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Case File: Charles Albert Breitwieser (1907)
[Link to the original] – Page 2, Column 2
FORGIVES FOR
SAKE OF WIFE
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Woman Has No Bitterness
Against Man Who
Widowed Her.
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Kleis Surrenders to Police
on Charge of Murder.
“For that poor little woman’s sake and her baby girl’s – I have a little one myself – I forgive him, although his blow brought about the death of the best man that ever lived.”
The widow of Charles A. Breitweiser, for causing whose death John Kleis was arrested yesterday, says she forgives the man who widowed her. She cannot stop the prosecution, but will make no effort to fasten a crime on Kleis, she said last night.
The surrender of Kleis to the authorities yesterday was dramatic. Kleis reached his mother’s home at 7706 Aberdeen-av., N.E., early yesterday morning and he found his wife waiting for him. She was dressed for the street.
“Come on, John,” she said, after he kissed her. “We’re going down to the police station now.” Half an hour later she had given him over to the custody of Chief Kohler for the murder of Charles A. Breitwieser, two months ago.
Breitwieser, a collector for a wholesale liquor company, was struck over the head with a billiard cue at E. 79th-st. and Rosinski-av., N.E. He was taken to St. Clair hospital with a fractured skull and died ten days later.
Kleis was the man the police decided struck the blow which cost the young collector his life. When they went to arrest him at his home, 1220 E. 79th-st., they learned that he had left town. Until he gave himself up yesterday not a trace had been found of him.
“I knew that I would only have to wait for a while,” Mrs. Kleis said yesterday. “I know John too well to believe that he wouldn’t come back like a man and prove that he struck Mr. Breitwieser in self-defense.”
It was not until a month ago that she heard from him. Then the news came in an indirect way that he was in Chicago. “He’ll write me yet,” she told her mother-in-law, Mrs. Simon Kleis.
Monday the long expected letter came. It bore the postmark of Passaic, N.J., and imparted the welcome news that John was coming home to face his accusers. “I told you he would,” his wife said. Tears of joy welled to her eyes. She was happy in spite of the realization that he would be thrust behind prison bars within an hour after his arrival.
Neither had ever been in police headquarters before. As they walked timidly through the corridors, as wonderingly as the little girl at their side, they happened into the police clerk’s office.
“This must be the place,” Mrs. Kleis decided. She approached Chief Deputy Charles Prestein. “This is my husband, he wants to be locked up,” she said. Prestein perfunctorily inquired the name and turned to the file of warrants at his elbow. He was started to find a warrant charging the man with second-degree murder.
Down in Chief Kohler’s office, where Prestein led the couple, the warrant was formally served. When Desk Officer Potts started to lead Kleis away his wife and child followed as far as the turnkey’s room.
Potts turned his head as Mrs. Kleis embraced her husband. “Be brave, John,” he heard her sob. “I’ll stand by you.” Little Mary gave her father a kiss and the iron door slammed behind him.
A Newburg friend of the family will furnish the $5,000 bail which Police Judge Fiedler set. Kleis will be released today. He will plead self-defense; he claims to have witnesses to prove that Breitweisser struck him first.
