The Daily Record-Union Sacramento, Cal. Monday, June 28, 1886 HOMICIDE JACOB KLEIN SHOT DOWN IN THE PLAZA LAST NIGHT Statement of Miss Feaney Wiezel, Who Fired the Fatal Shot The entire city was thrown into a state of excitement about 9 o'clock last night, when the news spread quickly throughout the town that Jacob KLEIN, one of the cornet players of the First Artillery band had been murdered in the Plaza. The band of which he was a member was engaged in giving a public concert on the Plaza, and the grounds contained some two thousand or more people, men, women and children. Just before the band played the last piece, "Home, Sweet Home," Klein, who had an engagement to play at another place, was excused, and just as he was leaving the grounds at the southwest gate, a pistol shot was heard, and Klein fell dead. Hundreds of people immediately gathered around his prostrate form, and the air was full of all kinds of rumors. Some that he was shot by a man, others that a woman did the shooting, others that it was an accidental shot, and still others that it was a case of suicide. The body was picked up and taken into GOGING's drug store, afterwards to the Coroner's office, where it was ascertained that he had received a pistol SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD "That had caused instantaneous death. The large concourse of people immediately scattered for their homes, and the wild rumors spread with amazing rapidity. Those standing near the man when he was shot had recognized the woman who had done the shooting, and officers were immediately informed, who went to her residence at the southwest corner of Ninth and M streets, where she was found, arrested, and taken to the city prison. When the news was broken to the father and mother, at their residence, No. 605 K street, they were nearly distracted with grief. Jacob was their pride and joy, a young man who had just passed his twenty-first birthday, and who had but just entered upon a manhood full of promise. The mother, as soon as the news that her son was wounded was told to her, immediately exclaimed that she knew Miss Wiezel had committed the act, "for she told me yesterday that she would kill him." THE GIRL'S STATEMENT. When the officers arrived at the young lady's residence, they found that she was expecting their visit and was ready to accompany them. She handed over the weapon that had done its bloody work - a small murderous-looking five-chambered pistol, with one cartridge exploded. Her coolness seemed to paralyze the arresting officers, and her glibness of speech in detailing the incidents of the bloody work paralyzed even the reporters when they were admitted to her presence in the private office of the Chief of Police at the Station-house. She was found sitting in a chair, in conversation with Chief DILLMAN, officers ASH and SULLIVAN, City Attorney HART and Police Judge HENRY. Three reporters completed the party. Miss Feaney WIEZEL is twenty years of age, was born in this city; tall, handsome of form and features, and of very pleasant address. She was very neatly attired in a dress of dark blue material, HER FACE BORE A PLEASANT SMILE, And but for a slightly finished and an excited expression of the eyes, no trace of the fearful tragedy that had just been enacted, of which she was the principal actor, was in the least noticeable. When asked her name, for fear the reporters would get it spelled wrong, she took one of their books, and in a splendid hand, not the slightest tremor noticeable in a single letter, wrote Miss Feaney Wiezel. When Judge Henry came into the room she looked up and remarked, "Are you astonished at this?" "I really am," replied the Judge. "Well, I shouldn't think you would. You know I told you that if he would not marry me I would kill him." "Yes," said the Judge, "you told me that and told the same thing to others, but I did not think you would do it." After a few preliminary questions by the officers and the reporters, Miss Wiezel related the following statement, which has been much abridged, but is preserved as nearly as possible in her own language. She said: About two months ago I bought a pistol INTENDING TO MAKE KLEIN MARRY ME. He had wronged me; he knew it, and I was going to make him right that wrong, so far as a marriage ceremony could do it. I did not care whether he lived with me or not. It was not for that purpose that I wanted him to marry me, but it was intended to save my character so far as such a proceeding would go toward doing so. We did not love one another, I am sure; yet it was the only way I saw out of the disgrace he had brought upon me. My first intention was not to shoot him, but to intimidate him, and if that did not succeed, then to use it as I have done. The pistol I first bought is not the one I did the shooting with. That was a bright nickel-plated one. It glittered in the dark, as