MURDERS HER AGED MOTHER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 142, 17 June 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

MURDERS HER AGED MOTHER.

REVENGE THE MOTIVE OF A FRENZIED DAUGHTER. .

A crime of an even more than usually, revolting character was perpetrated in Chicago on May 4, when a Mrs Augu&ta Styles planned and executed the murder of her mother, shooting her down deliberately as she entered a lodge hall.

Mrs Catherine Schultz, the victim of her daughter's murderous hand, fell mortally wounded against the door of the hall, Where some women friends were holding a meeting. The weight of tb.6 falling woman caused the door to sWlrig Inward, and as the old woman dropped to the floor on her hands and knees the daughter fired four more times at her mother, two of the bullets entering fKe woman's back and two bullets going wild. Then, waving the smoking pistol aloft, the daughter sprang into the hall, cfy-1 ing hysterically: 'God forgive me. I had to do it. It is done, ft Is done! !

Mrs Schultz died within a minute, while her daughter in the condition of a mad woman, was denouncing her from the speakers' platform.

The tragedy was brought about \by revelations regarding a sealed chapter in the life of Mrs Styles made by Mrs Schultz to her granddaughter, the latterbeing the 16 year old daughter of Mra Styles. • This girl, Belle Styles', ilyett with her mother and stepfather at '18S; Sheffield Avenue, and it was there thai the grandmother went a few days ago and revealed to the girl the secrets which for years had been hidden frpm her. She told, the child that her birth was illegitimate. ; Not until the day of the murder did Belle Styles summon ccitirage to tell her mother what her grandmother had told her. ,

The emotions of Mrs Styles overcame her and she fell on the floor in..ft fit, and a physician had to be called to bring her back to consciousness. With returning reason came a wild, unconquerable desire for revenge, and as soon as her strength would permit she left thd house and went to a hardwore store, where she purchased a. ,rey. tver.. . tJiw' conscious of impending danger,''" lira Schultz planned to atend a meeting of the Martha Washington Frauen Verein Society. As 3 o'clock aproaehed shei left her home and made her way to the place. As she entered the hall, 3\lrs Styles;;'%ho was lying- in wait for her, sprang frofn the dark hall way and shot her down.

The woman was taken in charge. ;. .'.