Tragedy in Fort Plain Home Outcome of Quarrels Over Stepchildren of Woman—Couple Found Dead in Home by Daughter. Fort Plain. N.Y., Feb. 2, 1920 —Encased in an ornate casket, the body of Fred Swartz murderer and suicide, will be laid to rest tomorrow in the Fort Plain Cemetery. Miles away in Amsterdam, there will be another burial service tomorrow for Mrs. Swartz, the other victim of the grim tragedy that was enacted in the Swartz’ homestead just outside of this place, but there will be a marked difference in the two funerals. Children and mourners will follow the coffin that contained the husband. A plain pine box will furnish the last resting place for the wife. Save the minister, the undertaker, and the bearers, all that was mortal of Mrs. Swartz will rot in the grave alone. It was so Fred Swartz killed in the farewell note he left which he addressed to his dear children, "Do not bury her near me in the burial plot." the letter directed. "Place her in a plain box: it is good enough." Back to the murder and suicide is the old story of a second wife who could not understand the husband's love for the children of the first. Unable to understand, jealous of the affection he freely gave, she abused them: and. finally, the father, no longer able to endure it, decided that death for both offered the only solution. The Swartz's, an elderly couple lived with the four children by the first wife, in what is known hereabouts as the George Green place on the Valley Brook Road. They have married about a year ago. as the result of a matrimonial advertisement placed by the man in a newspaper. From the first, it is said, the two quarreled over the children born to the first wife. Recently, Swartz sought the advice of a local attorney and requested his aid in untying the wedding knot. He was informed that he had no grounds for bringing an action. The decision to kill followed. The first inkling that things were wrong at the Swartz home came when the father telephoned the daughter, Florence, employed in Little Falls, to come home at once. Sho took the first train. Arriving at the Swartz home, she found her father lying on a couch in the kitchen, dead, an empty bottle, which bore a carbolic acid label, told the story. The girl looked for her stepmother but could find no trace of her on the upper floor. On a table, however, Miss Swartz discovered her father's farewell note. He stated that he had had a terrible quarrel with his wife in the morning. that ho had struck her with a rolling pin. kicked and beat her until she died. Then he tumbled her lifeless body down the cellar stairs. "What I have done, I have done for your sake." the letter said in conclusion. "I could not stand the abuse any longer." Mrs. Swartz was 48 years old and had been married three times. Mr. Swartz was in the fifties. He had been a widower for some time when he married his second wife a year ago. Surviving is two sons and two daughters. Note: The murdered wife was Anna Garr Swartz.
Tragedy in Fort Plain Home Outcome of Quarrels Over Stepchildren of Woman—Couple Found Dead in Home by Daughter. Fort Plain. N.Y., Feb. 2, 1920 —Encased in an ornate casket, the body of Fred Swartz murderer and suicide, will be laid to rest tomorrow in the Fort Plain Cemetery. Miles away in Amsterdam, there will be another burial service tomorrow for Mrs. Swartz, the other victim of the grim tragedy that was enacted in the Swartz’ homestead just outside of this place, but there will be a marked difference in the two funerals. Children and mourners will follow the coffin that contained the husband. A plain pine box will furnish the last resting place for the wife. Save the minister, the undertaker, and the bearers, all that was mortal of Mrs. Swartz will rot in the grave alone. It was so Fred Swartz killed in the farewell note he left which he addressed to his dear children, "Do not bury her near me in the burial plot." the letter directed. "Place her in a plain box: it is good enough." Back to the murder and suicide is the old story of a second wife who could not understand the husband's love for the children of the first. Unable to understand, jealous of the affection he freely gave, she abused them: and. finally, the father, no longer able to endure it, decided that death for both offered the only solution. The Swartz's, an elderly couple lived with the four children by the first wife, in what is known hereabouts as the George Green place on the Valley Brook Road. They have married about a year ago. as the result of a matrimonial advertisement placed by the man in a newspaper. From the first, it is said, the two quarreled over the children born to the first wife. Recently, Swartz sought the advice of a local attorney and requested his aid in untying the wedding knot. He was informed that he had no grounds for bringing an action. The decision to kill followed. The first inkling that things were wrong at the Swartz home came when the father telephoned the daughter, Florence, employed in Little Falls, to come home at once. Sho took the first train. Arriving at the Swartz home, she found her father lying on a couch in the kitchen, dead, an empty bottle, which bore a carbolic acid label, told the story. The girl looked for her stepmother but could find no trace of her on the upper floor. On a table, however, Miss Swartz discovered her father's farewell note. He stated that he had had a terrible quarrel with his wife in the morning. that ho had struck her with a rolling pin. kicked and beat her until she died. Then he tumbled her lifeless body down the cellar stairs. "What I have done, I have done for your sake." the letter said in conclusion. "I could not stand the abuse any longer." Mrs. Swartz was 48 years old and had been married three times. Mr. Swartz was in the fifties. He had been a widower for some time when he married his second wife a year ago. Surviving is two sons and two daughters. Note: The murdered wife was Anna Garr Swartz.
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