The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-03-26
WORK OF 4 FRENZ|ED MAN
A Missouri Tragedy That Re-
suited in Five Deaths.
WAS JEALOUS OF HIS WIFE
After Nearly Exterminating His
Whole Family, The Murderer Blew
Off the Top of His Own Head.

After Nearly DISCRIMINATING His
Whole Family, The Murderer Blew
Off the Top of His Own Head.
Richmond, Mo-, March 23. - A
tragedy resulting in the death of five
members of one family is reported from
southwest of here. B. Rainwater, a
farmer, shot and killed his wife; his
mother-in-law, Mrs. William Artman;
his brother-in-law, James Thurman.
and his little stepdaughter, Ethel Gen
try. Then, after SO nearly extermin-
ating whole family, the murderer
blew off the top of his own head.
The tragedy occurred last night at
the home of William Artman, sr., fa-
ther-in-law of the murderer. The fam
lilies lived a mile apart on the bank OF
the Missouri river, three miles south
of Orrick. Last week Mrs. Artman,
ST., was taken sick, and sent for her
daughter. Ethel Gentry, Mrs. Rain
waters daughter by former husband,
went with her mother. On Saturday
evening, Rainwater, who had been
alone at home for several days, went to
the Artman house to spend the night.
In the evening he went to church with
Johnny Artman, and upon their return
he appeared in good humor. At bed
time Rainwater proposed to young Art
man that they 60 out and shoot some
dogs that were barking outside. Art
man consenting, they took a shotgun
and revolver and went out. They had
gone but fifty yards from the house
when Rainwater, who was walking be-
hind 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 of
the family were by this time in bed.
In big room, Mrs. Rainwater and
her daughter, Fanny Gentry, and To-
year-old daughter of the Artmans, were
in bed. Entering the room and level
ing his gun at the aged Mrs. Artman,
the murderer shouted: "D-n you'll
I've got you all nowl'' Mrs. Artman
threw up her hands as he fired. The
charge carried off all of her fingers and
tore away one side of her face. She
was instantly killed.
Turning around, he literally blew his
wife's head off with the other charge
in the shotgun. Then drawing the
revolver, the murderer fired two bull
let's into the body of Fanny Gentry,
one passing through her lungs and
the other entering the brain. She,
too, died instantly. For an unknown
reason Rainwater spared the aged Mr..
Artman and the young Artman girl.
He then deliberately reloaded both
barrels of the gun and went into the
door-yard. There he encountered
Johnny Artman, whom he had left for
dead. The boy crawled almost to the
door. Rainwater killed him with an
other charge of buckshot, which tore
away part of the boys head.
The murderer completed his most
horrible crime by leaning against a
fence, and, with the charge of buckshot
remaining in the gun, blew off the top
of his head.
The tragedy was not known till this
morning, when the aged Mr.. Artman
and his little daughter, who were be-
side themselves with grief and fright,
called in some neighbors who were pass
ing. Rainwater had been considered
jealous of his wife, and had frequently
quarreled with her, but there had been
nothing in his conduct to warn the
family of his murderous intentions.