I noticed on several occasions in my bedroom. Saturday I went to ECKHARDT's gun store, where I bought it, and exchanged it for the blue or dark-colored one, which I gave up to the officers. I was afraid the bright one would attract attention and be taken away from me. I made the exchange after Klein had positively refused to make any reparations - that is, marry me, that is all I asked - which he did on K street, between Fifth and Sixth, on Saturday. I said to him "I have just received my answer and understand that you have firmly decided not to marry me." He replied, saucily, "Yes, you need NEVER RECOGNIZE ME AGAIN Anywhere," and laughed and crowed over my condition in my face. I said, "See here, Jake, I will be revenged." He said, "Yes, you will but you haven't sand enough to shoot. You won't do it. If I wait for you to kill me I will live a thousand years." He said if I ever recognized him again on the street, or any place else, he would kick me in the ----. He dared me to injure him. I did not want him to live with me, but I thought he ought to marry me - simply to hide my disgrace. He said, to say no more to him about it, and declared that if he was a millionaire, even, he would not help me in the least. He had no feeling for me, and under those circumstances why should I have any for him. I hope this sad experience will be a lesson to other young men. Our conversation on Saturday was after our talk with Judge Henry, and in which he had positively refused to do anything. While we were in the presence of Judge Henry his every act was that of a coward, and when the Judge left the room for a moment to talk with the City Attorney he got up and opened the door, and acted as if he was AFRAID I WOULD HURT HIM. I told him he was a coward. I had promised not to come armed, and I did not; I kept my word. If I had not I might have injured him upon that occasion. He exhibited no more feeling for me upon that occasion than he would for a dog. I have known him since he was a child. About two weeks before the Turner masquerade, which I think was in the latter part of February, I met him at Thirteenth and J streets, about twilight, where I had gone to visit my sister-in-law. It was near dusk, and I was going home. He said, "Hello, Phene; where are you going?" I replied, "I'm going home." He said, "May I walk with you a little ways?" I said, "Yes, if you can behave yourself." He then said, "Let us walk up J a couple of blocks, and then down I street," to which I assented. We had kept company before, and were at one time engaged to be married, but the engagement had been broken. HE WANTED ME TO MAKE UP And renew our engagement. This I stoutly refused. He got jealous of me every time I went to a dance, if I danced with others, and I had fully made up my mind to have nothing more to do with him, and plainly told him so. As we were walking through the Grammar School lot he tripped me with his foot, struck me in the breast, knocked me down against the fence and accomplished my ruin. In the struggle I had my shoulders and breast bruised, and my face considerably scratched. I resisted and upbraided him and told him he would live to be sorry for his brutal act. Young KUEHLER, a brother to a brother-in-law of mine, came along at this time, and accused Klein of having dealt foully with me. Klein took the boy to one side, and held a private conversation with him for a moment, then ran off and left me. Yesterday when he met me, TAUNTED ME WITH MY SHAME And said he was revenged for my making him jealous. I was determined and fully made up my mind to be revenged somewhere and somehow. This evening after I had finished washing the dishes, I slipped on an old overdress over this one, put on a shawl and a large hat, and started for the plaza, before reaching which I cocked the pistol, and carried it in my hand. I was guided by the pieces, and knew about the time the concert was nearly through. Jake never plays "Home, Sweet Home." When they got down to that I entered the plaza by the southwest gate and edged my way through the crowd toward the music-stand. When about half way I met him face to face. Our shoulders almost touched as we passed, but neither spoke; don't know whether he recognized me or not. I immediately turned and followed him, and when near the gate raised the pistol on a level with the back of his head, about two feet distant, and fired. There was a flash, a report, and HE LAY DEAD AT MY FEET. I did not attempt to shoot again, for I was confident he was dead. I felt awful sorry when I saw him fall, but then I am not at all sorry for what I have done. My folks knew nothing of my going to the Plaza to kill him; although I have frequently told him and others that I would revenge my wrongs. Immediately after the shot was fired, a man who was standing near, said, "There is the lady that did the shooting." I said, "Yes, sir; that