The morning call., 1893-12-11
Louis GrOmer Shoots Himself
Four Times.
THE CITY WATER QUESTION.
An Old West Berkeleyan WanderS
Away. M. c. A. Work at
the University-NOtes.

at the MOrgue with pistol hole In the
middle of the forehead and CHASTITY cash
in the throat. either of which wounds the
doctor thinks would have caused death.
At $3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon
Gromer walked to his room, No. 19. at the
Webber House, on the corner of Twelfth
and Franklin streets, and taking all the
clothing from the bed lay down and pu'
the muzzle OF 22-caliber pistol to his fore
head and pulled the trigger In his strug-
giles he fell 10 the floor, and thinking Dis
suicidal work incomplete he slipped his
hand in his pocket and pulled out MS
pocket. knife, an ordinary instrument with
blade about four inches in length. ant
proceeded to dig into the right side of his
neck. He made slit several inches long
and as deep as he could possibly dig IT,
severing several small arteries and the
larynx and barely missing the Jugular.
His struggles attracted some OF tine
household. and when Officer Curtis
opened the door OF the room the man was
gasping for breath. He was covered with
blor d, but still held the bloody knife In his
hand. and when the officer put his hand
on him he began TO struggle as though TO
arise. He exhibited terrific strength in his
death struggle, and it took several men to
hold him.
He was Immediately removed to the Re-
ceiving Hospital, but ceased breathing
almost as soon as he was laid on the
operating-table. DR.. johnson made an
examination OF bis wounds, and from that
In his head took out a portion Of a bullet.
Gromer was barkeeper and had worked
at Recks' saloon, on Eleventh aud Frank
lin streets, some six months ego, when he
left and went to Stockton, from which
place he returned about month since and
went to w1rk for Krueckel & Sperb at
1852 Washington street He worked for
these reople up To last Friday. when be
left them voluntarily. and since then has
been complaining of sickness, suffering
oflentimes severely from neuralgia. On
Sa urday night he accosted Officer Curtis
on Broadway about midnight. and. COM
planning of his head, inquired where he
could ring up a druggist. The officer in
formed him and he got some medicine and
started for his room.
A, o'clock on Sunday morning he met
the IL ndlorG in the hall and told him that
his haad hurt him SO much that he could
not sleep, but afterward ne went and laid
down again.
Inquiry at the places about town where
Gromer was known ELECTED the fact that
he was a very quiet and industrious fel-
low and well liked by those who knew
him. He talked little about his past, but
one of his friends stated that he bad been
married. but was divorced from his wife.
The landlord of the house states that
Gromer has been divorced from his wife
bout two years ana that the woman now
keeps a saloon on jackson street in San
Francisco. He also says thai the man
was quite heavy drinker. he heard
pistol shots. but thought 1t came from the
street until the man who rooms next to
Gromer came TO the landlord and showed
him a bullet he had picked up in the hall.
Then an examination was made.
1t seems that Gromer had used a small
new French pistol and had shot at himself
four times, holding the pistol so near his
head that his face was badly powder
burned.
Deceased was a native of Switzerland.
The Water Question.
Some false impressions have goue abroad
by the recently published action of the
special water committee Of the council in
asking for Oids from parties for furnishing
water to the city. II was thought that
these bids could be regarded In the light Of
contracts, aud the city so held liable in
some way. This is not true. The bids
asked for were but preliminary estimates,
and the committee well knew that ii could
not bind the council or The city to any con-
tracts. nor did 1t have any such inten-
ton.
The committee wishes to make estimates
on furnishing water for ten years, and this
Ci.y Attorney johnson has held it cannot
do. He says that the council must fix the
rate on water each year, and that if this
council liked the rate for ten years it
would be usurping tbe prerogative of
councils TO follow. In the same way, he
argues, a council could fix the water rate
of the city at a high figure and bind the
city 10 live ND TO the contract for fifty
years If it saw fit. This is understood to
be Mr.. Jobnson's position, but he has not
yet given the committee written opinion
on the subject.
The chairman of the special committee,
Councilman Manuel. who is very earnest
in this cheap water scheme for Oakland.
has consulted Attorney Cary Howard on
the subject. and that gentleman. after
casually looking Up Supreme Court decis-
ions on the subject. disasrees with Mr..
johnson, holding that the city can make a
contract for an unlimited time.
The City Attorney cites the case of Sac
ramento iD defense of his position. A. l..
Fish OF that city made such contract as
is proposed here with the Sacramento
Council. and the City Attorney of Sacra-
mento writes to Mr.. johnson that the con-
tract is not recognized as legally binding
on either the city or the contractor.
Mr.. Johnson is of the opinion that the
proper way for the city to acquire water
system is to vote bonds sufficient to lay all
mains and buy outright source of sup
ply. The law Is clear that this can be done.
The ForIorpsst Kind.
A man in San Francisco is anxious to
collect little bill owing him, and has
written to County Clerk Crane about the
matter. The strange thing about the mat
ter is that be wants to collect the money
from dead man in these piping times
when it is next to impossible to collect
from men on top Of ground. He writes:
Mr. John Blank, once doing business in San
Francisco, but residing In Alameda County.
departed this life owing me $40 for work done,
aud by a false represr ntaiion, or rather sew
eral of them, put me 10 a further expense OF
So 90. The grass Is very short with me at
present, and / write to ask you II you can tell
NE Ii he left any estate, administrator or any
Que from whom l can get few OF the dollars
for which / mourn. With the foriornest Kind
Of forlorn hope j write TO you 10 discover if
there is any one from whom l can dig UP a lit
tie; or am in the soup?
Old and Weak Mind so.
John Smith. an old man II years of age,
who has been living with his son near the
stocky yards. West Berkeley, has caused his
friends much uneasiness because Of his
mysterious disappearance.
He has been missing from his home since
Tuesday last, and as he is rather feeble
minded 1t is feared that he Is lost and may
suffer from privation. His son was at the
County Jail yesterday making inquiries.