The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1863-05-16
FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY!
BROTHER SHOOTS BROTHERS
The Culprit Outs His own Throat !!
Horrible Scene!
UNPARALLELED DEPRAVITY!

zA0A = AS~
UNPARALLELED DEPRAvITY!
We are seldom called upon to record ease Of
such fendishness. brutality, and Unparalleled
depravity. Our heart sickens as We dwell upon
the inhumsn butchery, and the total absence of
all the ordinary feelings Of even the brute crea-
ton. One of the loveliest spots Of our own beau
tiful prairies, has been darkened as with the
curse Of God. and our annals blackened by
mans inhumanity to man" as has seldom been
witnessed. On Tuesday evening, May 18th.
terrible tragedy was enacted on the south side OF
the Smoky Hill. some three miles from Junction
A bare recital of the facts will make the blood
run cold and convince the most skeptical of the
innate depravity of man.
Two brothers, Paul and Henry Kramer, living
few miles from town, recently received visit
from their father, who came direct from Germany
It was his design to return thence in few weeks.
Henry, the younger. wished to accompany him.
and having quite an amount due him from Paul,
on account Of hire and loaned money, he urged
q settlement. As we are informed, Paul showed
no disposition to liquidate the debt. which en-
All day Tuesday Henry was unusually morose
and sullen. About dusk, as the family were
eating supper he stood pouting at the outer door,
when the old man endeavored to get him to
his meal But the devil wss in him, and all
persuasion fruitless. From thence he went into
back room, picked up q revolver. walked uP
to within five or six feet of Paul, and deliberately
aimed and fired at his head, the ball passing
through the neck. slightly touching the wind
pipe Paul, not aware of his wound, rushed
into the next room and seized q shot gun, but in
leaning over, the blood gushed from his mouth.
His wife ran to his assistance, and putting her
arms about him, led him off in the direction of
their nearest neighbors. When but short dis
lance from the house, Henry again made his
appearance, and with calm and determined
purpose, fred four shots after them, but owing
to the darkness they did not take effect. Henry
made threats to burn the house, and before leav-
ing, Mrs. Kramer destroyed all the matches and
extinguished tbs fire.
From this on, We are dependent upon the old
mans story. Henry returned 70 the house and
swallowed some strychnine, and after wandering
about short time started for the river. with the
intention, as the old man says, of drowning him
SELF But this is dubious-his evident intention
was to escape to the Government timber. The
stream being somewhat swollen. and the fact
that he returned to the house, all wet except his
head and hat. renders this more plausible.
About eleven o'clock, Sheriff Callen, accompanied
by Mr.. Whitehair, appeared at the door and de-
manded admittance. For some time the old man
refused, but upon the Sheriff's threatening to
break it in, it was opened. During the parley
for Abundance, the Sheriff's attention was at
tracted to an unusual noise at one corner OF the
house, which doubtless were efforts OF the GRIM
inal to escape The officer entered, but no iights
could be found, and in this ethical situation
an armed culprit in the same room, mnddened
by the slimness ofhis chances-he was compelled
to strike light by means of powder and the
flash of his revolver. Obtaining a light, they
| proceeded to search the house, and upon going
up stairs, horrible sight met their gaze. Upon
bed, stretched at full length, and in Q position
as if laid out by the hands Of kind friends. lay
the criminal, weltering in his own blood, .
frightful, and withal q most scientific, cash
across his throat! His appearance, surgical skill
and the fact that the razor, with which he com,
mitted the deed, was carefully laid away upon
rafter above his head, proves it to be one Of
the E.ost deliberately performed self-murders on
record. He lay upon his back, his hands upon
his breast his lips extended, his eyes partly
closed, of glisteringly CLASSY appearance, and
his clothes soaking wet. When the Sheriff sp
proa ched him, life was extinct but his body still
warm, and the blood, which had flowed in pro
fuse quantities, covering his body and bed and
forming large pool on the floor. still steaming
The impossibibility of escape, doubtless, drove
him to this fearful end. His character for un
provoked brutality to beasts, and the circum
stances of this affair, satisfies US that Remors'
never touched his heart, and was not an infiu
encing motiye in ending this tragedy. He wa
. young man, not over twenty-five.
We are 10th to repest the worst feature of Thu
, terrible affair The father of these boys, . maj
probably sixty years Of age, when he first say
the awful condition Of his son, exhibited nj
more emotion than If he had been attending
general hog busehering. bnt on the ccntEar!
went to bed and slept Is happily and conteptedl!
a. if peace had reigned undisturbed in his house
. hold. and brotherly love had characterized tn
transactions of that day!
!. Too much praise cannot be awarded Sheri
: Callen for the prompt and determined manne
in which he sought the criminal 4 man {
ordinary nerve would never enter strange hous
e wherein was an armed desperate, and havin
. to spend fifteen Or twenty minutes in getting
q light, without any knowledge all this time
: vhat the culprit was doing