The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-03-15
MYSTERY Wells
CRAMER SUICIDE
Former Legal Head of Vet
erans' Bureau Found
Dead in Home.
BULLET IN HIS BRAIN
Only a Maid in House at Time
of His Death and She
Knew Nothing of 1t.

@AbSOSAN~S~NA
Washington, D. C-Charles F. Cra-
mer, who resigned few weeks ago as
general counsel for the Veterans Blu
1eau, was found dead here today and
the police reported that he had commit
ted suicide. Cramer's body was found
in his home here and his death, the
police said, apparently was due to self
inflicted bullet wounds. He was 40.
He came here from San Francisco in
1921 to become general counsel Of the
bureau,
Except for maid, according to the
police story, Mr.. Cramer was alone IN
the house when the shooting occurred.
He had accompanied Mrs. Cramer to
the Union station at midnight when she
boarded train for New Y ork, and then
had returned home and left orders for
the maid to call him at 8 o'clock this
morning. When themaid went to his
loom at that hour, she told the police,
she found that he had entered the bath
room and locked the door. The police
we're summoned, and when they broke
the lock they found Mr.. Cramer dead
on the floor with a bullet in his brain.
Department Under Investigation.
Mr.. Cramer's resignation from the
Veterans Bureau was accepted by Dl-
rector Forbes shortly before he himself
quit office in February and during the
time when the bureau was under fire
from members of congress and others
who were demanding Investigation. of
the conduct of the legal division and
other sections having to do with the
placing of contracts for hospital con-
struction. Since then such an investl-
cation has been ordered by the senate
and the groundwork for it was laid
yesterday at a conference between
Frank T. Hines, the new director, and
John F. Organ, special counsel for
the investigating committee.
The police found no message to ex-
plain his act, but his friends said that
the nervous strain which had resulted
from his connection with the bureau
HdQ uIlUCIul1u 1l4o 1lOHA"AA'
The house in which Mr.. Oramer lived
and in which his body was found was
that occupied and owned by President
Harding when he was a member Of the
senate. 1t was said to have been pur-
chased by Mr.. Cramer shortly after he
came to Washington from California in
1921 to become head of the legal divi-
sion of the bureau.
Passed on Many Contracts.
AS general counsel Mr.. Cramer had
passed on the many contracts which
were made by the bureau during the
past two years for the construction and
rental of hospitals. Some months age
he and other bureau officials were bit
terly assai!ed by some officials of the
American Legion and members of con-
gress. Shortly after the council of the
Legion had discussed bureau affairs at
meeting in Indianapolis, he issued a
statement saying he had given patri-
otto and wholehearted service to the
bureau, had laid all the facts before
Director Forbes, and was willing tc
abide by the latter's decision as to
whether he should remain in office
Soon afterwards his resignation was
accepted.
Since then the senate has ordered ar
investigation into bureau affairs and {
special committee appointed for the
purpose has appointed John F. O'Ryar
of New York as its special counsel
Director Forbes himself has retired ant
the new director, Frank t. Hines, has
promised to place before the investi
gators all the records of the bureau
which they care to examine.