The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-22
A QUINTUPLE TRAGEDY
FARMER RAINWATER KILLS HIS
WIFE, THREE OF HER RELATIVES,
And Ends by Blowing on the Top of
His Own Head-Crime of an Insane-
Iy Jealous Missourian.

RICHMOND, Mo-, March 21.-A tragedy
resulting in the death of five members of
one family is reported from Orrick, small
village thirty-five miles south of here. B.
Rainwater. a farmer, shot and killed his
wife, his mother-in-law, Mrs. William Art
man, his brother-in-law. James Thurman,
and his little stepdaughter, Ethel Gentry.
Then, after nearly exterminating whole
family the murderer blew off the top of his
own head, dying instantly.
The tragedy occurred before mid
night last night at the home of William
Artman, sr., father-in-law of the murderer
The two families lived quarter of mile
apart on the bank of the Missouri river,
three miles south of Orrick. Last week Mrs.
Artman was taken sick and sent for her
daughter TO come and stay with her. Ethel
Gentry Mrs. Rainwaters little daughter
by former husband. went with her moth
er. On Saturday evening Rainwater, who
had been alone at home for several days,
went over to the Artman house to spend
the night. During the evening he went to
church with his young brother-in-law, john
ME Artman, and upon their return he APP
peared in good humor. AT bedtime Rain
water proposed to young Artman that they
go outside and shoot some dogs that were
Il
shotgun and a revolver and went out They
had gone but fifty yards from the house
when Rainwater. who was walking behind
the boy, leveled his shotgun and shot
young Artman in the back.
Leaving the boy for dead Rainwater
returned to the house, where all the other
members of the family were by this time
in bed In one big room Mr.. and Mrs. Art
md bar
Fannie Gentry, and a ten-year-old daughter
of the Artmans were in bed. Entering the
room and leveling his gun at the aged Mrs.
Artman, he shouted: d you, I've got
you all now!' Mrs. Artman threw up her
hands as he fired. The charge tore off all
her finers and carried away one side of her
head She was instantly killed. Turning
around, he literally blew his wife's head off
with the other charge in the gun. Then,
drawing revolver. the murderer fired two
bullets into the body of Fannie Gentry, one
passing through her lungs and the other
entering the brain. She, too, died instantly
For some unknown reason Rainwater
spared the aged Mr.. Artman and the young
Artman girl.
The murderer then deliberately reloaded
both barrels of the shotgun and went out
into the yard. There he encountered john
ME Artman. whom he had left for dead.
The boy had crawled almost to the door.
Rainwater killed him with another charge
of buckshot, which tore off a part of the
boys head. The murderer completed his
most horrible crime by leaning on fence
and with the charge of buckshot remaining
in the gun blew of the top Of his own head
The tragedy was not known until this
morning. when the aged Mr.. Artman and
his little daughter. who were almost beside
themselves with grief and fright. called in
some neighbors who were passing by. Rain
water had been jealous Of his wife and had
frequently quarreled with her but there
had been nothing i'm his conduct 10 warn
his family of his murderous intentions.