man took my character, and I have taken his life." I have heard it said that Klein's folks have threatened to kill three of my family IF I KILLED THEIR SON. On my return home after the shooting I said to my mother, "I have killed Klein. I am now willing to become a mother, but was not until the man's eyes were closed in death, who is the father of my child." I have won my part. I never fired a shot before in my life, and am a little surprised at my success at the first attempt. I have no lawyer; have not given that a thought. I have talked over my troubles with J.N. YOUNG, and had him as an attorney talk to Klein. Every one was coming to me, constantly telling me of scandalous and damaging stories that Klein was circulating about me. He was constantly making nasty, dirty remarks about me, and I would not stand it. I told his mother last week all of my troubles, and tried to prevail upon her to advise her son to do what was right in the matter, but she would not. I then told her that unless he acted in the matter as he should, and saved me the disgrace which he could, I should certainly kill him. He would not - he did not, and - well, HE HAS DUG HIS OWN GRAVE. At this juncture a reporter noticed her right hand, the palm of which was blackened with powder, and called her attention to it. She proceeded to wipe it off with her handkerchief, saying, "It must be powder, for I washed my hands clean just before I left home for the Plaza." Another reporter said: "Some of those present at the Plaza say that you fired two shots." "Oh, get out," she laughingly replied, "there was only one shot fired; if I had fired two shots I would say so. I feel greatly relieved. I know the authorities cannot more than take my life - and a life for a life is a fair exchange, and that is no robbery. The reason I shot him was because he accomplished my ruin by force, and got me enciente." She then related many incidents that had transpired in her unhappy existence; said she fully realized that she had done; that her work was satisfactory; that she was ready to suffer the consequences. She had been utterly and hopelessly ruined, her character taken from her by force, her future life blasted and treated with a contempt and insults which, added to the injury, was more than she could bear. At the close of the interview she bid the callers a pleasant good-night. THE OTHER SIDE On the other side, Klein's friends claim that he was the victim of a deep-laid plot to ensnare him and compel him to marry the girl. In an interview with a friend yesterday, at noon, he said he expected the that he would be shot if he did not marry the girl, but had fully made up his mind to face death rather than wed her. He has detailed the occurrence that happened on the Grammar School grounds to several, to all of whom he claimed that the fact that Kuehler was in the background and came up at the proper time, was evidence to him that he had been trapped. They had set a snare for him and he had been captured. Judge Henry had, at the request of the girl, several talks with Klein, but the latter, on each and every occasion, avowed that he was the victim of a conspiracy, and, knowing such to be the case, he would never submit to being married to the girl. He also to Judge Henry and the City Attorney detailed statements regarding the young lady, which, if true, were sufficient to cause any man to refuse to do as they insisted upon his doing. Last night all kinds of rumors were afloat; and, treating them as rumors, none of them will be referred to in this item. Klein's friends, and he had many of them, seem to be satisfied that he was the victim of a conspiracy, which, when it failed, so wrought upon the feelings of the girl, that in her present delicate condition she was hardly responsible for her acts, and does not now fully realize the gravity of the crime that she has committed. In the interview with the reporters last evening she was several times asked if she fully realized what she had done, and she would invariably reply: "Yes, A life for a life is a fair exchange, and a fair exchange is no robbery. He took from me my character, and I have taken his life. The authorities cannot take from me more than I have deprived him of." THE HARLAN TRIAL The testimony taken in the Harlan case at Woodland Saturday was not important. Rev. W.H. MARTIN testified as to Mrs. Harlan having attended service at the Christian Church on the morning of the homicide, and that the services concluded about 12:30 P.M. John D. STEPHENS bore testimony as to Harlan's good reputation for peace and quietness. Dr. W.W. McFARLANE's testimony was as to the bullet-holes in CRAFT's overcoat, and the wounds he had received. Also, relative to muscular contractions and relaxations after death. W.S. McFARLANE saw Harlan and BARNES go into the hotel before the shooting, but did not notice that either of