Fritz Christ

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-137907

Other Events:

• Interesting: crime, life story, misfortune
• Name: Fred Christ
• Name: Frederick Christ
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-137904
• Occupation: 12 Jan 1854, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Doctor
• Crime: 1856, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; prisoner
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Doctor
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Doctor of Medicine
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran
• Immigration: Aug 1866, Lansing, Ingham, Michigan, USA
• Occupation: 1870, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States; Doctor - Physcian
• Misfortune: 21 Jan 1875; suicide by morphine

Notes:

A gruesome and particularly unusual case (I have found no parallel to it in the province) comes from Waterloo in 1859. A Dr. Frederick Christ was convicted of having stolen the body of a child of the Eby family from the grave to make a skeleton. Dr. Christ had apparently performed the same operation on a number of bodies and, it appears from the evidence at the trial, freely admitted to enquiring friends and visitors at his house what he was doing. One witness testified that he saw the doctor boiling what the doctor affirmed to be human bones in a kettle, another that he saw human bones in a tub in the doctor's barn. Presumably the accused was in the business of selling mounted skeletons to doctors and medical students. He and an accomplice were each sentenced to three months in the common jail.

Body-Snatching in Ontario by Royce MacGillivray (Berlin Telegraph, 2 and 16 September 1859)

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Dr. Frederick Christ, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, committed suicide last night. He had been married twice, and both of his wives committed suicide.

The Daily Phoenix from Columbia, South Carolina ·January 24, 1875 Page 3

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A distressing investigation was held before the Magistrates of Berlin, on Wednesday, involving the character of one of the medical gentlemen of that town, another residing in Elmira, and a gentleman closely connected with the first-charged offender. It seems that for some time suspicious hints and cirumstances, and smells, had indicated that the resurrection trade was being revived in Berlin, and that the remains of certain bodies had been conveyed to the premises of a medical gentleman, and, after dissection, the flesh had been consumed by boiling. The circumstances were so pointed that the magistrates deemed them sufficient to issue warrants for the arrest of the parties accused, and search warrants were also put into the hands of the officers to examine the Doctor's premises, and there accordingly they found the mutilated re-mains of several human bodies. Among these were the remains of a fine young lad named Eby, the son of Mr. Abraham Eby, of Bridgeport. The youth had been accidently killed at a soiree at Bridgeport a week or two ago, and his body interred, amid the heartfelt sorrow of a multitude of friends. A portion of his body was found on the premises of the accused, and they were sworn to by the afflicted father from certain marks. Portions of two other bodies were found, which the accused stated were those of certain persons; the tale was found to be false. The bodies appear all to have been taken from a graveyard in Berlin.

Huntingdon Herald
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German Workingmen s Aid Society (Arbeiter Unterslnetzung Verein). - Organized August 19, 1869, and incorporated June 16, 1870, with twenty-three charter members. Object: The relief of members and their families in distress. First officers: Pres., Dr. Frederick Christ; Treas. Frank Kuenzel; Sec, Herman Vielkind.

History of the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan...by Albert Baxter.

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QUEEN vs DR CHRIST

This case, which we noticed in this journal a short time ago, arose out of the fact that the prisoner, Dr. Christ, had been detected in the act of boiling parts of a human body on his premises in the Village of Waterloo. From some remarks he, Dr. Christ had dropped, it was suspected that a son of Mr. Abraham Eby, who was killed at Bridgeport had been taken from his grave; which on examination proved to be correct. The indictment is as follows: The Jurors of our Sovereign Lady the Queen upon their oaths present that Frederick Christ did on the 13th of August last willfully and indecently enter the churchyard of the Mennonites in Berlin, and dig open the grave in which one Edward Eby had been buried, and did then take away the said body.

The following witnesses were then called on behalf of the Crown:

JOHN WALTER - Sworn - Was on Christ's premises on the 29th August, and saw him boiling something in a kettle. Christ said those are the bones of a human being, of which I am going to make a skeleton.

Cross examined - Was not annoyed by the smell. Christ did not say to me he was going to sell the bones.

