Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-16
CHILD COMES
HOME TO FIND
PARENTS DEAD
Eight-Year-0ld Phyllis MOCullOCh
Finds Mother and Etepfsther
Lifeless Upon Return
from Grocery Store.
BELIEVED MURDER AND SUICIDE
Two Revolvers on Floor Near Hus-
band Indicate He Shot Wife and
Then Himself.
COUPLE HAD OFTEN oUARREIED

When Phyllis Mceulloch, aged 8
years, returned to her home at 1928
Cass street from the grocery store
at noon she found her mother and
step-father dead. A bullet wound
through the right temple, of Mrs.
Alice Schwichtemberg. aged S5 years,
and a similar wound through the
right temple of John Schwichtem-
berg, her husband, were the cause of
death. Two revolvers were found
beside the body of the latter.
Tho little girl told the following story
TO the police officers: Papa has been
awful cross lately and this noon he came
from work and ne and mamma quar-
relied because mamma said he flirted with
a neighbor woman"
Papa sent me TO the store to get q
bottle of milk and when I got back the
front door and the back door we're locked.
looked through the dining room window
and saw papa lying on the floor. Then
went to the back window and looked in
and mamma was lying near the kitchen
stove. broke the kitchen window with
stick and went into the front and got the
baby and took 1t next door,
Phyllis had come from the Webster
Street school about 1880 and found her
parents uuarrelipg. On her return to the
house from the store and upon breaking
through the window she had to pass the
bodies Of her mother and stepfather to
get to the baby.
Father Fires shots.
of the mother q wound was discovered
through her back. The father evidently
fired the shots, as about the wound
through his right temple powder marks
were plainly visible.
The parents had quarreled frequently,
according to the child, but her father
to her knowledge had never threatened
the life Of the mother or had q revolver
in the house. Besides the body of the
woman was a butcher knife.
Phyllis and the 4-month-oId Schwich-
temberg baby. Carr, are being cared for
temporarily by Mrs. ]. H. Hefte, 1921
cass street, who lives next door. Mrs.
Gould Lavender. who occupies the sec
ond floor of the Schwichtemberg home.
was in the house and heard the quarrel
and shots, but did not come downstairs
until after the arrival of the officers.
Owned Their own Home.
The property is owned by the Schwieh-
temberg family. who bought the place
about five months ago. They had lived
in Omaha for five years. coming here
from Red Oak. la. They have no rela-
rived In town, according to Phyllis. The
mother of the dead woman lives In Iowa.
somewhere near Red Oak. the little girl
believes. According to the child, her
stepfather did not drink. but for the
past year had displayed a bad temper
and constantly argued with his wife.
He never told mama he would kill her,
but he said he would put her in jail.
Yesterday he struck me-"
Worries over business.
schwichtemberg was q grain dealer at
the Board of Trade and had been worry
Ing considerably Of late over his business.
Phyllis said that she never saw a revolver
in the house. but that her father day
or two ago asserted he was going to trade
his cornet for one, so he would be ready
if any burglars broke into the place. In
his pocket was found an open box of
cartridges while the two revoIvers picked
up at his side were cheap 32-caliber weap-
ons. Shots had been fired from both.
Opened on the piano to Brighten the
Corner Where You Are" was a Billy"
Sunday hymn book. The two little folks
probably will be taken care of by the
Juvenile authorities until tie grandmother
or other relatives can be found. Phyllis
(Tsopfinrad - De - Tr,yo lr,i.,,,ov, T-nroa