Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-02-20
TWO WOMEN SLAIN
IN APARTMENT BY
! JEALOUS SU|TOR
,r- -
Hiram Craig, the Murderer,
Sends Several Bullets Into
His Own Body.
TRAGEDY TAKES PLACE IN
j SOUTH ORANGE AVE. FLAT
lAan1ie Clark and Hattie Reeves
Killed Instantly by Jersey
City Salesman.

sic Reeves. of 352 South Orange ave-
nue.. both we'll known in the night
life of Newark, were murdered In
heir hat this morning about
O'Clock by Hiram e. Craig, of Jersey
Citv who was Jealous of Miss
Reeves. The man then shot himself
fwice. Physicians at the City Hos
]lital believe he has a chance to re-
cover. He was semi-conscioue this
afternoon, and the doctors said that
II he lives forty-eight hours more he
may pull through.
Cra'g, who is about forty-five
years old. lived with his wife and
eighteen-year-old son, Robert, at 215
CLERK street. Jersey City, and was
employed as travelling salesman
by the Columbia Mills, Inc. of II
Vest Twenty-fourth street. New
York. In his pocket was sealed
letter addressed to William Schier-
ock, 20 Jewett avenue, Jersey City,
and in the corner of the envelope
vas printed, Return in I'VE days to
Rising Star Lodge, F. and A. M,
Jersey City"
Parents in same House.
Mrs. Clark was about forty years
old. She formerly. kept a saloon on
he ground floor of the South Orange
avenue house, which is near South
Ninth street, and lived on the third
4ioor for a dozen years. Miss Reeves
boarded with her for the past two
Years. On the second floor of the
house Mr.. and Mrs. Bechtold Koenis.
parents of Mrs Clark, have their
home. Martha Clark, twenty years
Did and daughter of Mrs. Clark, also
lived on the tn I'd floor.
Craig was a frequent visitor since
Miss Reeves went there to live. hut
asst week Miss Reeves told him not
% call again. He remained away
until last evening. when he called
and told Martha Clark, who was
alone, that he would remain until
Hiss Reeves returned.
The Clark girl says thai she retired
early last night and was awakened
fhis morning early by sounds of qus.r-
-eling in the fat. About 7:30 she
vent down stairs to her grand par
ents' l1enne for breakfast, and shortly
litter 8 O'Clock was startled by the
sound of shot in the apartment up
,stairs.
She hurried up the stairs, followed
by her grandparents. but before they
rot to the third floor two more shots
we're heard. They ran into the din
.ng-room from the hall and stumbled
over the dead body of Mrs. Clark,
wing across the threshold of the
doorway. between the dining-room
and the kitchen. She was lightly
dressed in house garments as though
she had been about her household
duties, and had been shot In the left
breast.
Craig, bleeding from his self
inflicted wounds, still held to his re-
volver He was on his hands and
aznees on the floor in the middle of
he kitchen, but managed to keep
crawling towards the door of bed
'oom that led off the kitchen.
'tWhy did you shoot my mother 2
\ he girl cried.
az didn't shoot her--Hattte shot
both of u.s." Craig replied, continuing
o crawl towards the bedroom. The
Reeves woman was not IN signi
Craig slowly disappeared into the
bedroom, closing the door after him.
n In a moment another shot was heard
II The commotion was heard in the
4 street, and both Regis Gilmore. 81
40 South Orange avenue. and George
Griffin. of 420 South Ninth street
elephoned to police headquarters and
4 TO the City Hospital
Lieutenants Ryan and Farrell. from
headquarters, and Detective Kaas, of
he Fourth precinct. and the am
oulance arrived at almost the same
\ .ime Craig was found lying on tie
fioor of the bedroom and the boly
Df Miss Reeves was found lying race
iown on the floor of the bathroom.
She was clad only in her undergar-
nents and corset. and was dead from
u bullet which entered her back.
Tried to Revive Her.
The most pathetic part Of the spec.
sacle however, was the parents or
Mrs. Clark, both past eighty years OF
age, trying to revive her. County
physician Mckenzie, who arrived
quickly, said that both women hal
died instantly, and ordered their
bodies removed to Holes r1orglle.
Craig was removed to the City Hos
1)ital, where it was found that ne had
shot himself In the right breast and
IN the r;Sht side Of the forehead. The
revolver found in his possession was
he only weapon found and the poll'e
are unable to ascribe reason Tor
ms saying that Hattie had done the
i,hooting. He was only partially
dressed
From the early Investigations OF
the police, they formed the following
Lheory of the shooting: Craig, mad
rom jealously, went to the house
asst night early to find Martha Clark
alone. Mrs. Clark and Millard Estell,
of 1872 Broad street, had gone to the
Deluxe motion picture house at ASH
land street and South Orange ave-
1ue and Miss Reeves had not re-
Iurned home. She worked In a jewell
" factory.
Craig told Martha Clark that he
was going to- wait until Miss Reeves
! returned and the girl, who is conva-
iescing from typhoid fever, went to
oed early, leaving Craig alone Just
what time Mrs. Clark returned is not
known, but Miss Reeves did not put in
an appearance until o'clock this
morning. 1t was said she attended
the Arion ball at the Kruger Audi
torium last night.
Cra.g had apparently partly dis
robed and dropped off to sleep while
waiting for Hattie. He did not see
her when she came in or until she
was almost undressed Then COM
nenced a quarrel. which lasted so
long that Mrs. CLARK got up and
dressed, in an attempt to restore
quiet.
Finally Martha Clark went down
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