The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-19
Other Woman in Mcdaniel Case
Slain by EX-HuSband.
Krucker Fails to End Own Life;
VIII Recover.
HE CLEARED ATTY. M'DkNIEL
Wounded Man i'm Hospital De-
clines to Make Statement.
Mcdaniel Holds Key to Mystery
but Won't Tell.

ST. Joseph, Mo-, Feb. 19-John e.
krucker, who killed his divorced wife
at her fathers home Sunday and shot
himself with suicidal intent, has re-
covered consciousness at the hospital
and probably will recover. He has
refused to make any statement, the
accepted theory being that the shoot
ing was the result of Mrs. Krucker re-
fusing to remarry krucker. The
wounded man is guarded at the hos
pita1 and will be taken to Jail as soon
as his condition warrants.
Rumors that Mr.. Krucker and his
wife had been reconciled and were
about to be remarked were current
at St Joseph during the recent trial
of Oscar d. Mcdaniel. former prose-
cutting attorney of this county. who
was acquitted of the charge of hav-
ing murdered Mrs. Mcdaniel These.
however, met only the denial, despite
the fact that Mr.. Krucker testified
that he still loved his divorced wife.
Both Slain Women Friends.
Both the husband and wife were
brought prominently into the trial of
the former prosecutor-Mr. Krucker
as one of the chief defense witnesses,
and Mrs. krucker as the subject of
much of the testimony. But at no
time did witnesses identify her other
than as "Dagmar Krucker, the friend
!
The murdered woman and Mrs.
krucker were characterized as init
mate socially, they were on fishing
trips and went to card parties togeth-
er and one man described in detail
now the two had taken their children
to barber shop together only few
days before MRS. Mcdaniel was slain
| in her home here the night of July
IA. 1916.
| The prosecution, thru its interroga-
& AZ xxit 10 MysS[ : ri afr-
er's friendship with the Mcdaniel
family one of the chief points of the
! trial The details of her secret di-
vorce, obtained the day Mrs. McDan-
ltinuously by Attorney General John
/ T. Barker and Bart NJ. Lockwood,
special prosecutor. Mcdaniel, as at
torney for Krucker, and Orestes
Mitchell, as attorney for Mrs. Kruck-
CT. were the subjects of lengthy
| Truckers testimony was said by
jurors to have been one of the chief
| factors that caused them to return
an acquittal verdicts after slightly
more than an hours consideration.
Defended McDanieIs Conduct
Il am Mr.. McDanieFs friend
Krucker said to the crowded court
room. There was never anything in
his attitude toward my wife that
aroused the slightest suspicion. 1 still
love her and visit her frequently"
Shortly afterwards, to friends, he
said that he wished to remarry her
and that he believed they could be
| happy together. Mrs. Krucker, how
| ever, secluded herself from all inter-
| viewers and no expression was Obs
tanned from her.
Mrs Krucker has been described as
the possessor of an engaging person.
ality and of more than ordinary
! charm. Testimony during the Nc
Daniel trial was that she enjoyed fish
ing trips and such sports. One was
! described in which she had worn
overalls for a bathing suit. 1t was
dwelt upon at length by Attorney
! General Barker. Mrs. Mcdaniel and
her husband were also in the same
| party.
Mcdaniel Called on Her.
J The father of Mrs. Krucker says
| that her relatives had feared that
| Krucker would do her some harm and
had cautioned her a number of times.
! She always laughed and replied that
he was too cowardly to hurt her.
He said that Mcdaniel had been an
! occasional caller on his daughter, but
said she told the family that he came
to see her about bringing suit for
! Islander against a newspaper that had
! mentioned her name freely In con-
nection with the Mcdaniel murder
/ case.
The little daughter OF the hruckefs
is not able to give any Ineligible ac-
! count of the shooting. She says, "AIl
she knows is that papa began shoot
ing" Mcdaniel declines to discuss
his visits to Mrs. Krucker. He had
| a telephone conversation with kruck-
er Saturday, but he says it was pro-
fessional one and he will not reveal
| what was said unless permission IL
given by Krucker.
st. Joseph, Mo, Feb. 1s.-Mrs. Dag
mar Krucker, called by the state the
other woman" in the trial last Octo-
Der of Oscar d. Mcdaniel, then coun-
ty prosecutor. for the murder of his
wife, was dead today, and her former
husband, John Z. Krucker seriously
injured in a hospital here Mrs
Krucker was shot to death by her
- 1Con tinnad IN Page Twnl