South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-16
HUSBAND, FOILED
In SUICIDE, DIES
VERY SUDDENLY
Hold Autopsy Today to Deter
mine Cause of Goshen
Laborer's Death.
FALL IS BELIEVED CAUSE
Bullets Fatal to Wife-Step-
Daughter Has Fighting
Chance for Life.

GOSHEN. Nov Special
Fooled through the failure OF hts re-
volver to work in his attempt 10
take his own life after he had shot
and fatally wounded has vile and
probably wounded his Il year ola
step-daughter, Louis Witt. IS, Gosh
en- foundry laborer. died at 81
o'clock Wednesday afternoon in the
Goshen hospital Of injuries believed
10 have been sustained in falling
down stairs after the double shoot
ing His death occurred just two
hours before that Of his wife. whcl
died at s o'clock as the result
Of perf0ration Of her mites ines by
two bullets from her husbands re-
volver. a slight hope Is held out for
1 the recovery OF the step-daughtcrl
who was shot through the stomach.
The tragedy marked the end OF
what is said 90 have been q stormy
married life. entered into hy the
couple after spondence
courtsnip. Mrs. Witt. who was 4
+ years old and a niece OF a former
wife Of Wits came TO Goshen last
December from Germany 20 marry
! Witt, the matrimonial negotiations
/ being conducted by a brother OIL
/ the dead woman. Edward Tetzlan Oh
/ Goshen.
QuarreIs over Money.
Recently Witt made charges thai
his wife had dug up s., 500 which,
/ ne had secreted in the cellar Of the
/ home. and had deposited IL I'm tho
/ bank. Relatives Of the slain woman
claim that she did not steal any OF
I her husbands money, and that Il
I was part Of the Marriage pact thai
I she should have all his funds, and
il addition witt had executed a
4 joint deed for the home, and had
/ drawn up a win bequeathing his
/ entire estate 10 his wife.
( Tho arrangement over money
, matters eliminated "Wednesday
morning when witt is said 20 have
come into the kitchen while hisI
wife was preparing breakfast, and
without warning shot her in the|
/ back. sending two bullets into her
body. Her "a year old daughter at
T LtIiI id. tA 10 run q Nf RI NlAa w 80 II ODD go
two shots M her. both taking effect
Il Is thought that he then Stumbled
aud fell down stairs. When he wac
found lying on the floor OF his
workshop the revolver was stlI|
clutched In his hand, and therel
we're two unexploded shells, but tne|
firing mechanism had been affected
by Wits fall IL is believed. and Il
could not be fred again. II Is believed
that ne had attempted 10 take hisl
own life. but the fact that the re-
volver would not work frustrated
+ this attempt
/ Wits Death Mystery.
4 He was in highly nervous cOndi-
Z ton when taken into custody by thel
police. but az the time IL was no'
believed that he was I'm any was
seriously injured though he sus
tanned several bruises in his fai
down stairs. Early in the afternoon
. his condition became serious. ans
he died within a short time. and
/ his sudden death Is a puzzle 90 thel
police and medical authorities An
autopsy viii be performed tomorrow i
/ TO determine the CAUSE OF his death
4 The theory Is advanced that Wit
( was probably seriously injured IN |
/ ternaIly by he fan.
I The little girl, lighting for life Il
/ the hospital was able 20 tell Diti-I
+ full story az the marital d-d.cuiie 1
/ ~ her mother and step-father. She!
+ told the police that Witt had stoc |
4 of liquor I'm h.s cellar and -hat n
was drunk a great deal OF the time
/ Tn the past few weeks the poiceI
+ have frequently been called 90 theI
/ Witt home 10 quiet domestic distur
/ banccs there A few DAYS ago WifI
+ had a notice published IN the news
papers stating that he would not be
/ responsible for his w.fcs debts II
the future
Daughter Gets Estate.
The slain woman's marriage 4
Witt was also her second venture
She had previously been married Il
/ Germany but her first llsban
.