Dr. S. S. BOWERS - Is a physician in Waterloo. Was on Christ's premises on the 30th day of August last. Opened a tub in a barn and saw quite a number of human bones. The smell I the barn was that peculiar to a human body in a state of decomposition. Saw also in the house where Christ lived, the whole of the bones belonging to a skeleton. Saw other bones taken from a trunk. The bones so found, belonged to a head. Can't tell what size they were, as they were broken and only a very few of them. Should think they belonged to a child of 7, 8, or 9 years. Can't tell how long since they were dressed. Here the bones were produced and Dr. Bowers described them fully to the Court. A scalp was also produced, which showed evidence of the skull having been fractured.

Cross ex'd - The bones in the tub were those of a grown person. Have no means of connecting the bones of the head with the scalp shown. The trunk in which the bones were found was not concealed.

ABRAHAM EBY - Affirmed - Had a son killed on the 23rd of July, aged nearly six years, was buried in the Mennonite Churchyard, Berlin. With the particulars of this child's death our readers are already acquainted. Witness identified the hair as belonging to his son. The scalp produced is that of my son. Swears positively that the bones produced are belonging to his child.

MR. SPENCER, ESQ. - Sworn - On going to the premised of Dr. Christ, I told him I understood that they were carrying on the business of preparing skeletons. Christ said he did and he made no secret of it. He had a right to do it, and it was nobody's business how he made his money. Corroborated the evidence of Dr. Bowers as to the appearance of the bones in the tub, and of the skeletons in the house. Went and saw the grave of Mr. Eby's child, opened it and found the coffin empty. On returning to Christ's house found the pile of small bones removed. Was present when Mr. Abraham Eby's son was killed. Find the same marks on the scalp produced, and were on the head of the child. Cannot be mistaken as I helped to wash and lay out the child.

Cross ex'd - I committed Christ for a misdemeanor for cutting up bodies and boiling them. I am not on bad terms with Dr. Christ. Considered it my duty after examining the premises to have Christ and Werthman arrested. Offered to take bail from them on their appearance at court. The did not tender any.

JOHN W. KOEHLER - Sworn - A few days after the burial of Eby's child, Dr. Christ came into Schnarr's Tavern in Waterloo Village, and made the remark that the bodies of William Rebscher, John Nahrgang, and Zoeger were not in their graves. Afterwards, Dr. Christ offered to bet with witness that Abram Eby's child was not in his grave. Christ said that he would not go and bring the bodies himself, but that he could get plenty at an outlay of ten dollars.

Cross ex'd - But for Dr. Christ having offered to bet with me as to the child being out of his grave, I had no reason to suppose that he had taken the body. Thinks it was about a week after the funeral, when defendant offered to bet with him. have always been on good terms with defendant.

Abram Eby - Recalled by Crown Attorney - Said he examined the grave where his child was buried, and found the same empty. D.S. Shoemaker and Moses Springer, Esqs. were present.

WM. LOEFFLER - Sworn - On two occasions saw a team leave Christ's premises about 10 pm and return about 2 am. Saw the parties unload bags from the wagon. Christ owns a team.

Cross ex'd - Has known Dr. Christ to be called to attend patients after night. I am on good terms with Dr. Christ.

M. SPRINGER - Recalled - Saw a large bag on the premises. I recognize the hook now shown to me as the one found in the cellar of Christ's home. Is ignorant of its uses.

CONRAD SMITH - Sworn - the hook produced was made in my shop, by order of one of Werthman's boys.

This closed the case for the prosecution. [Mr. Palmer, Barrister, of Guelph, did all he could for the prisoner, but the evidence was too strong against him. - Ed. Ch.]

His Honor read the indictment, and the evidence in full to the Jury, and stated at some length the different Statutes connected with such cases. The jury retired, and after a very short absence returned into Court with a verdict of Guilty.

The trial of the QUEEN vs WERTHMAN, was then gone into. The evidence was in every respect similar to that adduced in the case of Dr. Christ. Verdict Guilty.

Christ and Werthman were sentenced to 3 months in Common Gaol.

Berlin Chronicle And Gazette - Tuesday Morning, Sep. 20, 1859 - County Court and Quarter Sessions

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CHRIST, FRIEDRICH, was a Mecklenburger, born about 1824. He described himself as a "forty-eighter", a follower of Carl Schurz. When he came to Canada in 1851, it was probably because his revolutionary activities had not endeared him to the authorities of his homeland.

