The morning call., 1893-08-28
SHE FIRED TWICE
An Oakland Salesman Is
Shot by His Wife.
COOL AND DELIBERATE.
John G. Crimmins Fired At While
Attempting an Entrance Into
His Own House.

As result of incompatibility of temper
and consequent domestic unhappiness
John c. Crimmins lies at the point of
death at his residence, 1180 Fourteenth
street. aud his wife. charged with
the attempt on his life. is confined in cell
at the City Prison.
1t is improbable that Crimmins will live
through tie night. The instrument of i'm
pending death was a bullet.
John c. Crimmins. wife and family of
three children are comparative strangers
in Oakland. They have occupied their
present home on Fourteenth street for
three months only. Crimmins was tray
cling salesman for wholesale grocery
house until recently when he purchased
an interest in the small groeery-store on
the corner of Fourteenth street and Twen-
ty-third avenue and became a resident of
this city.
The home life of the young couple-
neither of them is over 3S years old-has
been most unhappy. The wife charges
the husband with being negleclful of her
cruel and addicted to heavy drinking, and
the husband retalated with complaints Of
lncomDatiblity of temper.
Three weeks ago Mrs Crimmins began
cruelty and drunkenness, and this in
yolved the unhappy family in further COM
plcations. for their religion forbids the
Issuing of divorces.
Things went from bad to worse in the
Crimmins home On Friday night last
Mrs. Crmmins is said to have drawn
knife on her husband and threatened his
life in the course of a quarrel at the
grocery-store.
From that time until yesterday morning
Crlmmlns was denied access to the house
Oy his wife. and he was warned against
forcing an entrance. as il was known that
Mrs. Crimmlns had a revolver and was
liable to use IL.
In spite of protests from friends, how
ever, CrimmIns concluded that he had
some rights with his own property, and at
10 O'Clock yesterday morning he ran up the
stairs OF the back porch, and finding the
kitchen door locked knocked for admis-
sion.
" hen this was denied him he braced his
knee against the door and burst it open.
Mrs. Crimmins was waiting for him.
Without wasting time in arguing whose
right in the premises was superior she
drew 3S-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver
from her pocket and placing the muzze SO
close to her husbands vest that the fash
Ing powder burned it. she pressed the trig-
ger. Crimmins stagge red back with cry
OF pain, but the wife was intent on doing
her work we'll and fired second shot,
This time she missed her victim COM
pletely. the bullet passing upward through
the ceiling of the room.
Mrs. Crimmins then ran out and gave
herself up to the police officer on the beat.
while Crimmins himself managed to stag
ger out of doors and call for help.
a number of people, attracted by the re-
ports OF the pistol, came to his assistance,
and carried him into the house.
DR.. A. Il. Dodge was summoned, and
found that the wound was of a most seri-
Gus character. as the bullet had entered
the body an inch above the navel, and
passing upward and to the left, lodged be-
hind the shoulder blade.
Every relief possible was given the
wounded man. but from the beginning it
was evident that his fight for life would be
an almost hopeless one.
1T seems scarcely possible" said DIR.
Dodge, "that the bullet could have taken
such course and not have penetrated
some vital organs
Later in the afternoon Crimmins began
splitting blood, which confirmed the fears
of the physician and friends attending
him that the wound would prove fatal
Mrs Crimmins was brought to the City
Prison and locked UP on the charge of
manslaughter. She was perfectly cool
when brought iu and at no time after lost
her self-pOsss ssiou.
There were three children in the Grim