Inmate of St. Alexander Home

for the Aged Fires Fatal Shots at

Venerable Sister Irmina.

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BULLETS LODGED IN NECK DEATH 10 MINUTES LATER

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Tragedy Occurred on Fourth Floor of Loretto Hospital at 11:30

Friday Forenoon.

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Firing two shots from an automatic pistol, point blank, in rapid succession, Joseph L. Puchner an inmate of the St. Alexander Home for the Aged, almost instantly killed Venerable Sister M. Irmina, who was in charge of the fourth floor of the Loretto hospital, which adjoins the Home, Friday forenoon at about 11:30 o’clock. The tragedy occurred in Puchner’s room on the fourth floor of the hospital, and his victim passed away about 10 minutes after the shooting.

Apparently Deranged.

Deductions made from the testimony given by the murderer at the inquest, held Saturday morning, indicate that Puchner’s mind was apparently deranged, as he was laboring under the delusion that someone was seeking to do away with him and obtain his money. This seemed to be his only mania, as nothing unusual was ever noticed in his general conduct. He suffered from hallucinations about plot to put him in the boiler of the hospital heating plant, and would occasionally tell of hearing voices around him. Upon no occasion did he become violent, however.

No Eyewitnesses.

There were no eyewitnesses to the tragedy, and the only obtainable version of it is the one given by Puchner, as his victim was unable to tell what had happened. He claims that Sister Irmina came into his room to get a contribution, which he had previously promised her, to be sent to her destitute relatives in Germany. While there, he says, she attempted to get possession of his revolver, which she believed to be in his coat pocket, but which he states was concealed under a newspaper on a table. He grabbed the weapon and opened fire point blank, but claims to have aimed at her feet.

Two Bullets; Four Wounds.

The fact that the pistol was automatic accounts for the rapid succession of the shots and the close proximity of the bullet wounds, four in number. One of the missiles perpetrated the lower part of the right cheek, about one and a half inches from the angle of the mouth, toward the back of the neck, came out below the jaw and re-entered the neck, lodging in the spine or bony structure of the body, causing three of the wounds. The second bullet went directly into the neck, perforating the right carotid artery, one of the two principal arteries which convey the blood from the aorta to the head. The later wound is believed to have caused Sister Irmina’s death. Both bullets were fired at close range, slight powder burns being evident on the skin near the wounds.

Saw Victim Fall.

Sister Rosalinda, who was assisting with the work on the fourth floor of the hospital that fateful morning, heard two successive sharp reports but as she is somewhat hard of hearing, believed them to have been caused by the popping of the gas stove in the pantry, which is located across the hall from the room occupied by Puchner. The reports were followed by screams, and Sister Rosalinda went out into the hall to investigate. She was just in time to see Sister Irmina stagger and fall to the floor of the hall, right in front of the pantry door. The latter called, “Help Sister, he shot me!” Sister Rosalinda noticed blood on the right side of Sister Irmina’s neck. Sister Philothea, at work in another room, also heard the commotion, and with Sister Rosalinda carried the wounded woman into a room, where she passed away albout10 minutes later, without being able to give details of the tragedy.

“She Betrayed Me.”

After Sister Irmina had been carried into the room Sister Rosalinda went out into the hall again and saw Puchner there. She told him to go into his room. All he said was: “She betrayed me.” Later, when John Schaefer, who is employed as engineer and fireman at the hospital heating plant, went into Puchner’s room, the latter did not realize the enormity of his deed, and maintained that he had aimed at Sister Irmina’s feet with the intention of merely wounding, but not killing her. He surrendered the death weapon to Mr. Schaefer without protest. It is a German-made automatic pistol of 6.35 millimeter caliber, which is equivalent to’ an American 25 caliber weapon. Puchner purchased the pistol by mail from a Chicago supply house, the latter part of last November, paying about $7 for it. The cartridges he procured at a local hardware store, last month, according to his testimony. He claims that a tussle for the pistol immediately preceded the shooting. Sister Irmina having attempted to wrestle it from his hand, while he was seated at the table in his room.

Displayed Toy Pistol.

Some time ago, a report reached Sister Superior Adolphine of the hospital that Puchner had a revolver in his possession. She requested his brother, Geo. Puchner, to make inquiries about this matter. Puchner is aid to have shown his brother a cigarette case, which was a clever imitation of an automatic pistol. When Sister Superior again was told that Puchner had a weapon, Wednesday of last week, only a few hours before her departure for Donaldson, Ind., she recalled the toy pistol episode and all apprehensions were allayed. Never the less, she left orders to have the matter thoroughly investigated. Before this could be accomplished, the tragedy was enacted.

Sister Superior Returns.

Sister Superior Adolphine, who had been called to the Mother house of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, at Donaldson, Ind., after having been in charge of the Loretto hospital and St. Alexander Home for the Aged here for the past seven years, and who departed for that place, Wednesday of last week, returned to New Ulm, Saturday afternoon, in answer to a telegram announcing the tragic occurrence. Sister Adolphine will remain here for the present. Her successor is expected to be designated in the near future.

