Iowa Old Press

Dubuque Daily Herald
Dubuque, Dubuque co., IA
October 30, 1874

The Rhomberg-Wagner Tragedy
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The Prisoner’s Remorse
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Scenes of Desolation and Sorrow

    The Rhomberg murder was the principle theme of conversation throughout the
city yesterday.  Popular opinion being clearly in sympathy with the victim
of the tragedy, and the innocent families of the two men whose faults and
crimes have created a desolation and disgrace that neither time or
circumstance can wholly eradicate.  It is the opinion quite generally
expressed among the friends of the deceased Rhomberg, and of Charles Wagner,
that the dark deed of Wednesday night would never have been committed but
for the nettlesome influence of outside parties who were continually adding
fuel to the flames of anger and revenge which Wagner very naturally felt for
the real or fancied wrong that has been done him at the hands of his wife
and friend.  These, like all human passion, would have subsided in all
probability under the healing influence of time, but for the interference of
the chronic meddlers and mischief makers who are too plentiful in every
grade and station of life, standing as they do ever ready to sow the seeds
of discord and strife, to probe the wounds that should heal, and scatter
dissension broadcast over the walks of life, little caring whether the
consequences fall upon the sacred altars of home, the sanctity of marriage
relations or the laws and proprieties that govern society at large.  Such
was the influence by which Wagner was goaded on to a crime which has stained
his hands with the blood of a once valued friend, and launched a soul into
eternity before its time without a moment of warning or preparation, and
brought distress and sorrow to mothers, wives and children whose homes and
lives are blighted and desolated under the dark shadow of death and the yet
deeper one of disgrace and shame.  From time to time had Wagner been taunted
with the scandal concerning his wife and Rhomberg, and as he himself
expressed it he had lost patience.  He had been made to feel that he had
neither the money nor friends sufficient to enable him to carry suit against
Rhomberg to a successful issue.  Under the influence of conflicting
emotions, further stimulate probably by excessive drinking, led to the
tragic denouement of Wednesday night.  We visited Wagner at the jail
yesterday, and found him in his cell, lonely and depressed, in strange
contrast to the reckless, exultant manner he wore on the night of the
murder.  He expressed regret at the deed he had committed; not, as he said,
in view of its enormity or dread of the penalty, but on account of the grief
it had brought to his own and his victim’s family.  He spoke with
considerable feeling of his mother and her sorrow.  He said, in regard to
his own feeling, that under any circumstances he could not suffer more than
he had done before the commissions of his crime.  He further stated that on
Wednesday he had again been taunted in regard to his wife’s infidelity, ant
the prospective loss of his suit.  In reply to which he says he made no
threat of taking the law into his own hands, as was among the reports upon
the streets yesterday, but said he did not know what he should do in the
event of a decision against him.  Wagner was somewhat reticent, probably in
compliance with the instructions of his counsel, and no further statements
were made by him of special interest.  To the
    SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY,
    And the house of mourning we next repaired.  Frank Rhomberg’s remains were
neatly clad in a suit of black, and exposed to view in a handsome casket.
The features bore no evidence, except where the wounds were inflicted, of
his tragic and unnatural death.  They presented a strangely life-like
appearance, and wore an expression of calm and perfect repose.  The left
side of the face and neck are much disfigured by the gunshot wounds, and one
hand is literally riddled with the same blackened spots.  The whole charge
of the weapon must have struck him his death blow, with the exception of a
couple of shot which glanced upward and perforated a stove pipe running
across the room near the ceiling.  The scene within the house was dreary and
desolate beyond description, the three rooms on the ground floor are
connected by doors, the front one being a contracted apartment used as a
saloon.  The drawn shades and closed doors, the blood stained counter and
floor and the forsaken aspect of the room was weird and gloomy in the
extreme.  In the adjoining apartment lay the corpse of the murdered man, and
in the next one the family were assembled the stricken wife prostrated with
the great and sudden grief that had fallen upon her.  A grief which so
earthly comfort or sympathy could alleviate or subdue.  From the dark shadow
of this unhappy home we passed to another where the gloom was only lightened
because the presence of death was not there.  But as we looked upon the
murder’s aged mother, every lineament of her face betokening a deep and
silent sorrow, we knew that she would gladly have exchange the barrier that
separated her from her guilty son for the ‘dark valley" that lay between the
living and the dead.

    Wagner’s home.

