In 1914, San Antonio beer magnate Otto Koehler was killed by his mistress, Emma. His former mistress, also named Emma, was present. Was it self defense? Was it planned? Did she get him before he got her? What became of his wife named, yes, Emma? Some said it was murder, some said self defense. Some said Otto attacked his killer, some said he would never have done that. One Emma claimed Otto was desperately in love, another Emma advised he was just desperate. What did the jury say? Hear the strange story of the death of one of Texas’ most prominent citizens in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.
Gov. T.M. Campbell represented Emma 3
Sen. Carlos Bee represented Emma 2
Emma Koehler, CEO (Emma 1)
Emma “Hedda” Bürgermeister (Emma 3)
Otto Koehler
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7 comments on “EP. 33- Beer, Love and Murder: A Tale of 3 Emmas”
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Now that is a bit of history you don’t often see. Well dobe.
Enjoyed the story. My Grandmother Agnes Elizabeth Neuhaus of Hallettsville, Lavaca County, Texas, married Charles Aschbacher. Their family had Aschbacher Brewery in San Antonio in early 1900’s and delivered beer on horseback… Aunt Lily Aschbacher married Jacob Wursbach. A street is named after the Wursbach family in SA. I am glad my family were not the subjects of your story… Beer and Germans go together that’s for sure.
Ken – I know your mom and dad through Chapelwood UMC and Holly Hall board. So glad she gave me your business card… Texas history of great interest to me and my family. Thanks.
Thanks very much for the feedback and for sharing your story!
My brother, Thomas, told me about your podcast last week and I have been binge listening this morning. Our grandmother’s family moved to Killeen from Corn Hill in the late 1800s and her brother was Few Brewster, a justice on the Texas Supreme Court. I enjoyed this episode and it has a connection to my hometown, Longview, where the local preservation group is restoring the Thomas M. Campbell home. Thank you for keeping Texas history alive.
Thank you very much and thanks for listening!
Back in the mid 1950s my brothers and I would walk by the Koehler mansion on Ashby Ave. on our way to Travis Elementary School. It was certainly the biggest house we had ever seen, surounded by a wall with a great front gate. Rumor had it that the house was so big that it had bowling lanes inside