The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-05-01
Murdered While Asleep,

Law In bed in thebungalow the VanCleefs
occupied at Oceanview and Branch.
wood avenues, Keansburg, Sunday
morning.
While neighbors alarmed by the
shot, rushed in to Mr.. VanCleef, the
wife ran to an adjoining bathroom
and drank part Of the contents Of a
bottle of iodine. She was taken to
the Monmouth Memorial hospital at
Long Branch, whe her conditions
Monday morning was described a
fair
Just before leaving for the hospital
county authorities lodged charge
Of murder against the woman. 1t was
the opinion of physicians and author
tiles who saw her that she had sud
denly gone insane At the hospital
policeman kept constant watch
over her room to Illustrate any pos.
sible further attempts at suicide.
An autopsy was held over the body
Of yanCleef at Keyport that night.
| Al SO caIibre bullet was taken from
| his brain. The shot caused instant
death. 1t entered the feft temple
and penetrated half way thru the
brain. County Physician H w.
Hartman said.
Mrs. VanCleef had been melan-
cholv for a year. Ten years ago
she suffered from prolonged period
of depression, but recovered from it
and 8 year again became depress-
ed.
The VanCIeefs came to Keansburg
from Newport, n. \: where Mr.. van
CIeef was q painter, six weeks ago.
I # q 40 ho n arrc
Had been decided upon in the inter
Fests az his mothers health. Ther took
mn residence in the bungalow occupied
.bv Mr.. and Mrs. a. A. Frey and their
infant child. The Frey,s former resi-
dents Of Littletown, n. H.. have known
the VanCleefs for IS years. Ronald
said. Mr.. Frey is board walk con-
cessionnaire there
The VanCleefs occupied rooms on
the second floor of the bungalow. Mr..
and Mrs. Frey lived ia room adjoin-
ing that of the VanCleefs. The revolver
used in the shooting was the property
of Mr.. Frey, who kept it in an upper
bureau drawer fully loaded MIR. Frey
later toIda reporter he kept a revolver
ar i1nd because he opened his bum
gaI w early in the year before there
are many activities on keansburg' 5
b ay front.
The VanCleefs had attended barn
dance there the night before, and after
the dance they, with the Freys had
beach party which did not break up
until Q O'clock. Mr. and Mrs. VanCleef,
Frey said appeared to be in the best
of spirits as they returned to the
bungalow.
Mr.. Frey was alone in the kitchen
when he heard a shot. 1t was then
10 O'Clock in the morning the VanCleefs
sleeping late owing to the late hour at
which they retired. Onnolee, 10, the
daughter, was a block away, walking
with a Mrs. Loughman, neighbor.
Ronald &as doing chores outside the
house and Mrs. Frey was on the side
walk with her child.
Frey rushed upstairs to the VanCleef
room. He said he was met at the Van
Cleef doorby Mrs. VanCleef, attired in
bathrobe, who cried:
nMy God, I've Killed Clifford.
A revolver was lying on the floor.
Frey said he saw VanCleef l. ing In
bed with blood streaming from his
temple and called help. Neighbors
rushed to the house, and In the con-
fusion Mrs. VanCleef was overlooked
Suddenly cry was heard from the
bathroom. Mrs. VanCleef had
collapsed, spilling bottle Of iodine to
the floor.
Mrs. Lcughman, when she learned
the nature of the cries, took Onnolee to
ner cottage, which is in the same block
and kept the child in the house. Onnolee,
did not know that her father was
dead until later.
DIR. G. w. MacConnell was sum
moned He administered treatment
to Mrs. VanCleef who was unconscious,
and ordered her sent to the hospital at
Long Branch. He pronounced Mr..
VanCleef dead.
Jack Smith, county detective, arrived
at the VanCleef house at noon and
announced that Mrs. VanCleef was
under arrest on a charge of murder.
a Keansburg policeman rode with
the woman to the hospital and remained
outside her room on the first floor all
night. The watch viii be maintained
until the woman RECEIVERS.
Both Ronald and Mr.. Frey said they
believed Mrs. VanCleef had gone
temporarily insane as a result of a
wear of melancholia which followed an
ailment the mother complained OF at the
back of her head.
I'VE have feared that she would taks
her life" Ronald said. Several timee
she has said that she thought she
never would get better and that she
would like to die but didn't want to
go and leave father.
1--WE came to Keansburg from New
post because we thought the change
would do mother good" he continued
ct didn't seem to, and she became
even more depressed. That is the only
explanation l can give of the mat er..
because father was making pretty good
money painting and his prospects were
SO very good father and mother never
had quarrel that | can remember"
MIR. Frey said the VanCleefs were at
all times congenial couple. They
were married at Newport 20 years ago.
If the woman's condition permits
she will be removed to the county
jail at Freehold by Saturday. Two
sisters, summoned from Utica. N. Y,
visited her at the hospital They