Rock Island Argus., 1895-06-04
SUICIDE SUCCEEDS.
Frederick Kramer Finally Ends
His Existence.
HUNG HIMSELF IN THE CELLAR

Found Dead This Morning Suspended
FROM . Clothes Line Attached to .
scantliny Five Feet From the Ground
The Coroner's Inquest.
Frederick Kramer, the old gentle
man who last Friday attempted to
terminate his existence by slashing
his wrist, succeeded this morning
by hanging himself in the cellar Of
his residence at ISL Fourteenth-and-
a-half street. The unfortunate man
was found by his wife about 9o'clock
hanging At the end of q portion Of =
clothes line attached to . scantling
about about five feet from the
ground. Kramer had been dead but
q short time when discovered. his
wife Immediately going in quest OF
him when finding him absent from
the house, where she left him read
ing q newspaper, she repairing to an
adjoining compartment to wash.
The body was removed By John
LindsHberger. a neighbor summoned
by Mrs. Kramer, and the police and
Coroner Halves notified.
Ne0V0Eot0
The manner in which it was nec-
essary for Kramer to strangle him.
self on account of the inadequate
height of the cellar is evidence of his
desperate determination to carry out
the attemps inaugurated several
days ago. With his left arm, the
wrist of which was severed to the
bone last Friday. bandaged in a
sling, he succeeded with the one
member in placing a moose in the
clothes line, attaching the other end
to a scantling and hanging. The
cellar being scarcely five feet
deep, Kramer had to double up his
legs in order to keep them from
touching the ground. This was the
position of the body when discov-
cred by his wife.
About Z o'clock this morning
Kramer called in J. H. Lidders and
John Linden berger aud apprised
them of his intention to will the res
idence adjoining the one he occu-
pied over to his wife, whose hobby
in her dementiveness has been q de-
sire to possess it. Responding to a
query of MIR. Lidders as to the signi-
ficance of the will, Kramer merely
stated that it was to satisfy Mrs
Kramer. The document was drawn
by Mr.. Kramer in the German Ian
guage, Mrs. Kramer refusing to have
it done in English. which Mr.. Lid.
ders volunteered to do. II read sub.
stantially: 81. Frederick Kra
mer, of my own free will and
accord, deed to my wife 10
10 in Weatherhead's addition or
Fourteenth-and-a-half street." with
the signatures of Messrs. Lidders and
Lindenserger as witnesses. With
this the two gentlemen departed,
never suspecting, on the strength o
Mr.. Nramer's explanation for thu
transaction, the rash act which fol
lowed soon after. Mr.. Kramer hat
idisplayed signs OF worry and con
fusion since his first attempt, ant
neighbors acquainted with his pecu
liar actions were not surprised at hi
ending his own life.
| Biographical.
The deceased was a native of Ger
many, coming to Rock Island fvor
Philadelphia % years ago. He wa
l67 years of age. Of industriou
habits, aud quiet and temperate dis
position. He had for many year
conducted carpet weaving estab
lishmeht. and was well-to-jo. He i
survived by his wife and an adopte'
daughter, Mrs. A. Bischoff, Of Sant
Fe, New Mexico. who was tele
lgraphed this merning.
| Corouep's Inquest.
| Coroner Hawes impanneled tn
following jury: J. f. Flemin,
James So. Clair, Frank Wivill, NJ. w
Davis, j. N. Huntoon and L. v. Eek
hart, which, after considering tn
circumstances, returned q verdict o