Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Marguerite Louise Schlegel

Female 1916 - 1940  (23 years)


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  • Name Marguerite Louise Schlegel 
    Born 23 Feb 1916  Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Female 
    Interesting crime, murder, story 
    Misfortune 1940  Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    murdered by father 
    Name Marguerite Louise McCullough 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-351920 
    Died 4 Feb 1940  Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Buried Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I351920  Generations
    Last Modified 6 Apr 2024 

    Father Alvin Henry Schlegel,   b. 10 Jun 1892, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Feb 1940, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years) 
    Mother Marie Isabelle Revitzer,   b. 23 May 1895, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Feb 1940, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 44 years) 
    Married 17 Apr 1915  Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Family ID F251915  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Gilbert Bruce "Bruce" McCullough,   b. 5 Jan 1916, Penetanguishene, Tiny Township, Simcoe Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Apr 1982  (Age 66 years) 
    Married 11 Nov 1939 
    Last Modified 7 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F251916  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Sportsman Kills Wife, 2 Children and Self

      PRESTON. ONT

      A family of four was wiped out when, police reported Sunday night, Alvin Schlegel. middle-aged sportsman, shot and killed his wife, his son and his daughter and then committed suicide. Officers believe Schlegel, former president of the Ontario Hockey association, first killed his 12-year-old son in an upstairs room, then shot his wife, who was resting downstairs.

      A daughter, Mrs. Bruce McCullough and her husband were met at the door as they returned from church and the woman was felled with a fatal shot while McCullough fled in terror to police headquarters Officers found Schlegel dead in the front hallway. Police Chief Gordon Bogle said a 45 caliber revolver was Dr Ward Woolner said Schlegel. Interested In many sports activities besides hockey, had been undergoing treatment for a mental condition.

      February 5, 1940 The Bismarck Tribune from Bismarck, North Dakota Page 3

      ____________________

      Alvin Schlegel of Preston, former Ontario Hockey Association president, shot his wife, 12 year-old son, and his married daughter, Mrs. Bruce McCullough of Kitchener, a bride of three months, and then turned the gun on himself, at his home on Sunday evening. Mr. Schlegel was in the Imperial Bank at New Liskeard as a young man, when F.H. Hewson, now Newmarket manager," was manager there. Mr. Hewson recalls Schlegel as the greatest early amateur exponent of the poke check, great hockey player and a real good fellow.

      Newmarket Era 8 Feb 1940

      _____________________



      Preston Man Shoots Wife, Daughter, Son, Himself Former O.H.A. President Is Central Figure in Tragedy Alvin Schlegel Reloaded Revolver After Slaying Two Bruce McCullough, Son-in-Law, Runs in Terror to Police

      PRESTON, Ont., Feb. 4. (CP)

      Alvin Schlegel, middle-aged former president of the Ontario Hockey Association, shot and killed his wife, daughter and son tonight, police reported, and then committed suicide in their home. According to police reconstruction of the tragedy, Schlegel shot his wife with a revolver as she "lay on a chesterfield in a downstairs room." Then, apparently; he went upstairs and killed his 12-year-old son, Jack. It was believed that the first shot did not kill the boy, for he had staggered from bed. A second shot, through the head, apparently killed him.

      Shot Daughter at Door.

      As his daughter, Mrs. Bruce McCullough, returned from church with her husband, Schlegel turned the gun on her at the front doorway. McCullough, running in terror to police headquarters, brought officers who found Schlegel dead in the front hallway of the home. Police Chief Gordon Bogle of Preston found a .45 caliber revolver beside Schlegel's body. His daughter was shot through the breast and so was Mrs. Schlegel, while the son was shot through the head and chest. The McCulloughs had motored to Preston from their Kitchener home to have dinner with the Schlegels and afterward, had gone to the Lutheran church for evening service. The meal was without incident McCullough said, although Schlegel, who had been undergoing medical treatment for a mental condition, appeared quiet. When the McCulloughs went out. Schlegel drove to the office of the Canadian Office and School Furniture Company, of which he was secretary-treasurer, and returned almost immediately. According to neighbors, Schlegel parked his car in front of the house, rather than in the garage as usual, when he returned from the office. He left his bulldog in the car and went into the house smoking a cigar.

      Reloaded Weapon.

      Schlegel was believed to have re-loaded the gun after killing his wife and son, for one live shell remained in it after at least five had been fired. He was believed to have run downstairs from killing the boy when he heard his daughter and son-in-law returning. Opening the door, he fired pointblank into his daughter's breast as she entered the hallway. McCullough leaped the verandah railing and ran to the police station a block away. McCullough, who married Schlegel's daughter only last summer, said that Mrs. Schlegel's mother, Mrs. Lillian Revitzer, who lived with the family, was out of the house at the time of the shooting.

      No Inquest Needed.

      Dr. Ward Woollner, chief coroner for Waterloo County, said no inquest and no post-mortem examination would be held. He attributed the tragedy to Schlegel's mental condition. The Schlegels were prominent socially in the life of this Western Ontario town, and Schlegel was interested in many sports activities besides hockey. : He served as O.H. A. president in 1936-37 and 1937-38. Schlegel came to Preston about 25 years ago from Kitchener to take a position with the Imperial Bank of Canada. Soon afterward he became secretary of the Canadian Office and School Furniture Company and later took similar positions with the Preston Furniture Company and Canadian Sandpapers, Limited, all with offices in Preston. Always prominent in sports, he played in his youth with Preston's famous Riversides of the Ontario "Big Six" senior series. He organized the Preston Boys' Amateur Hockey Association, which now has 200 players, and was honorary president of the Ontario Bantam and Midget Hockey Associations. Schlegel was active in the Preston Rotary Club and was a Mason.

      Tears on O.H.A. Executive.

      Alvin Schlegel was described by fellow sportsmen as "the last person in the world you would expect to hear such, a thing about". Schlegel was a member of the association executive for nearly 15 years, W. A. Hewitt secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Hockey Association, said. He was president in 1936-37 and 1937-38 and at the time of his death was a member of the O.H.A. sub-committee and chairman of the advisory board. Mr. Hewitt recalled that a spirit of depression seemed to appear in Mr. Schlegel's outlook coincident with the outbreak of war last Fall. He declined to speak, at an O.HA. golden Jubilee dinner last November but spoke briefly at a Canadian Amateur Hockey Association dinner a month ago. At the regular O.H.A. meeting last week he appeared cheerful.

      Sunday, February 4, 1940. Murder-suicide, Preston Ontario : MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1940. THE OTTAWA JOURNAL

  • Sources 
    1. [S239] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Preston CC#6335 Cemetery Internet Link .
      [Monument] Schlegel/ [4 Flat Markers] Son/ John A./ 1928 ?1940/ Louise/ Beloved Wife Of G. B. Mccullough/ 1917 ?1940./ Mother/ Marie I. Revitzer/ 1895 ?1940./ Father/ Alvin E./ 1892 ?1940

    2. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration.
      Name:Marie Revitzer Age:19 Birth Date:abt 1896 Birth Place:Preston Marriage Date:17 Apr 1915 Marriage County or District:York Father:John Revitzer Mother:Cecelia Bleiler Spouse:A H Schlegel Spouse's Age:22 Spouse Birth Date:abt 1893 Spouse Birth Place:Berlin, Ontario Spouse Father:John Schlegel Spouse Mother:Louise Moser

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 23 Feb 1916 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMisfortune - murdered by father - 1940 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 4 Feb 1940 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth