The herald., 1897-03-22
HE WAS VERY JEALOUS
A Missouri Farmer Almost Exterminates
Family
Five Murders Followed by Suicide-He
Ends His Grimes by Blowing OFF
His Own Worthless Head

RICHMOND, Mo-, March PA trag-
edy resulting in the death of five men,
bers of one family is reported from Or
rick, small village thirty-five miles
southwest of here b. Rainwater
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 exterminat-
ing d whole family the murderer blew off
the top of his own head, dying in
stantly.
The tragedy occurred before midnight
last night at the home of William Art
man, Sr., father-in-law of the muir
derer The two families lived about
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. Ethel Gen.
try, Mrs. Rainwater's daughter by
former husband, went with her mother
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 ne
went to church with his young broth
er-in-law, Johnnie Artman, and upon
their return, he appeared in GOOD hu-
NOR. AT bedtime Rainwater proposed
to young Artman that they go out and
shoot some dogs that were barking out
side. Artman consenting, they took
shotgun and revolver and went out.
They had gone but fifty 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
= L. lxAr INA W. HI -
of the family were by this time In bed.
In one big room Mr.. and Mrs. Artman,
Mrs Rainwater and her daughter,
Fanny 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 the murderer
shouted, Damn you, I've got you all
now"
Mrs. Artman threw up her hands as he
fired The charge carried off all her
fingers and tore away one side of her
face. She was instantly killed.
Turning around he literally blew his
vife's head off with the other charge in
the shotgun.
Then drawing a revolver the murderer
fired two bullets into the body OF Fan
ny Gentry, one passing through her
lungs and the other entering the brain,
She, too, died instantly.
For some unknown reason, Raihwa-
ter spared the aged Mr.. Artman and the
young Artman girl.
He then deliberately loaded both bar
rels Of the gun and went out into the
door yard There he encountered john
ME Artman, whom he had left for dead.
The boy crawled almost to the door.
Rainwater killed him with another
charge of buckshot, which tore away
part of the boys head.
The murderer completed his most
horrible crime by leaning up against
fence and with the charge of buckshot
remaining blew off the top of his 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.
Rainwater has been considered jeal-
Gus of his wife, and had frequently
quarreled with her, but there had been
nothing in his conduct to warn the fam
lily of his murderous intentions.