Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-03-26
THE FAMILY SHOT DOWN
INsANELY JEALOUS HUSBAND SLEW
HIS WIFE AND RELATIVES.
posed of, He Blew His Own
Brains Out.

Richmond, Mo-, March PA tragedy
resulting in the death OF five members CT
one family is reported from Orrick, a
small village 35 miles southwest of here,
b. Rainwater, a FARMER. shot and killed
his wife; his mother-in-law, Mrs. William
Artman: his brotber-in-law. James Thur
man, and his little stepdaughter, Fanny
Gentry. Then, after so nearly extermi-
nating the whole family the murderer
blew off the top of his own head. dying
Instantly.
The. tragedy occurred at the home of
William Artman, father-in-law of the
murderer, five miles distant from the
town of Orrick Mrs. Rainwater had re-
Gently left her husband, and with Fanny
Gentry, a daughter by a former hus-
band, had sought shelter at the home of
her parents. sRainwater is reported 20
have been insanely jealous of his wife,
and 1T is believed he visited the Artman
hcme with the express purpose of killing
the whole family.
Sheriff Green has left here for the scene
of the tragedy.
The tragedy occurred before midnight
last night at the home of William Art
man, ST., father-in-law of the murderer.
The two families lived a quarter Of u
mile apart, on the bank of the Missouri
river, three miles south of Orrick.
A Remorse1ess F1end.
Last week Mrs. Artman was taken sick
and sent for hel daughter to come and
stay with her. Fanny Gentry, Mrs. Rain
waters daughter by a former husband
went with her mother. On Saturday ev-
cning Rainwater, who has been alone at
home for several days, went over to the
Altman house to spend the night. Dur
ing the evening he went to church with
his younger brother-in-law, Johnnie Art
man, AMI upon their return he appeared
| in good humor. AT bedtime Rainwater
| Al.AA %I,oxy rN11f nd
| shoot some dogs that were barking out
| side. Altman consenting, they took a
| shotgun and a revolver and went out.
| They had gone but SO yards from the
| house when Rainwater, who was walk
ing behind the boy, leveled his shotgun
and shot Artman in the back. Leaving
the boy for dead, Rainwater returned to
| the house, where all the other members
| were by this time in bed In one room
| Mr.. and Mrs. Artman, Mrs. Rainwater
and her daughter, Fanny Gentry, and a
10-year-old daughter of the Artmans were
| in bed.
Entering the room and leveling his gun
at the aged Mrs Altman, the murderer
| shouted, Damn you! l have got you all
now"
Mrs. Artman threw up her hands as he
fired. The charge carried off all Of hei
| fingers and tore away one side OF hel
| face. She was instantly killed.
Turning around he literally blew his
wife's head off with the other charge ir
the shotgun. Then, drawing a revolver
the murderer fired two bullets into the
body of Fanny Gentry, one passins
through her lungs and the other entering
the brain. She, too, died instantly.
For some unknown reason Ratnwatel
spared the aged Mr.. Artman and thu
young Artman girl. The murderer thel
deliberately loaded both barrels of TIL
shotgun and went out into the dooryard
There he encountered Johnnie Artman
whom he had left for dead. The boy hat
crawled almost to the door. Rainwate
killed him with another charge, which
tore away part of the boys head.
The murderer completed his most hor
rible crime by leaning up against fence
and, with the charge of buckshot remain
ing in the gun, blowing off the top of hi
head
The tragedy was not known until thi
morning, when the aged Artman and nj
J little daughter, who were almost besid
themselves with grief and fright, Gale
in some neighbors who were passing by.
Rainwater had been considered jealou
of his wife and had frequently quarele
with her. but there had been nothing /
J his conduct to warn the family of hi
murderous intentions.