Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-07
KILLS SELF AFTER
BADLY WOUNDING
HIS SWEETHEART
John Hopfgarten Fires Three
Shots Into Miss Vester's
Body Following Quarrel.

Enraged by several quarrels with
her, John Hopfgarten, thirty two
years old, shot and seriously wounded
his sweetheart. Miss Amelia Vester,
thirty-two years old, of Sc Rutgers
street. last night, and then COM
mitted suicide. The double crime
was committed in the rear of a saloon
at 40 Jones street, where Hopfgarten
| boarded. 1t is said that Hopfgarten
flew into a rage when the woman
| took the name of the Kaiser of Ger
many in vain, as he thought.
Miss Vester is at the City Hospital
She is in a serious condition, but
physicians believe that she winsre-
cover. She has three bullet w6HHds
in the left breast, inflicted by the one
bullet. which finally lodged in the
flesh near the right shoulder. Hopf-
garten shot himself through the heart
and died almost instantly.
According to witnesses of the shoot
ing, the couple had been drinking in
the rear room of the saloon. Hopf-
garten walked into the kitchen, It is
said, where Mrs. Martha Wagner,
wife of the proprietor of the saloon,
was dressing a cut finger. why
| don't you cut it off, 1t will heal
quicker. he is alleged to have said.
| Coming into the kitchen, Miss Ves-
ter told Hopfgarten to mind his own
business" according to Mrs. Wagner
Hopfgarten resented this and a quar-
rel ensued.
Are you the Kaiser, that no one
can talk to you?" Miss vester is said
to have exclaimed. Atsthis remark
the man flew into a rage and drew
| "a IL Ia.
fired one shot at her, and, before he
could be stopped, turned the gun
upon himself and sent a bullet
through his heart
| The shooting was the elimination
of several quarrels between the
couple, 1t is believed. The two have
been keeping company for several
years. Several days ago, 1t is said,
she threatened him with a breach of
promise suit unless he married her,
Hopfgarten is reported as having
said that he would not marry the
woman and complained that she con-
tinually demanded money of him.
| Hopfgarten gave her S. at the Wag-
ner saloon last Saturday night, it is
said Last night she called again and
had several drinks with Hopfgarten.
Neither appeared in a quarrelsome
mood, is is said, until the verbal tilt
when the mention of the kaiser S
name precipitated the Doubt crime.
Hopfgarten was employed as a
helper on a delivery truck by the
Kruger Brewing Company. He Is
said to have three children living in
| Germany. Miss Vester was for a
short time stenographer in the employ
| of the police board several years ago.
Her mother, Mrs. Augustus Vesper,
conducts saloon at 48 New York
| avenue.
County Physician Mckenzie viewed
the mans body last night. The bull
let, he said, went through the mans
breast slantingly and struck the
heart He ordered the body removed
| to Holes morgue.
Captain Oscar Vogel and Detective
\ King, of the Fourth precinct, and
| Lieutenant Harris and Detectives
| O'Gara and Corbitt. of police head
| quarters, visited the scene of ths
shooting. They questioned the wit
nesses, but made no arrests.
Mrs. Wagner, according to Captain
| Vogel, insisted on being paid SO
| which, she declared, Hopfgarten owet
| her, from money in his clothes. Sht
knew he had been paid last night, she
said, and insisted on getting tbs
money. Captain Vogel refused tc
comply with the demands and referred
| the woman to DR.. Mckenzie.