Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-06-16
4 Tragedy in Washington.

John Kraemer, q tailor, was shot II
killed shortly after 6 o'clock last night
at the corner of Fifth and e streets,
northwest, Washington, by Theodore
G.. Arnold, a clerk in the Postoflice De
nartment and a member ofthc District
bar. The shooting was the direct re-
suit of a separation between kraemer
and his wife, for which Kraemer held
Arnold responsible. As Il result OF this
bad feeling had existed between the
two men for some time past.
Yesterday evening they met on Z
street, neal Seventh street northwest.
| Arnold walked along E street to Fifth
and Kraemer followed him. When
they reached Fifth street Arnold turned
on Kraemer and asked him why he was
pursuing him. Kraemer replied that
/ he wanted nothing to do with Arnold,
| and walked across the street. Some
remark from Arnold caused him to turn
back, however, and he retraced his
| steps in the direction of the other. As
| he approached Arnold drew Il pistol
| from his pocket and fired it. The bull
| let struck Kraemer in the breast, but
it did not stop his progress. He con-
! tinucd to advance on Arnold and the
latter fired Il second shot. BY this time
! Kraemer was within a few feet of Ar
mold, and though the second shot struck
him in the breast also, he seized Arnold
by the arm and struggled with him.
Freeing one of his arms Arnold began
beating his antagonist over the head
with his pistol.
Meanwhile several men, attracted by
the sounds of the pistol shots, had rush.
ed to the scene, and they seized Arnold
and disarmcd him. AS they did so
Kracmcr fell to the pavement. The
police arrived and Arnold was taken
in charge, while Kraemer was hastily
removed in a patrol wagon to the
Emergency Hospital. He lived till he
reached the hospital and then expired.
The domestic difficulties to which the
affair is attributed began in Septem-
Der last. when Kraemer married a
young woman from Virginia, named
Laura Bowman. Kraemer at this
time ran a ladies' tailoring establish
mcnt, and the girl worked for him. She
was very pretty, quite young, and
Kraemer, who was middle-agcd and a
foreigner, was infatuated with her. A
few days after their marriage Mrs.
Kraemcr left her husband, and has
since refused persistcntly either to live
with him or hold any intercourse with
him. Her dcsertion wrecked both hus-
bands business and happiness. For
some time after she left him
he was unable to discover where she
had gone, and he abandoned
his business in order that he
might search for her. When he found
her he ascertained also that she had EN-
ploycd Arnold and another young at
torney to secure for her an annulmcnt
of their marriage. Kraemcr endeavor-
ed to persuade her to return to him, but
she refused. Then he became abusive
and charged Arnold with alternating her
affections.
For the past month or two he had
done little else than dog his wite's foot
steps, and as she frequently consulted
Arnold he became exceedingly jealous
of him and is said to have threatened
his life. Ho also made threats against
his wife, and q day or two ago was for
tho second time placed under bonds by
the Police Court to keep the peace at
their request. As a result of this Ar
mold claims to have been afraid of the
man, and says he shot last night be-
cause he believed his own life to be in
danger. Arnold is n married a and
lives on Fifth street, near II, northwest.
He says his relations with Mrs. krae-
mer were only those of an attorney and
client. Mrs. Kraemer also lives in
Washington and is earning her livingas
a dressmaker.