| Notes |
- Note on Find a Grave:
Age 56 years. Remains removed from an unidentified location on November 9, 1908. On October 3, 1872, she married Laban T. Bremerman at the Union Methodist Episcopal Church in the District of Columbia. The marriage ended in divorce as he married Carrie MacFarlan on November 1, 1891 in Trenton, New Jersey.
The Washington Post November 8, 1908
Bremerman. Suddenly on Friday, November 6, 1908 at 1309 First Street Northwest, Helen Katherine Bremerman, daughter of the late George and Sophia Rhinehart.
Funeral services Monday, November 9 at 3PM at Oak Hill Chapel.
(Philadelphia papers please copy.)
The Evening Star Saturday, November 7, 1908
Carbon Monoxide Cause Of Tragedy
Deadly Fume Given Off by Improper Combustion of Gas
Experts Solve Mystery
Bremerman’s Wife, Mother and Child Poisoned by It
Explanation By Scientists
Noxious Compound Is Formed Because of Improper Management or Old Burner
Carbon monoxide, a deadly fume given off by the improper combustion of fulminating gas, is supposed to have caused the deaths yesterday of Mrs. Hebe Cutts Bremerman, thirty-four years of age, wife of Clarence L. Bremerman, stenographer at the Library of Congress; Mrs. Helen Katherine Bremerman, aged fifty-seven years, his mother and his eighteen month old baby boy, Cutts Bremerman.
Dr. J. Ramsey Nevitt, coroner of the District, assisted by Professor W.W. Skinner of the Bureau of Chemistry of the Department of Agriculture, arrived at this conclusion today after an investigation of the mysterious tragedy at the Bremerman home, 1309 1st Street Northwest.
Tragedy Discovered by Bremerman
When Mr. Bremerman returned to his home, 1309 1st Street Northwest, late yesterday afternoon from his office in the library, he found the dead bodies of his wife, his mother and his baby boy. Horror stricken, he rushed from the house to summon medical aid. They physicians arriving, declared all were beyond help.
When Dr. J. Ramsey Nevitt, the District coroner, reached the Bremerton home, he declared that the deaths of the three persons were a mystery and at once entered upon an investigation.
The little flat occupied by the family is in the second story of 1309 1st Street Northwest. The rooms are small. It developed in the investigation today that all the windows and transoms were closed yesterday, giving imperfect ventilation.
In the rear of a narrow hallway is the dining room, which communicates with the closet like kitchen. In the kitchen is a gas range, but it had not been lighted yesterday, it appears.
Close to the range is an upright tubular gas water heater. It was from this, Dr. Nevitt and Professor Skinner believe, the deadly gas escaped into the rooms, causing the death of the occupants.
In the course of the investigation today a loud explosion was made, which caused the windows of the building to rattle.
Dr. Nevitt, when he reached the Bremerman apartments last evening, found the wife lying face downward just inside the small kitchen. Her mother in law lay upon her body with one of her arms protruding and extending through the door into the dining room.
The baby was found lying in a crib like pen in one corner of the dining room. The pen is a patented contrivance to prevent infants from crawling promiscuously about the apartment.
There were reports that one of the neighbors heard the women groaning soon after 8 o’clock yesterday morning, but from the position of the bodies it was the opinion of Detective H.H. Forteney of the Second Precinct, who was assigned to investigate the matter by Captain Sullivan, that death must have occurred suddenly after the women had proceeded from the dining room into the kitchen as they had apparently fallen to the floor immediately following their entry.
Coroner Nevitt said his impression last night was that the deaths had resulted from the inhalation of some gas composition unknown to him, which had been given off by the gas water heater. He therefore called up the Department of Agriculture and requested Dr. Haywood to assign a chemist to the case to assist him in the investigation.
The gas water heaters are used all over the United States, Dr. Nevitt added. I therefore regard the matter as of more than local importance.
Professor Skinner gave it as his opinion that for some reason imperfect combustion, due to an old burner or improper management, had caused the formation of monoxide, a virulent poison. The formation of monoxide, he added is brought about when gas is but partly burned.
Dr. Haywood’s Explanation
Article continues with information about carbon monoxide.
Bremerman Discovers Tragedy
St. Aloysius’ bells had just chimed 6 o’clock yesterday afternoon when Bremerman reached his home, relieved from his duties at the library.
He entered his apartments and gleefully called to his wife, as had been his wont. There was no response.
He tiptoed past the little crib in the dining room, believing his baby boy was asleep in it. He proceeded to the kitchen intending to give his wife and mother his usually cheery welcome.
Entering the kitchen softly he peered about. The sight that met his gaze froze his blood. His wife was prone upon the floor, face downward. The body of his mother lay across his wife.
The distracted husband seized his wife’s hand. It was cold and clammy. He touched the face of his mother. It was also cold.
Recovering partly from his daze, he glanced toward the gas heater which was connected with a water tank. There was a sort of roaring sound, but the gas jet was burning and the heater was red hot.
Then he became aware of the noxious odor that pervaded the place. The thought that his wife and mother had been suffocated by illuminating gas entered his mind. He threw up some windows.
He next thought of his baby boy. He started to lift the boy from the crib. The body was warm, but the child was sleeping his last sleep.
Nearly Overcome Himself
By this time the horrified man felt as though he, too, was being suffocated. The strange odor filled the rooms. Bremerman fled the house.
Groping his way along the dark corridor, he staggered from the vestibule on to the street. The fresh air revived him.
He ran to the grocery store at 1st and N Streets and summoned Dr. William A. Wells and Dr. George N. Perry. The life at least of his son, he hoped, could be saved. The physicians found the babe beyond hope of resuscitation.
A report that three persons had been murdered caused a large crowd to congregate about the Bremerman home. Dr. Nevitt, the coroner, arrived about 7 o’clock.
Position of Bodies
Coroner Nevitt found Mrs. Hebe Cutts Bremerman, the wife, lying face downward on the kitchen floor. Her head resting on her left arm, while the right arm lay stretched out toward a door leading to a rear veranda.
The woman’s body was in a position which indicated she had tried to reach this door, but was overcome. The kitchen is a small room, not more than fifteen feet long by ten wide.
Bremerman’s mother had apparently been stricken while trying to lift her son’s wife from the floor. She lay upon her daughter-in-law, with arms clasped about her.
A vial containing aromatic spirits of ammonia was found on a table in the kitchen. According to Bremerman, his wife kept this medicine in the bathroom on a shelf and out of reach of the baby.
It was the opinion of Dr. Nevitt that when the women first felt the oppression from the poisonous fumes they applied the ammonia as restorative. It was apparent that the two women were overcome shortly after breakfast yesterday.
Statement of Neighbor
Emma War, who resides next door, said:
I was in the kitchen of Mr. Hutchinson’s flat, next door, about 8 o’clock in the morning, when I heard moans issuing from the Bremerman home. I paid no particular attention, thinking perhaps the older woman was ill. In a short time they ceased and for the remainder of the day everything was quiet.
It was learned today that Mr. Bremerman was delayed in getting home last evening because he visited the home of his friend Dr. G.B. Heinecke, 5634 Georgia Avenue, Brightwood Park. By coincidence they had discussed the narrow escape from suffocation of students of the Bliss Electrical School in the fire which destroyed the old North Takoma Hotel yesterday morning.
By permission of Coroner Nevitt the three bodies were removed to Wright’s Undertaking Establishment here they were prepared for burial.
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1852 - 1908 (56 years)
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