Bernhard Leuch, 1939 August 4

all of his children had left the house, he shot his wife with a re=-
volver that he had reclaimed from the pawn shop three days before
and left by a back door, planning to go to Olympia and establish a n
alibi with his mistress. As he was leaving, his 15-year-old daugh-
ter and a friend arrived and he had no choice but to return to the
house and pretend to discover his wife's body after she had committec
suicide. “vidence definitely established that the wound could not
have been self-inflicted because of the distance from which the

gun was fired, and his daughter stated that he was leaving the house
when she arrived instead of returning as he claimed. Leuch was con-
victed and sentenced to hang but escaped a few days later due to the
carelessness of the jailer. He wasXPROMSEXH recaptured after only
two days of freedom and he was hanged on Auge ly 19390 |

THE SHELTON-MASON COUNTY JOURNAL, Shelton, Washe, 6-21-19383
7-12-1938; 7-14-1938; 7-19-1938; 7-21-1936 3 8-9-1938; 8-11-1938;

8-3-1939 6 |
RONT PAGE DETECTIVE, July, 193 "The Unwanted Wie e -Ihne Perfect
BY bi Bee Gone Iryst With péath? a Sheriff Gerald Byrne, | Boge 1h

all of his children had left the house, he shot his wife with a re-
volver that he had reclaimed from the pawn shop three days before
and left by a back door, planning to go to Olympia and establish an
alibi with his mistress. As he was leaving, his 15-year-old daugh-=
ter and a friend arrived and he had no choice but to return to the
house and pretend to discover his wife's body after she had committed
suicide. ‘vidence definitely established that the wound could not
have been self-inflicted because of the distance from which the

gun was fired, and his daughter stated that he was leaving the house
when she arrived instead of returning as he claimed. lLeuch was con-
victed and sentenced to hang but escaped a few days later due to the
carelessness of the jailer. He wasX$e8Mp¥XH recaptured after only
two days of freedom and he was hanged on Aug. hy 19396

THE SHELTON-MASON COUNTY JOURNAL, Shelton, Wash., 6~21-19383
Se. 7-14-1938; 7-19-1938 7-21-1938 8 8-9-1938; 8-11-1938;

RONT PAGE, DETSCTIVE, July, 193 "The Unwanted Wife ~The Perfect
BY and the “ty yst With tdaths R by Sheriff Gerald Byrne, ape 1,

all of his children had left the house, he shot his wife with a re-
volver that he had reclaimed from the pawn shop three days before
and left by a back door, planning to go to Olympia and establish a n
alibi with his mistress. As he was leaving, his 15-year-old daugh-
ter and a friend arrived and he had no choice but to return to the
house and pretend to discover his wife's body after she had comuitte:
suicide. Evidence definitely established that the wound could not
have been self-inflicted becanse of the distance from which the

gun was fired, and his daughter stated pate Delran Testing (hal iowe
when she arrived instead of returning as he claimed, Leuch was con-
victed and sentenced to hang but escaped ese days later due to the
carelessness of the jailer. He wasX$#k$EXE recaptured after only
two days of freedom and he was hanged on Auge hy 1939.

THE SHELTON-MASON COUNTY JOURNAL, heen Wash., 6-21-1938;
he

eereeey 7-1L-19385 7-19-1938; 7-21-19385 8-9-1938; 8-11-9385

[ais rasa rapanes 7s Ske Selon,

LEUCH, Bernhard We Ws Dh Pel GRD

Leuch, a )\0-year-old white man had served as an Army aviator during
World War I, and afterwards was a guard at the Minnesota Benitentiary
before becoméng a police officer in St. Cloud, Minn. While serving
as a policeman, he met a young ticket seller at a St. Cloud movie
and they fell in love. Theif affair progressed rapidly even though
Leuch was already married to a woman two years younger than he and
was the father of seven childrep. For a time, the girl moved into
the Leuch house and lived with her lover and his wife though she
later claimed that she did not know that he was married to the
mother of his children. The resulting scandal was responisble for
his dismissal from the police force and he moved to Shelton, Washe,
where he obtained a job as a pulp wood company laborer. ‘Soon his
mistress folhowed and they set up housekeeping. When Mrs, feuch
came west with the thildren the mistress moved to Olympia and ob-
tained a job with another theater. lJeuch located her and promised
her that he would divorce his wife and they would get married, so
they resumed their affair. Mrs. Leuch was unwilling to get a divorce
so “euch insisted that she take out a $1,000. life inswarance policy.
Whenhis mistress reported to him that she was pregnant, he agreed
once again to marry her, On the morning of June 1, 1938, after

LEUCH, Bernhard W. Ue ie

Leuch, a ),0-year-old white man had served as an Army aviator during
World War I, and afterwards was a guard at the Minnesota Benitentiary
before becoming a police officer in St. Cloud, Minn. While serving
as a policeman, he met a young ticket seller at a St. Cloud movie
and they fell in love. Theif affair progressed rapidly even though
Leuch was already married to a wanan two years younger than he and
was the father of seven childrege For a time, the girl moved into
the Leuch house and lived wit her lover and his wife though she
later claimed that she did not know that he was married to the
mother of his children. The resulting scandal was responisble for
his dismissal. fran the police force and he moved to Shelton, Washe,
where he obtained a job as a pulp wood company laborer. Soon his
mistress folhowed and they set up housekeeping. When Mrs, euch
came west with the thildren the mistress moved to Olympia and ob-
tained a job with another theater. Leuch located her and promised
her that he would divorce his wife and they would get married, so
they resumed their affair. Mrs. Leuch was unwilling to get a divorce
So “euch insisted that she take out a $1,000. life inswirance policy.
Whenhis mistress reported to him that she was pregnant, he agreed
once again to marry her. On the morning of June 1, 1938, after

LOUGH, Bernard We MU LIM FBG

Leuchy a \0-year-old white man had served as an Army aviator during
jorld

id, Minn,
as a policeman, he met a young ticket seller at a St. Cloud movie
and they fell in love. Theif affair progressed rapidly even though
Leuch was already married to a wanan two years younger than he and
was the father of seven childrep, For a time, the girl moved into

mother of his children, The resulting scandal was responisble for
his dismissal fron the police force and he noved to Shelton, Wash.
where he obtained a job as a pulp wood campany laborer. Soon his
mistress fol&owed and they set up hee aed! When Mrs. }euch
came west with the thildren the mistress moved to Olympia and ob-
tained a job with another theater. Leuch located her and promised
her that he would divorce his wife and they would get pee 50
they resumed their affair, Mrs. Leuch was w to get a divorce,
uch insisted that she take out a $1,000, life mutrance pol:loy.
Mioniieiata icone reported to him that she was pregnant, he agreed
once again to marry her. On the morning of June 1, 19380 after

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