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Another Shocking Murder, and Suicidal. Attempt bv the Murderer.—On Saturdayat the corner of Schuylkill 6th and Thompson ( streets, Philadelphia. It occurred about ten o’clock, and the victim of this horrible outrage is Sarah Bechtel, who came to her death by the hands of her husband, William. Bechtel. The parties lived at the corner of the above named streets, which is in what is called ct Texas,” ashort distance from the Girard College.From the testimony adduced before the Inquest, held by the Coroner, it appears that Bechtel, on Saturday evening, between nine and ten o’clock, went home with two companions, and that soon afterwards, while several persons were present, he coolly and deliberately took hold of his wife by the head, and with a jack-knife inflicted a severe gash in the front and upper part of her neck.The wound was four or live inches long, and had penetrated so far that upon opening it, the upper portion of the larynx was visible. A number of blood vessels were severed, and the hemorrhage was so violent and profuse that she died in about a half an hour afterwards.Bechtel was calm and cool at the time, declaring that he hud done it and would hang for it like a man.He a short time afterwards attempted to kill lnmself, by inflicting a wound with the same knife upon his neck, which proved unsuccessful, and he was taken into custody, placed in the Spring Garden watch house, and yesterday morning committed to prison by Alderman Lutz.The deceased was not at home when Bechtel arrived, but came soon afterwards with a female, who occupied a part of the house with them.— During the interval between her return and the commission of the horrid deed, there were no harsh words used, nor any suspicions entertained that such a tragedy would be enacted. The act was done without any immediate provocation, or any intimation 011 the part of Bechtel. It is said he was under the influence of liquor, and had been so all day. One of the witnesses stated that B. and his wife frequently quarreled.Bechtel is a boatman, and was arranging to commence his trips upon the Schuylkill canal.— He had been absent from home one or two days, and. from the testimony it seems his wife and thewoman living up stairs had been out to Fair-mount to ascertain whether or not he was on board his boat. The deceased was about twenty-six years of age, and has been the mother of several children, all but one of which are deceased. Her parents, it is stated, reside in the vicinity of Kingston, New Jersey.The testimony disclosed the fact that Bechtel was jealous on account of some known or supposed improprieties on the part of his wife, towhich cause, superinduced by intoxication, the appalling deed is attributed.]
Newspaper Details
Lancaster Examiner and Herald
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Apr 05, 1848
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 29 Aug 2019
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