Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-12
KILLED BRIDE AND GROOM.
Then Charles Renkin, Who WAS In-
saneiy Jealous. Took His Own
Life, Leaving Note


| feast near here Tuesday night show
the affair to be more horrible than at
! first reported The bride, as we'll as
Frank Walker, was also murdered
| They died side by side at the wedding
| supper, and Charles Z. Renkin. the per-
| petrator of the crime, committed sui
| eide at the front gate to the home
where the young couple were cut down
| by him in the full bloom of their love
and happiness.
1t was well that the posse of men
| found RenLin dead. A more deter
mined and angry crowd nevergathered
in this section.
On the body of the suicide was a
| photograph of the woman whom he
had slain and the following note:
''Friends-You may think me
strange, but it is all my fault that this
has happened tonight; it's my own
! unworthiness if this rash act has been
done by her and the fatal results. With
| a parting gocd-by to my friends | will
close with request that my brother
Odd Fellows bury me by the rites of
that sacred fraternity. Good-by to all
| and especially my home folks, for l eX-
| pect l shall go to hell for this deed, as
it makes two lives unhappy and will
end this world of misery for US both"
The Assassination.
Walker was a young and Industrious
farmer and Miss Maude Goshorn was
the daughter of w. S. Goshorn, prom
ihCnt farmer living near Bellefower, II
small town nCrth of here. They came
IL
v ert. married at the Methodist parson-
age by Rev. B. d. Supple. They then re-
tUrEed to the home of Mr.. Cook, an
intimate friend of the groom, where
they were rendered an elegant bridal
reception. At the supper hour, while
the merry wedding party was in prog
ress, a shotgun was fired through the
window of the dining-room. The shot
took effect in the heads of both Mr..
Walker and his bride. Neither uttered
sound or moved a muscle. Their
hands dropped on their breasts, and
their bodies remained rigidly upright
in their chairs until removed.
Blood flowed in a stream from the
head of the bride and flied her coffee
cup before she could be taken away.
Neither regained consciousness. Both
died almost Immediately.
Mr.. Cooks child was only slightly
injured.
Mr.. Cook took his gun and went in
search of the perpetrator, but no trace
could be found. Soon after he re-
turned to the house the report of q
gun was heard. 1t sounded as if it
were a quarter of mile away. Shortly
afterwards, excited and angry farmers
arrived and organized posse.
Suicides Body Found.
Another shot was heard, apparently
coming from near the gate, but under
the excitement of the moment no at
tention was paid TO it.
As Bailey Ball, a neighbor, rode to
the house, his horse stumbled over :.
dark object, which he took to be
hog Upon dismounting, he discov-
cred that it was the body of Charles F.
Relkin, and that the whole top of his
head was blown off. He had executed
self-murder with cunning and ingenui-
t. He removed the shoe and stock
ing from his left foot, tore the rim
from his hat, hooked one end over his
great loS. 1dSlSuSu Tic III LIIC
trigger of his shotgun, placed the
nozzle of the gun at his forehead,
and pulled the trigger by moving his
foot.
Renkin was former sutton of Mrs.
Walker, and it is surmised was actuat-
ed by his insane love and jealousy.
After committing the murder, he wan
dered away, apparently undecided
where he should kill himself. Finally,
he returned to the scene of his crime.
COrOner's Verdict.
The body of young Renkin was
placed in Il large watering trough to
await the arrival of the coroner, DR..
Hudson, of Wellsvilie,. The suicides
head presented a fearful sight The
top and back part of the skull was
blown entirely away. Not as much as
a teaspoon of brains remained in his
head. His body was neatly attire,;,
as ii he intended going to party
Mr.. Cooks house fronts north to-
ward the road, but sits back from the
road about 100 yards The dining.
room is on the west end Of the house,
and a window therein looks out upon
garden, which has a fence running
along the house. One end of the din
iIo table was directly in front of the
window, and the bride was by his side.
Tue shot was fired through the screen,
and tore big hole in it, also shat
teling portion of the window frame. |
Coroner Hudson arrived about ten |
O'clock, and impaneled the following |
jury: John Ahmann, Henry Obe-- |
smith, Berry Hudson, Samuel Hinton, |
Albert Messenger and John Perkins.
The verdict was that the three dead |
parties came to their death from gun
81 OF wounds inflicted by Charles T.
Renkin. The murderer and suicide
was n son of r. Renkin, prosper Gus
farmer, and had hitherto been 3so:r'i
fo,' his quiet and gentlemanly beari;,:,
at all times
Dewey Has Washington to Himself.
Washington, Oct. 6.-The absence az
the president and cabinet from Wash
ington, and the conclusion of the Of
fetal festivities, left Admiral Dewey
practically to himself for the day. He
started out early for a morning con-
and took quite a walk
the northwest section of the
city, dropping in for short time at
the Metropolitan club, and returned to
the Mclean residence for luncheon.
The Texas State university has
opened with the largest attendance II
the history of the institution
(:Iondera Mt Fort Riley. /