The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-03
WOMAN IS SHOT,
Mrs. VrOoman, Former Topekan,
Hit Over Heart.
Bullet Was Discharged From
Revolver She Held.
DIDN'T MEAN TO Do IT.
NelghbOrS Are Told That the
Shooting Was Accident.
Death OF Child Had Made Her
DespOndent.
DIDN'T MEAN TO Do IT.

Kansas City. Mo-, Aug. 3-Mrs- Carl
Vrooman, 5O4 Woodland avenue, a. for
nier Iopeka resident, shot and danger
ously wounded herself last night in her
room on the second floor of her home.
The bullet entered the left breast about
an inch above the heart. Her condition
at IL O'Clock was low. The bullet was
fired from a revolver. Mrs. Vrooman
ana members of the family saw the
shooting was accidental.
MIS- Vrooman was dressing for din
ner When the revolver was fired. No
one was in the house except a negro
servant in the basement.
AT O'Clock the servant and neigh
Dors In the Darlington Inn, 500 Wood
land avenue, heard a shot in the Vroo-
man home. Mrs J. w. Jones and Geo.
Monroe ran to the house. When they
got to Mrs. Vroomans room she was
lying on the bed and the revolver was
or the floor beside the bed. She was
partly dressed. DR.. A L. Hearst and
DR.. w. c. Morris were called Hypo-
cermic infections were administered and
Mrs. Vrooman rallied quickly. The
physicians reported that there was a
slight chance for recovery.
She Didn't Mean to Do 1t.
Il heard the shots and screams
coming from the house. and after I
put on my collar" Mr.. Monroe said, 81
ran to the Vrooman home. 1 hurried
to Frances's room and found her ly-
ing on the bed. 1 asked her how it
happened, and she said: George,
didn't mean to do it. Carl told me the
gun wasn't loaded. I didn't mean to
do it. 1 believe the shooting was ac-
cldental She must have been exam
lining the revolver, and not believing it
loaded, perhaps, pulled the trigger
II didn't mean to do it Carl " Mrs.
Vrooman said when her husband came
into the room. 'tYou told me the re-
volver was rusty and wouldn't shoot,
Carl. I don't want to die" Mrs Vroo-
man was conscious all the time She
told the physicians and neighbors that
the shooting was accidental.
Had just Planned Trip.
Il don't see why she did it, Mr..
Vrooman said. -'She didn't have any
reason. She just was planning a trip
with my mother to Michigan. 1 don't
know what it was unless she was de-
spondent about the loss of our baby
She was so devoted to Carl, the baby,
and she hasn't been herself since he
died year and half ago. She was
impulsive, too, but l can't believe it
was anything except an accident. 1 left
the revolver on the dresser where put
it a few nights ago. 1t hadn't been
used for a long time. A few nights ago
I believed 1 heard providers at our re-
frigerator so I got out the revolver. I
put two cartridges in the cylinder"
Only one of the cartridges was dis
charged when the revolver was picked
up at the side Of the bed. Carl B.
Vrooman is a broker with offices in
the Commerce building.
Grandfather Millionaire.
Mrs Vrooman is a granddaughter
| of the founder of the GraSselli Chemi-
cal Works of Baltimore, who died
many years ago leaving an estate val
ued at $50, 100000. Her father. A. A
GrasselIi, is said to be the richest man
in the vicinity of Eureka. Kan, where
he has a magnificent home and wide
acres of farm land. He receives inter
est on part of the original Grassell
estate.
| Mrs. Vrooman is 80 years old. She
and her husband were married fifteer
years ago in Eureka and went to To
peka where they lived several
months They lived at the
address on Woodland avenue. the
former home of w. H Winants. vice
president of the National Bank OF
Commerce, for ten years. About three
years ago she became the mother of a
son, Carl Vrooman, Jr., who died al
the age of eighteen months. Since this