FULL TEXT (Article 1 of 4): An inquest into the death of Emil
J. Gerstenberg, who died Thursday, August 8, on his farm near Coxsackie, under
mysterious circumstances, after drinking a bottle of root beer, will be held by
Dr. I.E. Van Hoesen, coroner for Greene County on Monday. Coroner Van Hoesen
said last night that Gerstenberg's death was undoubtedly due to poisoning, the
nature of which he did not know, under circumstances that seemed to him
suspicious.
Mrs. Gertrude Gerstenberg, who separated from her husband
about eight weeks ago, told of happenings around the home, saying that since
she had left her husband that she had noticed the children were sickly while on
the farm; that she herself was twice shot at by a mysterious assailant seven
weeks before she finally left, and that insurance papers to which the children
were entitled, as well as a note which she had signed, were missing from her
husband's possessions and that when she tried to establish herself in her husband's
home and look after her children on Thursday, the Gerstenberg brothers said
that there was no room for her children or for her on the farm.
That she had received a letter in red ink commanding her to
leave Coxsackie and when she failed to comply with the demand two shots were
fired at her and she left him because she was afraid of her life. She owned
half interest in the farm and sold it to her husband for $210 cash and a note
for $90.
Her story of the shooting affray was substantiated by
District Attorney Curtis, who said that for two weeks the authorities looked
for the assailant without result.
[“Coroner To Probe Coxsackie Death – Laboratory to Determine
Kind of Poison That Killed Emil Gerstenberg.” The Kingston Daily Freeman.” (N.
Y.), Aug. 10, 1918, p. 5]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 4): Emil J. Gerstenberg of
Coxsackie, who died on his farm last Thursday after drinking poisoned home made
root beer was an alien enemy, born in Germany, and bad failed to register as an
alien, according to District Attorney Harry McK. Curtis of Coxsackie.
He said Gerstenberg had seven sticks of dynamite hidden on
his farm, with which evidence has disclosed he intended to blow up the farm
house and barns, which he believed A. Mitchell Palmer intended to seize because
he was an alien enemy.
Mr. Curtis and a state trooper visited the farm yesterday
and found the dynamite hidden under a barrel.
Lester Gerstenberg, thirteen years old, son of the dead man,
told how his father had the dynamite on the farm and that when the child discovered
it, his father promised him a bicycle if [he] would promise not to tell of it
to anyone. Gerstenberg’s two brothers, Otto and Richard, are naturalized
citizens. The coroner’s inquest will take place next week.
[“Poisoned Man Was Enemy Alien – District Attorney Says
Coxsackie Man Who Died After Drinking Root Beer Planned to Blow Up His
Property,” The Kingston Daily Freeman.” (N. Y.), Aug. 17, 1918, p. 1]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 3 of 4): New Baltimore. N Y, Nov 15 –
Mrs. Gertrude Gerstenberg Guerrieri, formally charged with the murder of her
first and second husbands, and her son, Lester, 17, charged with the murder of
his stepfather, were today in jail at Catskill, awaiting action of the Greene
County Grand Jury. Both pleaded not guilty when arraigned before Justice of the
Peace Mansfield here yesterday.
Emil Gerstenberg. the first husband, died four years ago,
when Lester and his sister, Gladys, put poison provided by their mother in a
'bottle of root beer which their rather carried with his lunch, according to
confessions made and signed by the boy and his I sister.
Michael Guerrieri, the second husband, was shot while
hunting near New Baltimore a few days ago. and Lester, according to his
confession, accomplished this murder by shooting his father with a shotgun.
Mrs. Gerstenberg Guerrieri, her children say, instigated and planned both
deaths.
[“Charged With Two Murders – Mother and Son in Custody at
Catskill, N Y,” Boston Evening Globe (Ma.), Nov. 15, 1922, p. 13]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 4 of 4): New
Rochelle, N. Y., Dec. 9 – Mrs. Gertrude Gerstenberg Guerrieri was formally
charged with the murder of her first and second husbands and her son, Lester,
17, was charged with the murder of his step-father when they were arraigned
before Justice of the Peace Byron Mansfield. Both wait action of the Greene
county grand jury.
Emil Gerstenberg,
the first husband, died four years ago when Lester and his sister, Gladys, put
poison provided by their mother in a bottle of root beer which their father
carried with his lunch, according to confessions made and signed by the boy and
his sister. Michael Guerrieri, the second husband, was shot while hunting near
New Rochelle a few days ago, according to his confession, accomplished this
murder by shooting his father with a shotgun. Mrs. Gerstenberg Guerrieri, her
children say, instigated and planned both deaths.
[“Boy Held With Mother In Killing of Two Husbands,” The Messenger
(Owensboro, Ky.), Dec. 10, 1922, p. 12]
For links to other cases of woman who murdered 2 or more husbands (or paramours), see Black Widow Serial Killers.
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