His card first appeared in Der Deuusche Canadier on December 1, 1853, and was followed by an amplified form on January 12, 1854:

Dr. F. Christ Physician, Surgeon and Accoucheur introduces himself to his German fellowcountrymen to assist in all matters of medical science. My residence is with Mr. Teuscher, Editor of the "Canadischen Bauernfreundes" above Clark & Co.'s furniture factory on the road to Bridgeport.

A week later a further announcement indicated that he would pay weekly visits to Mr. Nicholas Hug's inn at New Germany.

In April a notice concerning the death of a young consumptive was the occasion of an expression of thanks "for his unremitting solicitude and devotion in the treatment" of the patient, and goes on to say "that they and all the neighborhood are aware of the high quality of Dr. Christ as a physician and as a man."

This is the only reference to his medical abilities and qualifications, but it is of interest to note that when in 1866 eligibility for registration came under examination, he left for the States.

During his stay in Waterloo he was constantly involved in controversy, especially concerning politics and religion, being, as one source reports. "much more zealous than cool in the advocacy of his principles or opinions. "

An episode of more serious nature took place in the fall of 1859, the first intimation being found in the Berlin Telegraph of September 2, 1859, under the heading "Resurrectionists in Waterloo. "It was reported that Christ had been remanded to the Quarter Sessions for trial on a charge of grave robbing. For fear of prejudicing the opinion of the public, they could not discuss the case, and they then proceeded to say "that the open manner in which he went about his work, was so bold an outrage upon the feelings of the community, that his conduct could not be passed over by the authorities."

At the trial, Moses Springer, the magistrate who laid the charge testified:

On going to the premises of Dr. Christ, I told him I understood they were carrying on the business of preparing skeletons. Christ said he did, and made no secret of it. He had a right to do it, and it was no body's business how he made his money…"

Other evidence was that Christ had, while in a tavern, names those whose bodies he had acquired through his assistant in crime, Hugo Werthman. Both were found guilty and sentenced to three months in jail.

Werthman was a poor choice of associate as no sooner had he served his time than he was charged by the police in Hamilton with stealing furs.

On August 17, 1860, D. McDougall, editor of the Berlin Telegraph in an attack on his political opponents suggested that they should be looked after by Dr. Christ. Christ responded to this remark by what appeared to be a challenge to a duel. The editor made an ambivalent reply: "We intended no slight to that personage" and then "Having heard of his skill as a physician, especially in the dissecting line"

Despite the comments of the press, his standing in the community does not appear to have been seriously affected. When his son was born in October, 1861, the Turnverein, of which he was secretary, held a reception for him, at which the Turners, including out of town members, took part in appropriate costume.

In May 1866 his wife died after a lingering illness. This produced the usual spate of rumors that she had been poisoned, as the Berliner Journal was to point out in the future.

In September of that same year he moved to Lansing, Michigan, to practice there and in Grand Rapids, although a wedding announcement in January 1867 gives his address as Muskegon. Three children were born to this marriage, but after some seven years his wife became insane and she committed suicide.

On January 21, 1875 he followed her by taking an overdose of morphine. The Grand Rapids Eagle of that date said that since the death of his wife "he has apparently cared little for life, indulging considerably in drink." According to the Berliner Journal his practice was "on its last legs", and they also mentioned his first wife's death.

From: Doctors in Waterloo County 1852-1925 by Alexander D. Campbell

Occupation:
Business Card in Der Deutsche Canadier

Crime:
Listed as being a prisoner in 1856 & 1859

Misfortune:
The death led the doctor into heavy drinking and a state of depression. On January 21^st 1875, Dr. Christ ended his life with an overdose of morphine.

Johann — Emilie. Emilie was born 1825, , Prussia, Germany; died 4 May 1866, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Interesting: scandal
• Name: Emilie Christ
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-137960
• Residence: 1860, Lansing, Ingham, Michigan, USA
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

There were rumors that she had been poisoned, but this was not unusual, as reports of this sort were made on little or no evidence.