Tragic Deaths Jar Entire Community
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omework takes on a renewed role in schools. Page A-6. To subscribe, call (800) 300-9321 The^festfield Record Thursday, March 7, 1996 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents r publisher slain in office Estranged wife shoots Bauer, then turns gun on herself jy KEVIN COOJQAN After she killed her husband, Mrs. November, according to Acting Union Bauer also carried a note instructing au- didn't seem to be any inkling there was a Bauer placed the pistol's barrel in her THE RECORD County Prosecutor Edward Neafsey. The thorities to call her daughter Lacey in case problem," said Police Chief Scutti. "It mouth, pulled the trigger and killed her- couple had married July 16, 1903. It was a of emergency. The source also said police seemed to be a very cordial conversation." The publisher of the Westfleld Leader self. second marriage for both. They had no recovered a wig, binoculars and more am- How Mrs. Bauer ^ot to New Jersey is and The Times of Scotch Plains and Fan- Shortly before the killings, Westfield children together. Police said Mrs. Bauer munition from a rental car which Mrs. still unknown. But Mr. Nealsey said the wood was brutally gunned down in his Leader Advertising Manager Kathleen was carrying a driver's license which iden- Bauer left parked at the northside train woman drove to Westfield in a car leased office about 4:36 p.m. Monday by his es- Norman overheard the couple arguing, ac- tified her as Meta Harrsen. station in Westfield. from a central New Jersey rental agency. tranged wife. The woman then turned the cording to police reports. She then saw Mr. Bauer had lived in Durham before Mrs. Bauer had received a pistol permit Mr. Bauer and Mrs. Bauer were both gun on herself. two flashes and heard two loud bangs. assuming control of The Leader after his from the Durham County Sheriffs Office dead when police arrived. The publisher As the publisher's mother and several The advertising manager ran across the brother, former publisher Kurt Bauer, died last December. Authorities are investigat- was found slumped on the door beside his employees sat in an outer office, Meta street to Storyume on Elm to dial 911. Jan. 26. ing whether the gun used in the murder/ large desk. His estranged wife lay dead Bauer, 46, fired a .357-caliber Magnum at Westfield Leader managing editor Paul Along with her gun and a pocketful of suicide was legally registered. near the doorway to the office. Jeffrey Bauer, 43, at least three times, said Peyton called police from the newspaper extra ammunition, Mrs. Bauer was carry- Eyewitnesses to the slayings described Mr. Bauer had been at the helm of the Westfield Police Chief Anthony ScuttL office and comforted Mr. Bauer's mother, ing a suicide note, said Chief Scutti, Mrs. Bauer as calm before the shooting. Westfield Leader and Vie Times for litUe At least two hollow-point bullets entered Associate Publisher Kathleen Bauer, until "The note basically did explain [her] in- The Durham woman spoke pleasantly more than a month. xlhe publisher's torso — one in the side, the help arrived, according to police. tent in coming up here to kill her husband with her victim's mother while she waited Mrs. Bauer leaves behind at least one other in his stomach. A third bullet struck Meta Bauer, who lived in Durham, N.C., and commit suicide," he said. for her husband to return from an errand. daughter from a previous marriage, an 18- Mr. Bauer in the head, police said. had filed for a divorce from Mr. Bauer last Another source told The Record Mrs, "Based on that conversation, there year-old college student. Tragic deaths jar entire community THE RECORD In the wake of the most high- profile murder in Westfield since John list killed five family mem- bers in 1971, Westfieldera are reel- ing. "Total shock" best described the mood of merchants located around the site of Monday's murder/sui- cide, according to Katherine Broih- ter, executive director of the West- field Area Chamber of Commerce. MfeJt/leid Uader publisher Jef- frey Bauer, 48, was gunned down in his Elm Street office by his es- tranged wife at about 4:36 pm Monday. The wife, Meta Bauer. 