TO JOIN HIS DEAD WIFE.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 426, 8 July 1913, Page 7

TO JOIN HIS DEAD WIFE.

SPIRITUALIST WIPES OUT A

FAMILY.

FATHER'S STRANGE REASONS FOR

TRIPLE CRIME

Spiritualism seems to have been responsible to some extent for bringing about a terrible triple tragedy at Cambridge, the University town being greatly shocked on learning that a father had been guilty of double murder, followed by suicide, m order that his hope for a "spiritual reunion " with his dead wife and baby would be realised. The man m question, Captain | Albert Paul Schule, a teacher of German, i resided m rooms over a shop m Regent street, one of the principal thoroughfares m Cambridge. After shooting his two children — Natalie (aged 9) and Albert (6) — he took his own life m a similar manner. Before executing the deed Captain Schule, who held spiritualistic beliefs, wrote to the coroner and a friend informing them of his intention. The three bodies were found m a room at the back of the house by an officer sent by the coroner. The bodies were dressed, except for boots, and were lying on a bed upon which the captain's wife died m February. The scene was pathetic. The little girl was next to the wall with her face turned towards her lather and her brother. Next to her was the little boy, with his face close to his father's, as if m the act of kissing him, their mouths being close together. Both children appeared to have^ been instantly killed by a, i&hot m the left side of the head. The father had a wound m the right temple, and was grasping & small revolver m his hand. Three of its five chambers had been discharged, the remaining two being loaded. There was no sign of any struggle or any disorder m the room, and th^ bodies were still warm when found. Captain Schule has had an adventurous career. He was a Hungarian by birth, but as a boy went to Germany, and enlisted m the Prussian Army. He afterwards went through the Franco-Prussian War, and was wounded m the face. After leaviug the army he engaged m surevying, but misfortune and illness ruined him, and he arrived m England m 1890. After struggling, m London for about' lß years he and his young wife and two children arrived m Cambridge m 1908. Here they had a very uphill fight, and were helped by townspeople, who regarded them as respectable people unhappily cowed by misfortune. The

—Crowning of the Captain's Sorrows— by the death of hie wife and his reasons for committing the tragedy provided a dramatic story at the inquest. In a letter to the coroner, covering about eight foolscap pages, Schule set out the reasons why he deliberately proposed that he and his children should "depart from this life." It had become unbearable to suffer any longer af ter the horrible death -of his wife and their mother, who, it was his unshaken, conviction, could have been saved. There was no other word for it but that she had been killed m horrible torture, lasting five and a-half hours. He claimed he had the &ame right to do with his children and himself what the doctors had done m the case of his wife. He had extracted from the doctors a promise that they would not use chloroform, as his wife had a weak heart, but they did use it. His children would never have overcome the love of their " mamma," and he would rather choose death. Schule wrote : —

I and my wife and children do not fear what is called death. We only know it as a change to another state. They only long to get reunited with their murdered mamma, who taught them about death and after-life. I claim I have the same right to do with my children and myself exactly what the doctors did m the case of my wife's horrible death. In the name of medical science I have forced upon me the most bitter, horrible act which a' father who

loves his children more than his 'own

life could be driven to. The letter was dated March 2, but was not posted until April 4. Mr Louis Von Glehn, assistant master at the Perse School, who identified the bodies, said that m a letter he received from Captain, Schule deceased said he regarded death as the means to a higher life, and he had the 6ame reason for doing with his two children and himself as the doctors had done with his wife. Mr Von Glehn said that Mrs Schule died on February 21 during childbirth. The doctor thought it necessary to use chloroform. CJaptain Schule's condition before was very anxious, and afterwards he was absolutely " broken down. He was very much depressed, and witness had done all he could to assist him. According to the letter read m court, this thing had been preying on his mind ever since, but he never gave witness any hint as to committing suicide. Deceased did tell witness that he had a strong belief m spiritual existence. He believed m the development of the soul above the development of the body and intellect. The soul had an independent existence, and it was better to get rid of the body to develop the soul. Schule said he felt that the fight of life would be too much for his children, as it was for him. He — Wanted to Save Their Souls. — His body was insufficiently connected with his wife'© spiritual body. He was afraid that the administration of chloroform would damage her astral body. He fur- j ther stated that clairvoyants, had predicted ' that his wife would die with her third child. Witness had consulted a doctor i as to Schule' s mental condition, and asked if he could by any stretch of phraseology call his general attitude "madness," and the doctor replied m the negative. Every time witness departed from Schule he had tears m his eyes. Witness had befriended him and financed him for a considerable time. Cross-examined by the Chief-constable as to the possibility of Schule haying been m a foreign secret service, witness said he knew Schule was not the man's 1 real name. In the last letter to witness he signed himself "A. P. Szeky." Witness did not know that Schule and hi& wife had quarrels, and that there were threats of parting. Deceased said that rather than be separated from his children he would kill them. Speaking of the long letter to the coroner, witness said he thought deceased began the letter some time ago and kept putting it off. Sergeant Potts, coroner's officer, described the discovery of the bodies', and said that on the dressing table was a letter addressed to the police, as follows : — Grief, indignation, and despair at the unnatural, horrible death of my wife. Broken down my already intensely suffering constitution, and at last overthrown my mind. I cannot stand this terrible strain any longer, so I depart this life, taking with, me my dear children. The explanation of this dreadful step I communicated to the lawful place to which I refer those who want to know it. I am a Hungarian- by birth, 56 years, and lived m this country since 1890. Confidential. — Please communicate with Mr Von Glehn, Wark worth street, to whom everything m the house belongs. I forbid every medical man to interfere with my and my children's bodies, and I trust that the last will of

a broken man will be respected. — A. P. - Schule.

It was suggested that the doctor who attended Mrs Schule ought to have an opportunity of giving evidence. The coroner agreed, and said the nurse ought to be heard too, as serious allegations had been made against their professional ability. The deceased man had written these allegations to other persons besides the coroner. The inquest was adjourned. With full Church of England rites the funeral of the three victims m the tragedy took place at Cambridge. The body of the girl was placed m the grave of her mother, buried <dx weeks before. The children had tended this grave since their mother's death. The little boy and his father were buried m a separate grave near. A little wreath and a handful of jonquils were on each child's coffin.