    After the separation of Charles Wagner and his wife, he removed from the
corner of 8th and Jackson streets, where he had resided, to a house near
main street, between 16th and 17th streets.  It is a neat and comfortable
abode, and the family consists of Mrs. Wagner, the mother of Charles, his
sister, Mrs. Crosner, her children, and the one child of Charles and Lizzie
Wagner.  Both women are possessed of good education and refinement, and feel
most keenly the disgrace that has fallen upon their name.  Mrs. Croaner, it
will be remembered, was the most important witness in the late adultery
case, she being the one who claims to have made the discovery of actual
guilt between Elisa Wagner and Frank Rhomberg, in the house of the latter.
That such a discovery was made by her was reiterated to us by Mrs. Croaner,
but that an espionage over Mrs.. Wagner’s movements was not her purpose, nor
the object of her coming to Dubuque.  She also positively declares in
contradiction of statements published to the effect that she had been
summoned hither by her brother with that motive in view.  She declared that
she accidentally made the discovery of her sister-in-law’s criminality, one
Sunday afternoon, and the following evening disclosed the fact to her
brother with the injunction that he should not mention it until he had
investigated further for himself.  Wagner, however, at once sought his wife
and charged her with the offense, which Mrs. Crosner says was at once
admitted by Mrs. Wagner, who imported her husband’s forgiveness; this he
refused her telling her she could be a wife to him no longer, and that she
must return to her mother’s home in Mo., at once.  She then turned to her
mother-in-law and begged that she would intercede for reconciliation with
him.  The mother granted her forgiveness and parted with her I kindness.
The husband, however, remained form his home until the departure of his wife
on the Wednesday following the discovery of Mrs. Crosner.  The above are
some of the statements we received from the mother and
 sister of Wagner, and which we have inserted that justice may be done all
concerned in the unhappy affair so far as we have the means of giving it.
We did not think it strange the Wagner should be filled with remorse as he
began to realize the ruin he had wrought in once happy homes and hearts, or
that this own sorrows and grievances and forebodings for the future should
be lost to sight in remembering the greater woe his crime has caused outside
the prison walls.  An inquest was held on the body of Frank Rhomberg
yesterday and the following testimony given in regard to the murder:

    The following is a summary of the testimony of several witnesses abstracted
by John Wagner: Charles Wagner borrowed a shotgun from John Duttle, who was
a nephew of Frank Rhomberg.  He loaded it and walked to a saloon on the
corner of 8th and Clay, which was run by Frank Rhomberg.  On the way he
talked to the Sheriff, George Salot.  He saw Frank and shot him through the
window.  Frank was struck in the head and died after loosing considerable
blood.  Charles walked across the street and was taken into custody and
jailed by the Sheriff.  Charles remarked to the Sheriff, ‘I hope he is dead;
he has ruined me and my family and I now have my satisfaction for it; he
stole my child’s mother and he got what he deserved.’

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Dubuque Daily Herald
Dubuque, Dubuque co., IA
October 31, 1874


The Late Tragedy
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Funeral of the Murdered Frank Rhomberg
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Interview between Wagner and Rhomberg’s Brother.
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Wagner’s Message to His Wife

    The funeral of the late Frank Rhomberg, the victim of the Wednesday night
murder, took place from his residence at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon.  The
attendance was very large, and most respectable in character, showing that
whatever may have been the faults or errors of the deceased, he had many
friends who seemed to remember only the generous nature, the kind and genial
qualities, that far outweigh the weaker traits which are the heritage of
human nature throughout the world.  There were no services at the house,
which was crowded with friends, who took a last look at the face of the
dead, and then made way for the final parting of the stricken family with it
lost member.  The scene was a sad one, the widow threw herself upon the
lifeless body of her husband, in an agony of grief, as she looked for the
last time upon the calm, peaceful face and, and there were few present who
did not weep in sympathy with the nearly heart broken woman so suddenly, so
sadly bereft of a loving companion, and her only protector.  The remains
were conveyed to Linwood cemetery followed by a large procession of
carriages and at the grave a short burial service was conducted by Mr.
Steinle.  The pall-bearers were Albert Henchetin, Charles Burkhard, Joseph
Sam, Gustav Tieffenbrun, Fritz Akerman, and Anton Sutterlide.  Mr. Rhomberg,
of Sterling Ill., a brother of the deceased, arrived yesterday to be present
at the funeral.  He at once called at the sheriff’s office, and asked
permission to hold an interview with Wagner.  Deputy Sheriff Salot granted
the request, but under the circumstances, took the wise precautions measure
to search the visitor. No weapons of any kind being discovered he was
admitted to the jail, and led to Wagner’s cell in the uppermost tier.  The
greeting was very informal and was naturally, perhaps, neither courteous or
kind.  Rhomberg saluting Wagner as a d__d coward, informing him with great
irony, that he had called upon him in order that he might know him, and get
out of his way should he ever meet him outside
 the prison walls, to which Wagner replied that he would be glad to
remember him also.  The interview was very brief, and closed by Rhomberg
expressing the hope that Wagner would get the punishment that he deserved
(meaning, we presume, at the rope’s end), or spend the rest of his days in
prison.
    Wagner yesterday requested Mr. Salot to write to his wife informing her of
his situation, and telling her if she ever had any love for her husband,
now was the time for her to tell the whole truth in regard to the affair
that has had such a fatal and disastrous termination.  And he affirms the
belief that if his wife is brought into his presence, and separated from the
influence of her mother she will make a full and faithful confession of all
the charges he has brought against her, and the deceased Rhomberg.  Further
than we have stated there have been no new developments concerning the late
tragedy and the parties concerned.

[Submitted by: J.A.W., Jan 2005]