New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-05
PART II.
PAGES II TO IA.
A TANGLED WEB OF CRIME.
SUICIDE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.
HAVING SHOT HIS WIFE JOHN KREMER TRIED
THREE METHODS OF sELF-DEsrRUcrIoN.

HAVING SHOT HIS WIFE JOHN KREMER TRIED
THREE METHODS OF sELFDEsTRUcrIoN.
A double crime, the cause OF which must he found
somewhere In a tangled web OF love, deceit, hgsmy,
jealousy and insanity, disturbed the occupants Of ank
Grcenwoods fachouses 1T second-sve. and TwelfthsA
yesterday morning. There five houses In the row.
John Kremc the isnItor Of the houses. shot his wits
in the basement OF No. go East Twelitb-st, the FRA
house In the row. soon after 30 a. m yesterday lie
fired two bullets into her head and doubtless thought
he had killed her. Then he fred q shot at his
head, but inflicted only slight wound. lie went up
stairs to the roof Of tho house. and threw himself int
q water tank, but there not enough water In the
tank to drown him, and he crawled out, dripping wet
10 search for more effective Of suicide Cross
ing 10 the roof OF the house No. 1876 Second ave. h
tied rope to wheel In tho top OF dumb waiter shaft
that open above the roof. inserted his neck In .
moose In the rope. and jumped down the shaft. His
weight caused the rope TO cut deeply into his neck and
he was dead before he traced 10 the shaft.
Kremer was a German of middle age and gisu1
in sEe being six feet and four inches high and strongly
Quilt. lie was said to have three wives living In
different parts OF the country. he was married 20
Mary Schmidt. tho whom he shot yesterday.
when she a servant In brooklyn moro thsa three
years ago. She young enough 10 be his daughter
when they married, but she consented to live
with him after she learned that he had another win
a Detroit In May, 1889, she went back 10 he1
mother, In Germany, but Kremer soon followed hos
and induced her b. return with him. Then he ~
cured his place jantor at second ave TwelfthsA
and took her TO 1--we with him In two basement
the nrst house In the She helped take Of
tho nat Kremers Jealousy led b. frequent quarrsis.
and In May last Mrs. Kremcr away with William
weisse young German who had been employed 10 hep
clean the fats The coupls went 10 Binghzmton.
where they found employment In an insane asylum.
Kroner sold his furniture, gave up his place and
spent all the money he had In the bank while be
searched for the he called his wife. lie found
her after search Of q few weeks and she consented
10 return with him. Mr. Greenwood let Kroner have
some money with which to get some more furniture
and begin housekeeping again. Kremer and his wife
quarIeed frequently but continued to live together HeS
stepsister, Bertha had come TO this city from Ger
many and employed as servant In Harlem.
Their mother Mrs. Mary Schmidt whose husband was
dead came from Germany six weeks ago. and went to
live with the Kremcrs In the two basement rooms In
the West Twelfth-st. house. After her arrival tho
ouarrellng between Kremer and his wife worse
than before. His threats to shoot or poison her
frightened hsr at length, and on Monday she len
him and went to live with her mother at No. 40
East EIeventh-st. Kremer followed her there and
tried to induce her to return, but she refused Her
sister Bertha went to the Essex Market Police Court
with her yesterday morning when she asked for On
order for her clothing but she told that such an
order could not be granted. Kremer had written TO
her that she could get her clothes she went after
them.
From the court the sisters went directly 70
Kremer's rooms arriving there at 8 30 a. m and
Kremer let them N through the bedroom door In
the rear. He said his wife couldn't have her cotnos
unless she signed q paper let him have some
money which she had in hank. Mrs. hemer saao
she would sign the paper after she got her clothes
packed The sisters then went to work to PACK tho
clothes In @ trunk Kremer stood By, urging his
wife to stay and live with him. she said she wouAo
not stay.
Kremer then drew O revolver from his poekee ana
fired two shots In quick succession, sending ~
bullets into his wtfe's head. Then no turned n
muzzle of the weapon toward his own head and nre9
again. This time the bullet ploughed only slighe
furrow In his cheek. With cry OF rage be easneo
| through the bedroom door into the basement ano
started toward the roof Mrs. Krcmer called 10 nos
frightened sister: Better get o doctor quick Mn
Greenwood arrived Just then. Learning what mao
happened, he went In search Of Kremer, and NV
minutes later found the tanitors eicss pody hAngnS
in tho b,mb waiIer shaft ~. 49,. "A
Coroner MESSENGER happened to pass the house a
e time; dI 4s Mrs her St statemsns.
was married to my husband on February 20, aSsS'
-Four days later Kremer left me and vent pacA W us
first wife. In fact he never wa dvoreea nom hT'
Kremer Ia not my husbands right name. His name -
Kapler When he left me l nVea III buHaio ny
70 me after four weeks me ne net e Co ea S S.
We vent to i've In Cleveland, Ohio, and after two
months he went back TO his first wife In Detroit ne
me and took me to Allegheny Penn. We lived there
six weeks and came to New YORK. where VIC i'o"
together SINCE -, ,,,., . A..
surgeons there said she might recover although her
condition critical Kremer's BODY was sent "
the Morgue: