New Ulm review., 1922-04-19
AWF I'LL TRAGEDY
ms PETER HOME;
MRS. c. FIEDLER BECOMES
INSANE AND ATTACKS
SON AND DAUGHTER. ..
AFTER NEARLY KILLING THEM
MOTHER WANDERs OFF AND
DIES OF EXHAUSTION.

- &
| During the dismal rain storm last
week Monday night, one Of the most
horrible tragedies that has ever oc-
Cured in this vicinity was enacted at
the home of Mrs. Conrad Fielder on
North Seventh Street in ST. Peter when
Mrs. Fielder nearly succeeded in taking
the lives of her two children, Albert
and Leona, and later disappeared with
out leaving a clue to her whereabouts,
The body of Mrs. Fielder was found
two days later four miles north Of st.
Peter, on the bank Of the Minnesota.
Death had apparently been caused by
exhaustion. 4.
A fit of temporary insanity is said
to have been the cause of the terrible
deed. Without warning Mrs. Fielder
attacked her daughter with a heavy
riveting hammer and beat her into un-
consciousness, inficting wounds about
the head and face that it was at first
believed would cause her death. When
the son came home, Mrs. Fielder shot
him in the neck with a .38 cahbre
revolver. After both children left the
house in a panic, she also made her
departure, taking with her the only
weapon at hand, a butcher knife.
Daughter Terribly Injured.
Reports from the physicians in
charge, indicated that the daughter
would recover from the severe scalp
wounds unless unforeseen complications,
such as inflammation of the brain, de
velop. The son is only slightly in
capacitated and the wound in his neck
is healing rapidly. No complications
are expected in his case.
Mother Had Been Sullen.
The occurrence is without parallel
in Nicollet County. For several years
Mrs Fielder is said to have displayed
violent fits of temper, and for the past
two weeks her mental condition has
caused the children worry. During
these two weeks she refused to speak
to them and when forced to talk, spoke
as briefly and surelily as possible. Both
were alarmed over her condition, but
said nothing to their neighbors or
friends, thinking that it would I'M
prove.
ATTACKS Dauohtor Fret
According to the disconnected stories
Of the two children, Leona was home
alone with her mother Monday eve
ming. About 10 o'clock the girl de-
cided to retire for the night and went
to her room upstairs. Just as she was
prepared to go to bed the mother
entered and attacked her with razor.
The girl eluded her and rushed down
stairs, and the mother broke the weapon
while following her. It is believed the
doors were locked and that the girl
could not get outside, but rushed into
the front room, pursued by the insane
mother. The latter seized hammer,
followed the girl to the parlor and pro
ceeded to rain blows with the blunt
instrument on her head and face. The
nose was broken and the entire left
side of the face smashed in. A deep
|indentation of the skull was also made
above the left eye, and numerous cuts
and abrasions were made about the
neck and shoulders. In defending her
self Leona was beaten cruelty about the
ARMS and hands.
| Under the heavy rain Of blows, the
girl fell to the floor unconscious. 1t is
said she regained her senses shortly af-
ter and that the mother kicked the
inert form several times to see if life
|still remained. The girl, in deadly fear,
did not finch from the blows, and the
Imother went into the kitchen to pre-
pare like fate for the son.
Shoots Son.
4 Albert had spent the evening down
town and upon returning found the
house in darkness. He opened the kit
chen door and as he did so, he felt
some object resting lightly on his
shoulder. 1t was so dark that he
could not see what it was but he be-
|lieved it to be a coat hanging on the
door. He stepped to the match holder
to strike light, and felt the object
1 lon his shoulder follow him. He then
.Esays that he felt something was wrong,
Before he could strike a light, a deafen!
ling report crashed beside his ear. HI
caught the CLINT Of the street light on
a shiny object beside him and grabbed
for it and wrested it from the grasI
of the person who fired. His frs
thought was to get help and he threw
open the door and rushed outside. II
his haste he stumbled on the step ant
fell in the mud. When he arose, h,
q looked toward the door and saw hi,
mother standing there, and the sicken
ling realization came TO him that it VA
aff n