The San Francisco call., 1895-10-15
SHOT THROUGH A DOOR.
Charles Beckman, Master of
the Lizzie r, Accident
ally Killed.
A SAILOR FOUND HIS BODY
The Capsizing OF the Schooner
Leads to the Discovery of the
Death.

Charles Beckman, master of the sand
scow Lizzie r, was shot by Charles Cramer
last night. The pistol was aimed in the
dark, and the bullet passed through the
door of a saloon before it finally lodged in
Beckman's head. 1t killed him instantly.
Cramer is a bartender in Nicholas Sar-
borich's saloon, at 812 Sixth street. He
knew the murdered man by sight, as
Beckman was a frequent visitor at the sa-
loon. He closed his place last night
shortly after Z o'clock and retired to his
room in the rear of the saloon, where he
went to bed about half-past 10 O'Clock
CIamer was awakened by some one bang
ing on the door. He shouted, "Hello,"
and "Who's there?" but there was no
answer, and finally, as the noise continued,
he drew pistol and fired once. The noise
Immediately stopped and Cramer settled
back to sleep again.
The scow schooner Lizzie r was tied up
to the bank of the channel, close to the
saloon, with no one on board but Charlie
Freese. He was asleep below when his
slumbers were rudely disturbed by the
salt water pouring in upon him. The
schooner had sprung a leak and COM
m enced to settle, or the receding tide had
tilted her over until the water poured over
the gunwale. Whichever it was, she was
turning over and Freese umped on to the
bank and ran to the saloon for ASST stance
He found the dead body of his captain ly-
ing in the doorway of the saloon.
Beckman was shot through the right
temple. He had evidently held his head
close to the door listening to what was
going on inside, for there were splashes of
blood around the bullet-hole in the door.
The panels were all dented from the blows
of the cobblestone with which he had been
hammering, and which lay beside him in
the doorway.
Cramer's statement of the affair is as
follows:
I closed up the restaurant at o'clock and
went. downtown to buy pair of trousers.
When l got back I went to bed in q room in
the rear. was awakened by a loud hammer
ing on the front door. 1 hollered ''Who's
continued, and again hollered, but again got
no answer. AS had been constantly ANNOYED
by people hammering on the door and trying
to break into the place, and as it is a lonely
| spot became alarmed, and to frighten them
away l fired shot through the front door.
Then oil was quiet and went back to bed.
About hfteen minutes afterward some one
again hammered on the door, and 1 asked
"Who is there?" "Black Charles partner
| Open the door; Charles shot," was answered
pulled on my trousers, opened the door, and
when saw him lying on the sidewalk 1 ran
| down in my bare feet to get the night watch
| man at the railroad track to fetch doctor
| When got back saw he was dying.
About two months ago the place was broker
into and a young man named John Harring
ton was arrested for burglary, but the case fell
| through. That's all know about it.
Cramer is a quiet, inoffensive young
fellow and seems very sorry for the un.
fortunate affair. He had intended to give
up his position on Sunday, but decided tc
keep on as he was short of funds. "It
would have been better for me if I had
left" he said.