Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-07-17
ANOTHER onAmEn TRAGEDY

Mrs. Cramer, Jennie Cramerss Moth
er, Hangs Herself-A Strange and
Fated FamIly-A SONS Sad Home
Visit.
Another tragedy, and one which leaves
but one survivor of the seemingly fated
Cramer family, occurred yesterday. Mrs.
Cramer, the mother of the Inflated Jennie,
who came to such sad and untimely end
on August 8, 1881, has for the past year
been little off her mental balance, brought
on no doubt by the deaths of 80 many of
her family. First her daughter either
killed herself or, as many believe, was
foully murdered. Her husband next killed
himself, as is supposed by many, and
shortly afterward her daughter Marie died
of consumption. For some time Mrs. Cra-
mer has lived with her son in New York,
but about five months ago she expressed a
desire to return to this city and she was
humored in her wishes, returning to her
sons home every little while for short Wis
its. Her last return to New Haven was
five days ago, and all the time she was
complaining to her neighbors about her
lonesome life now that nearly all her fam
lJ WOI0 uCt1u OuS dCUcu LII D. very Ut
spondent manner, but as it was known
that she was little deranged nothing was
thought of it.
The last seen of her alive was Wednes-
day night, when she went into her apart
ments rather early. About o'clock yes
terday afternoon Mr.. Oden Firstad, an in
mate of the same building, 743 Grand ave-
nue., found note under her door. He
opened it and found the following: "Please
telegraph for my son, Mr.. E. Cramer, 1856
Broadway, N. Y, care of Postal Telegraph
company" Suspecting at once that all
was not right Mr.. Firstad showed the note
who in turn handed it to Officer Lalligan.
The officers tried the door, but as it
was locked he communicated with head
quarters for instructions, and was told to
break into the premises. Officer Lalligan
procured a ladder and got in one of the
front windows and passing into room di-
rectly back of the front one found Mrs.
Cramer hanging by rope stretched over
the top of closet door. He with the as
sistance of Officer Reilly took down
the body and called in Medi-
cal Examiner White, who broke
down the door leading into the hall. That
the suicide had been very deliberate was
evident The rooms looked as though the
occupant had but just moved in, all the
furniture being covered and most of the
goods packed in boxes. The only sign
that anyone lived there was small cot
lounge which was in one corner. Mrs.
Cramer had chosen the spot to kill herself
where two closet doors in the corner of the
back room when opened would come to-
gether. She fastened small sized hemp
clothes line to screw on the inside of one
closet door and closing that door opened
the other closet and threw the line over
the top of it. She next procured a
piece of white cotton cloth
and folding it several times, placed it
around her throat, and standing on box
placed the fatal cord around her neck
and, Judging from the appearance of her
Her knees were slightly drawn up, and
around her neck dark blue line showed
where the cord had strangled her. She
had on all of her clothes, being dressed in
blue calico, and it is rather probable that
the deed had been committed some time
before it was discovered. Another thing
that added an air of tragedy to the whole
affair was the fact of the sons arriving
here to visit his mother and
finding her dead and o
crowd of officials in her
room. He had received letters from his
mother very frequently, but for the last
few days he had not heard from her. He
sent several kilograms to which he re-
ceived no reply, and after the last one had
been returned to him endorsed, "door
closed and can get no answer" he became
alarmed and started for New Haven. He
arrived here, as was before said, only to
find that she had made away with herself
Considerable excitement was created in the
neighborhood by the deed, a large crowd
standing around and gazing at the build
ing with morbid curiosity, notwithstand-
ing the fact that there was
nothing at all to see. The
building where she committed suicide, 74t
| Grand avenue, and the store below, TAI
| where her husband before his death had 8
cigar store and was doing a good business
was his property.
Mrs. Cramer was not in want, as the In
come from her property was more thar
| enough to support her. 1t was probably
the result of a worse attack of melancholy
than usual which caused her to take sucf
a means of ending her life. The body wal
| taken in charge by Lewis & Maycock, anc
! under the direction of her son carried te
l their place.