seem
| ed inconsolabl When Rumf wen
| back to his work after the funeral ht
| met Herr Kaufman, whe said to him
| You'll be the next victim if you LEI
| that woman stay in your house. rms
| angered Rumf. Nine Gottfrlod hat
| been an angel to his family. The deat
woman's last smile had been for The
patient watcher at her bedside.
Then the hired nurse who had beer
| in attendance and who hadn't yet left
| the house, fell sick. and also servant
maid: three apprentices who had then
meals at the Rumf home began TO sur
| fer from the same mysterious malady
The nurse and servant girl left the
house and soon recovered. The doctor
wore path to the house, and the
undertakes looked in that direction
constantly. Rumf's friends begSed him
to omen his eyes before it was too late,
but their appeals merely aggravated
him. He thought there was Ionspir-
acy to defame and insult that magnlii-
cent but unfortunate woman.
And then he found himself too i'll to
leave the house. The disease which
had taken his wife from him had at
tackled him For weeks he suffered, now
feeling better and again worse, and in
a little while be was mere wreck of
the stalwart, healthy wheelwright of
other days And Nine. Gottfried wait
ed on him like a daughter giving him
his medicine, cooking his food for him.
reading her religious books to him. One
day when he was alone in the house
he felt a sudden yearning for some
thing to eat He hobbled down to the
kitchen and there he found a pork
chop, ready for frying. 4 pork chop
was Just what he wanted He lifted it
from the dish, and found that il was
covered with a white powder. At last
the suspicious of this credulous man
were aroused. There was no reason
why a pork chop should he covered
with q white powder So he wrapped it
up in q sheet of paper and sent it to
a doctor and the doctor sent back word
that the powder was arsenic.
An examining magistrate visited the
house and the result of his investiSa-
ton was that Madame Gottfried went
to Jail Then curious thing happened
This plump and handsome woman sud
denly became a repulsiVe bag. The
enameled complexion came off reveal
ing a yellow skin. Most of her beautiful
hair was false and her own hair was
dyed Her attractive form had been
carefully built up and Is eorsets were
removed from her.
There were many examinations, and