them had a pistol. Thought Harlan had both hands in his coat pockets. Coroner KRELLENBERG testified as to where he found the body, the position of a pistol near it, the clothing, etc. The shift and underclothing he burned, as they were very bloody, not thinking they might be required afterwards. Court adjourned until 1:30 P.M. to-day. FUNERAL OF WILLIAM T. BIRD - There was a very large attendance yesterday afternoon upon the funeral of William T. BIRD, the member of the Fire Department whose death was caused by accidental injuries received while he was hastening to a recent fire. The First Artillery Band led the procession, followed by the Fire Commissioners and delegates from the different companies of the Fire Department in uniform. Following where were Confidence Lodge, Knights of Pythias, James Davis Marshal. The Odd Fellows' General Relief Committee came next, with H.F. DILLMAN as Marshal, and after the organizations a long line of carriages containing friends of the deceased. THE WHEAT YIELD - H.M LaRue, who is in town, states that the recent wind storm injured his wheat crop in Yolo county to the extent, he estimates, of 70 per cent. He is now thrashing, and from a section where he should have secured as mush as 1,000 sacks, except for the injury, only about 250 was obtained. Mr. LaRue thinks the damage throughout Yolo was much greater than at first supposed. SOCIAL AND PERSONAL M. ENGEL, manager for ZAMLOCH, the magician, is in town. Allen TOWLE went to the Bay yesterday from Towle's Station. D.M. REAVIS, of Chico, came down yesterday, going to San Francisco. George B. HERBERT, of Biggs, was among the visitors to the city yesterday. Senator C.W. CROSS, of Nevada City, went home yesterday from the Bay. Hon. J.M. FULWELLER, of Auburn, returned home yesterday from this city. Hon. J.H. KEFF came down from Colfax yesterday, going to San Francisco. Sheriff McCLELLAN, of Butte county, returned home yesterday from San Francisco. Assemblyman D.G. BARNEY, of Solano county, and wife, came to the city yesterday. Fish Commissioner BUCKINGHAM went to Santa Rosa Saturday on official business. Miss Bertie CONAWAY, formerly of this city, but now of Haywards, is visiting friends here. Miss Emma COTTRELL, who has been attending the Crocker Art School, is the guest of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. THOMAS, of Woodland. Captain E.M. STEVENS is improving slowly but steadily, and declares that he will be out to enjoy the Fourth of July celebration. Arrivals at the Capital Hotel yesterday: R.S. POWERS, Thomas ROBINSON, Big Bend; George DITZLER, C.H. PORTER and wife, G.H. HERBERT, Biggs; C.L. SMITH, Meridian; John GATE, Oroville; J.R. GARRETT and wife, Marysville. A camping party will leave to-morrow for Yosemite, consisting of Dr. A.J. FROST, C.M. CAMPBELL, Moore HESKETH, of this city, and E.L. COLE, of Oakland. They will go by private conveyance on a "roughing tour," and expect to be gone between two and three weeks. Arrivals at the Golden Eagle Hotel yesterday: E.W. HOVEY, Edward LAJARES, A.C. FARNSWORTH, J.F. McCARTHY, B.F. GOLDWATER, Mrs. G.H. HUNT, A.F. SEWELL, S. KORN, Mrs. WINER, John G. CONRAD, F.W. CARTON, Frank A. SPENCER, M. H. FLINT, J. BOYCHUT, W.W. ROSS, San Francisco; Sam HENDERSON, Chico; Mrs. DENS and child, Virginia; John L. JACKSON, wife and son, Colusa; L.W. BUCK, Vacaville; J.W. McCAMNON, Miss Martha TURNER, Reno, Nev., Wm. PRESTON and wife, Omaha; W. ALEXANDER, Dixon; A.F. VIRD, Woodland; Geo. COOPER and wife, Dixon; Mrs. WOLFFE, Oakland. Arrivals at the State House Hotel yesterday: O.E. BADGLEY, Stockton; C.E. WILCOXON, Yuba City; N.D. BURLINGTON, Garden Valley, L.L. FUGETT, Truckee; H. WINSLOW, Ogden; Thomas POCKMAN, Woodland; William PLIN, Yreka; S. M. DAVIDSON, San Francisco; Mary DOUGLASS, Hicksville; Ed. TAYLOR, Charles GAGUS, V. QUITZOW, N. POWERS, K. CAVENY, Con. BIGLOW, Frank CARROLL, San Francisco; H. HUTCHINS, Lodi; Mr. and Mrs. LEMOS, Chico; J.H. LOVE, J.B. CALDWELL, M.E. FINN, H.J. PERRIEO, T.D. BUCKLEY, A.T. MATHEWS, San Francisco; S.M. DAVIDSON, Montana, H.G. SANBORN and wife, Diamond Springs; H. HEIDRICK, Sutter Creek. BORN Sacramento, June 25 - Wife of F.C. BIRKENSTOCK, a daughter Woodland, June 26 - Wife of J.M. MILLER, a son DIED Sacramento, June 27 - Marguerite STEWART, youngest child of Jas. A. and Lizzie DOUGLAS, a native of Sacramento, 10 weeks. [Funeral private. Bee copy.] Sacramento, June 26, Jane BELNAP, 89 years, 2 months and 16 days. [Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, which will take place from the residence of her son, Charles BELNAP, corner of Second and P streets, this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Interment private.] Los Angeles, June 27 - Elias L. NEWBRO (son-in-law of W.W. SHELDON), formerly of Folsom, 31 years, 6 months and 21 days. Woodland, June 25 - Luz'a Rhoda KELLER, 2 years, 10 months and 6 days.