Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-16
THE ARCADIA KILLINGS.

ARCADIA, Wis, July S.-The muir
der and suicide of Sunday evening,
already reported, occurred at the re-
sidence of Mr.. Zimmerman, on Senator
Comstock's farm, almost within the
village limits Lying on the floor, in
large pool of blood, were found the
lifeless forms of Miss Annie Larch, a
beautiful ffteen-year-old daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Barney Larch, and Fred
Rekugler, a young German laborer.
aged twenty-five. Rekugler, ever
since his arrival in this country five
years ago, had made his home at Mr..
Larch's, ana had several times ex-
pressed his desire to marry Miss Larch
but had been as repeatedly refused.
Last Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Larch, who
live on farm Immediately east of this
village, in company with Mr. thinner
mans people, went to the neighboring
town of Glencoe for a days visit,
taking the percaution, however, to
bring their daughter down to Mr..
Zlmmerman's, where, in company with
his children, they supposed she would
be perfectly safe from all intrusion on
the part of Rekugler. AS was expect
ed, KekugIer visited the Larch place,
but finding no one at home, proceeded
to Mr.. Zimmerman's. His conduct
there, during the afternoon, was very
strange, and toward evening he babe
them all goodbye and took his depart
ure. Later, however, at about 7:45,
he returned, and followed the Girl
from the house to the barn, where he
siezed her by the throat with his left
hand, while he fired two pistol shots
at her with his right. These did not
take serious effect, and she extricated
herself and attempted to get away,
but was fired at again and fell near a
corncrib, only a few rods distance. 1t
is supposed that Rekugler carried the
almost lifeless body to the house, and
then, after putting another ball through
her head, deliberately shot himself
through the head. Mr.. Gaveney's
people were first summoned, and soon
the premises were thronged by neigh
bors and villagers. Physicians who
had been called pronounced Mr. Larch
in dying condition. and in a very few
minutes life became extinct. On al
table in the room where the corpses
lay was found an open bottle of strych-
nine, and it is supposed that Rekugler
had planned this means of ending the
lives Of himself and Miss Larch, but
upon her refusal to take it, he resort
ed to more stringent measures. Mon
day morning the body of Rekugler
was brought to the village and sub
quently given burial by the town
authorities. The funeral of Miss Larch
was held at the residence of her par
ents yesterday. Various stories are
told of the strange manner in which Re
kugler conduct himself previous to the
shooting. He is said to have borrow
ed s. from a party in town, stating
that if he did not live to pay it. Mr..
Courtney, for whom he worked, would
do SO. The girl is reported to have
told a neighbours little girl that she
expected to be shot Sunday evening.
A letter was found in Rekulger's
pocket, written in the German Ian
guage, in which his insane intentions
are said to have been fully expressed.
That the parents of the unfortunate
girl entertained grave apprehensions of
there is little doubt. Rekug-
Ter was considered a fine young man,
and the crime was probably prompted
only by an insane desire to marry
Miss Larch.