Age:   43

Served:  20 years

Patrolman Kuenzel’s wife, Katherine (Katie), suffered from mental illness and had been confined to a sanitarium (probably the Oxford Retreat) at Oxford, Ohio.  Patrolman Kuenzel visited her on Sundays and on June 18, 1916, she begged to be brought home.  He acceded to her wishes and brought her home to 2413 Boone Street.  She seemed for several days to be rational. 

On June 23, 1916, Patrolman Kuenzel went to work his shift in the Second District and was relieved at 7 a.m. the next morning on June 24, 1916.  He went home to nap prior to his mandatory appearance at a Preparedness Parade that was, later in the morning, due to stage at the City Hall. While laboring under the hallucination that her husband might be harmed in the pursuit of his duties and never return to her, Katie systematically locked the door and windows and then descended into the basement room where Patrolman Kuenzel was sleeping.  With his revolver, she shot him four shots, one of which to his head killing him instantly.  The other three struck the couch and wall.  Upon hearing the shots, Kuenzel’s neighbors, including his sister, Annie, broke a window to enter the home.  Annie wrestled the revolver away from Katie while she was trying to fire another shot. Katie ran upstairs and Annie followed to prevent her from jumping out a window. However, she could not stop her from getting to the medicine cabinet and consuming poison.  Katie died at General Hospital three hours later.

Patrolman and Katherine Kuenzel were buried in Mt. Healthy.  They were survived by their fourteen-year-old son, Adrian Edward who was sent to live with relatives.

If you have further information, artifacts, or pictures of this officer, please contact the Museum Director at Director@GCPHS.com.