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Louis Kellermann

1861 - 1889

Watertown Republican; Jefferson Banner 10 31 1889

The Last Act in the Tragedy

Louis Kellermann, who shot his wife last Wednesday morning at her parents’ home in the First ward, ended his own existence at half past 6 o’clock the following morning in his mother’s barn on the Kellermann homestead in the Fifth ward, by shooting himself in the head, using the same weapon with which he attempted the life of his wife.

Kellermann’s younger brother, hearing a noise in the hayloft, entered the barn and as he did so, a shot was fired. In a few minutes afterwards Deputy Sheriff Graewe ascended the loft and found Kellermann dead, with the revolver in his clinched hand and his entire body covered up in the hay, a red handkerchief being tied around his forehead.

It is not known where he secreted himself during Wednesday. His mother and brother claim to have seen nothing of him, and it is now the general belief that he did not go into the barn until Wednesday night or a short time before the fatal shot was fired. A coroner’s jury was held by Justice Beckmann, and a verdict rendered that his death was caused by his own hand.

Thus Kellermann, after attempting to kill his wife, cut short his own career, preferring death rather than suffer the remorse that was certain to follow his terrible act. Some are disposed to cover his deed with the cloak of charity, holding unpleasant marital relations as partly, at least, responsible for his crimes. Be this as it may, the attempt on his wife’s life cannot be justified by any reasoning of this kind, but it can be said by those disposed to be charitable towards him that he atoned for the act by taking his own life.

Kellermann was 28 years old, his wife being several years his junior. He had no children. For several years Kellermann worked at well-drilling with E. A. Mendenhall. It is said that he had made preparations to remove to Milwaukee, hoping to induce his wife to go with him.

The funeral was held Saturday afternoon from the home of his mother, a long procession followed the body to its last resting place in Oak Hill Cemetery. There were no religious exercises at the grave.