Apparently Unconcerned.

At the inquest, which was conducted by Coroner Dr. G. F. Reineke, Saturday morning, Puchner appeared wholly unconcerned. His perfect composure indicated mental derangement, there wasn’t the slightest evidence of nervousness, and he answered all questions asked him by County Attorney T. O. Streissguth, who warned him that whatever testimony he would give might be used by the state in prosecuting him. Puchner understood what Mr. Streissguth tried to convey to him an d replied: “I will tell everything; I only want to tell the truth.”

Has Remarkable Memory.

Although laboring under hallucinations about plots and attempts to do away with him and get his money, Puchner’s mind is unusually clear as regards his past life. Answering questions asked him by the county attorney during the inquest, he said that he was born at Hostau, Bohemia, Austria, February 22,1866, and would be 59 years of age on Washington’s birthday, next month. He emigrated to America in May, 1893, and after working on a farm near Waukegan, Ill., for several months, came to New Ulm in December of the same year. He stayed with his brother, George Puchner, here for a while and then went to work as hired man at the St. Alexander (now Loretto) hospital for five years. Thereupon he enlisted in Company A, Twelfth Minnesota Volunteers of this city and accompanied that military unit to Chickamauga when the regiment was ordered there during the Spanish-American war in 1898. Returning to New Ulm, he was mustered-out at the fair grounds here in November of the same year, and accepted employment as hired man on the Lueder farm in Milford township. In January, 1900, Puchner was married to Mrs. Johanna Lueder, to which union one son was born. On March 3, 1903, his wife obtained a divorced from him, and he went to Washburn, N. D., for one year later working on railroad construction for several years and then two years in the railroad coal chute at Underwood N. D. He was also employed in a lumber yard there for two years. In 1910 Puchner removed to Garrison, N. D., where he remained until returning to New Ulm in 1912 on account of failing health. The same year, he went to Elgin, N. D., where he worked in a lumber yard until going to New-Leipzig, N.D., in 1916. In 1922, Puchner again returned tot his city and for two years worked for his brother-in-law, Alex. Flor, on the latter’s farm in Sigel township. Then he became ill with heart and stomach trouble, and on September 1, last year, he entered the St. Alexander Home for the Aged here. Due to his impaired health, Puchner was assigned to a room on the fourth floor of the Loretto hospital, where sick inmates of the Home are cared for.

Worried About Money.

Puchner is said to have worried considerably about money he had on deposit in the Farmers Trust & Savings bank here. According to his testimony, he still has $1,000 on deposit there, while he loaned a like sum to the Loretto hospital. Sometime ago, he gave Wm. Wagner, another inmate of the Home, a check for $175, and gave his check book to George Helget.

Coroner’s Jury Verdict.

The coroner’s jury, composed of Ed. Berndt, Dr. H. O. Schleuder, Robert Fesenmaier, F. H. Retzlaff, Peter Kitzberger and W. H. Bond, returned a verdict that Sister Irmina “came to her death from gunshot wounds, inflicted by a gun held in the hands of one Joseph L. Puchner.” Besides Sister Rosalinda, John Schaefer and Puchner, Drs. L. A. Fritsche and J. H.Vogel were called as witnesses. The two latter performed an autopsy on the remains of Sister Irmina and testified as to their findings relative to the gunshot wounds.

Puchner Bound Over.

Following the inquest, a preliminary hearing was held before City Justice N. Henningsen and Sister Rosalinda, Mr. Schaefer and Dr. Vogel again testified as witnesses. Puchner’s testimony, obtained during the inquest, was read by Court Reporter W. T. Eckstein. Upon motion of County Attorney Streissguth, assented to by Attorney H. H. Flor of the local law firm of Somsen, Dempsey & Flot, counsel for defendant, the hearing was continued until Wednesday of this week, when Puchner was bound over to the May term of the Brown county district court.

Victim of Tragedy.

Venerable Sister M. Irmina, nee Elizabeth Floer, was born at Barghorst, Westphalia, Germany, August 1, 1865, being past 59 years of age at the time of her tragic demise. She emigrated to the United States as a young lady, locating at Chicago, where she did housework until entering the Order of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ at Fort Wayne, Ind.,in 1892. Five years later, she came to New Ulm and was stationed at the hospital here for two years. In 1899, Sister Irmina returned to Chicago to take up private nursing and later was assigned to hospital nursing at Superior, Wis. Returning to this city in1912, she had since been active at the local hospital. Deceased is survived by one sister and two step-brothers, residing in Westphalia, Germany. Funeral services were conducted at the hospital chapel here, Monday morning at 9 o’clock, following which interments was made in the Catholic cemetery.

Brown County Journal,

January 30, 1925

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