Marinus, a Murderous Madman in the Kootkar family

This blog post is about a 14-month-old baby that was murdered by her mad uncle. The grandparents of the baby are workman Jan Kootkar (26) and Hendrika Maria van Gasteren (25) who were married on 4 March 1859 in Culemborg in The Netherlands.

Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant, 23-3-1899

Jan Kootkar was born on 14 December 1832 in Culemborg as son of Hermanus Kootkar (1809-1890) en first wife Jannigje Bron. Jan's great-grandfather is Hermanus Kootkar of Meppen in Germany.
Jan's bride, Hendrika Maria, was born on 12 January 1834 in Culemborg as daughter of Johannes van Gasteren and Helena Ladrak. On 25 March 1851 in Culemborg, at the age of just 17, Hendrika Maria had given birth to an illegitimate son named Willem Johannes. Upon his mother's marriage, Willem Johannes was officially acknowledged by Jan Kootkar as his lawful son, although it is unlikely that he actually was his biological son.
Jan Kootkar and his wife had several children born in Culemborg, including sons Hermanus, born on 19 March 1861, Johannes, born on 16 February 1868, and Marinus, born on 20 January 1673. Jan Kootkar died on 12 January 1875 in Beusichem near Culemborg, when Marinus was 1 year old.
Jan's widow, Hendrika Maria van Gasteren, married 62-year-old agrarian Dirk van Heevelingen on 15 December 1876 in Culemborg. He was a childless widower. At the age of 3, Marinus had acquired a stepfather., and, at the age of 7, Marinus acquired a stepsister Willemina van Heevelingen (1880-1917).
Dirk van Heevelingen died on 11 March 1889 in Culemborg, aged 74. At that time, Marinus was 16 year old. Early 1897, 24-year-old Marinus Kootkar moved to Rotterdam.

For a while businessman Marinus Kootkar was living in Rotterdam

In Culemborg on 12 March 1897 Johannes Kootkar married Johanna Catharina Gudde. She was born on 12 February 1876 in Loosdrecht, Holland, as daughter of Willem Gudde (1823-1884) and Elizabeth Zevenboom (1835-1900). On 16 January 1898 in 's-Hertogenbosch their eldest child, Elisabeth, was born.

In February 1899 Marinus Kootkar arrived from Rotterdam, and stayed in 's-Hertogenbosch with his brother, sister-in-law, and little niece. It was whispered that Marinus was upset due to a broken relationship. He clearly exhibited strange behaviour. One night he had walked away, and was finally found in another municipality. On another day, Marinus jumped off a high wall.

Around 19:00 in the evening of 22 February 1899, Marinus was at home with his sister-in-law Johanna Catharina and her baby. In a fit of rage, Marinus grabbed the baby, while giving Johanna Catharina some firm blows. A neighbour arrived, but during the ensuing struggle, she fell to the ground. While the mother fled the scene to get help, Marinus bit the baby in the face, dropped it on the floor, and kicked it until it died.
Outside, Johanna Catharina stumbled upon J.H. Fafié of the military police. When he entered the room, Marinus attacked him violently, and a struggle ensued. With the help of some neighbours Fafié managed to get the madman subdued. Subsequently, a doctor diagnosed Marinus Kootkar as insane, and had him taken to a lunatic asylum in Medemblik.

Sumatra-courant, 22-4-1899

Marinus remained unmarried. In later life he lived in The Hague. He died, at the age of 68, on 22 January 1941 around 17:30 in Leiden in Holland.
His elder “half-brother” Willem Johannes Kootkar had died unmarried, too, at the age of 78 on 4 March 1930 in Culemborg. Another brother, Hermanus, had married, and moved to Rotterdam. He died there at the age of 84 on 27 January 1946, leaving issue.

Johannes Kootkar and Johanna Catharina Gudde had additional children named Jan, Willem, Elisabeth, Hermanus, Nicolaas, and Johannes. Johanna Catharina died at the age of 62 on 31 January 1933 in Utrecht. Her widower, Johannes Kootkar, died on 10 March 1952 in Druten, aged 84.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, StadsArchief.Rotterdam.nl, HetUtrechtsArchief.nl, Archief.Zaanstad.nl.