46, of Durham, N.C, killed herself mo- ments later. "People are just shaking their heads," said Ms. Broihier. "Every- one's heart just goes out to the mother (Kathleen Bauer). She is barely getting over the loss of her other son." Mr. Bauer had been publisher of Th« Leader and sister publication KEVIN COLUOAN/THE RECOflO The Times of Scotch Mains and Mtcllt Oemeramen peer through the wlndowa of The leader office Monday evening. Fanwood for little more than a month. He had moved to Westfiek) KEVIN COLLIOAN/THE RECOHD to take control of the newspapers Wostflold Police Chiof Anthony Scutti, right, fields questions after his brother Kurt Bauer died Jan. 28. from reporters during an Impromptu press conference outside North Carolina neighbors The leader office Monday evening. Westfleld Police Chief Anthony Scutti could not recall a crime in recent memory that compared to Floodlights turned night into day press conference on Quiinhy Monday's murder-suicide. on Elm and Quimby Streets as Street. Momenta later, us the bod- saw normal, active couple "We've had some tragedies, nat- New York City camera crews vid- ies of Mr. Bauer nml Mrs. Mauor urally, in Westfleld, but nothing eotaped police coming and going were wheeled into a van outmdo Residents of the upscale Woodcraft development in athletic. They were often teen running on the devel- like this," he sakl from The Leader's office. the Quimby Street entrance* of the Durham, N.C. have shed little light on what caused opment's jogging paths. Adding to the turmoil, downtown As curious Westfielders clustered newspaper office, etimera cr«»ws their neighbor Meta Bauer to shout her husband, Jef- Though a North Carolina newspaper yesterday re- Westfleld was mobbed by news in the shadows across the Htreot, btidgenxi |x>lkv for a btHtvr vtin- frey Bauer, and then herself in the office of trie ported a neighbor witnessed police intervening in a vans and camera crews Monday. Chief Scutti held an impromptu tam> point from which to film. Wutfleld Leader Monday. domestic dispute between Mr. Bauer and Ms. Hun-s- Mr. Bauer and Ms, Bauer were married July 16, en, Durham officials hod no record of domestic vio- 1993. They lived in an upscale home at 2 Bridlewoud lence arrests for either spouse, nor were there any Trull. civil restraining orders filed by either victim. By most account*, the couple wrre friendly and - Kevin CoUimui Investigation focusing Community-wide peace service tonight In response to the recent spate Church will consist of scripture killed 14 people and Injured at Of terrorism in the Middle East, readings, prayers for prnee and least 130. on story of .357 pistol WsttfltlderB of every fnlth are In- Hebrew songs, said Dr. Holxnt Or. Harvey enme up with the Vtttd to come together tonight for a Harvey, Flint Baptist minister. ld<-« for M prayer service after the By KIVmOOUMAN Jersey? How WIIH nho «ble to purchiiHc* hollow point service of Solidarity nnd Pence. Israel hns bwn hit with four mil Intent bombing on Monday. bullets?" The 4&-mlnuU* service M'hrtf uteri cldr bombings In thr taut two congregation kmrfers met The gun Is believed t/> huv«" come from "down ft* 7 p.m. nt the First Huptljit The ifttfBt, on Monday, nRrrniion to hammer out details. With no suspect to prosmitc, authorities South," Mr. Nmfw'y nalil. According to North Curoilna oHiclals, Mrs. Hfiucr IIIH-IVIHI JI pistol (>ertnit from the Ing Monday's murder/suickta at the Weaifleld LmuUr Durham County SlicrllV.s OITIct' in Dccernljcr. offlw «r* turning thrir attention to "public safety" Briefs KfirlU'r n'portn that Mm. Hiiuer llcw ittto 0M* ntiitn IMMICN cmly Monday mny nol holrl up, KimJ llu> proMKOiUir. JefTtry !taut>r, 4H, wns i»hot drnd In his 'Hutt Inloriiuitiiiii, he FUIKI, mine IV'tun wilncft'ien who Cut-n-thon phi lined $10 for children youngpr thnn (1. I ludak, WCI' Mrmlinnihlp Director, Iky estranged wlfn Mct« Bttiicr. 41), nt nlxwit 4;.'HI mny hiivc* twxl neennd hand inrorni'ition or who wvrt? Mnnicvirrn art* $10, 40» Harrison Avr WentOU, RJ. p.m. Momlny. Mrs. F*mi«»r ImrrwdlntHy turned tho gun "In whock." The Guillotine UnltvutW* of 07000. C«ll thu IKIX ofTkv fit 232 on herself, What In known i". Mi'i HIIIKT rcnlc<l it cur from Wwtlleld In conjunction with Ca- Onii 054 mm. 1221. InvwitigHtoni «rf trying to detprrulnp h«nv Mrs. Hertz In cenirnl Niw .Inwy rml Newark Airport thedral HealUicnrr Systems apon- I'lny house membership llnupr Unnnpori^d thp .357 rnllTwr fntightirn tnunU-r nnd drove the inr (<> Wcnllifld '|1ii' |iiT»ruKit(or would gon a benefit nit«thon hi ruliw Itnlf RFHDOM rt1Pt»llKTflhl|)B 'MnrkctplntV tomorrow wmpoti fttim hpr f>trham, N (.'. hoirie Into New Jrr not Rppclfy wticrt' in Cctilrul Ni*w Jcrtii'V thf* <'nr win funds for th* HIV/AIDS? Pwllatric which Include1 tickcln to //nir Irl wrtlwl. 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