Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-06
DIE IN EACH OTHERS ARMS
German Paste. and Missionary Pound Dead
on His Study Floor
STRANGE END CONES TO TWO LIVES
Rev. Rabe Of German Ia ptist and Mis-
~i"nsry Busch Overcome by Gas
Fumes Under PecnIisr
circumstance.

'iasped in each other r arms, lying GU the
floor Of tie pastors study in the German
Baptist church at Gas o'clock yesterday
morning. Oscar Bernles. ianitor Of the
church. discovered the dead bodies Of Rev.
W e. Rabe. pastor, and Augusta Busch, a
missionary. An open gas jet attached TO O
small stove. and a room full Of gas, told
the cause Of death.
The bodies were rigid and stih and death
had evidently occurred during the early
hours OF the previous evening. The coroner
has taken charge OF The remains and will
hold an inquest.
Miss Busch roomed at the home OF
Berndes. 2s35 Seward street, and Rev. Rabe
roomed az 2732 Parker. each failing % re-
turn home Tuesday night occssioned a
search for them yesterday morn
IN. The %ianitor went TO the
pastors study and found the door locked
and the kew on the inside. From a crack
beneath the door he smelled the escaping
gas. Quickly he summoned Police oficer
Cullen and the door was broken open.
In the center the very small study the
bodies lay. the heads just a few feet from
the door. The woman's face was covered
with froth and had begun to turn purple.
one gas Jet above the pastors table was
turned on ana from a stove gas was slowly
escaping The door from the study opening
into the auditorium Of the church was
slightly open and the auditorium was filled
with gas. OfRcer cullen notified the cor
oner and the remains we're taken TO the
morgue.
Death Not Due 10 Suicide.
1t was thought at first the two had COM
mitted suicide, for on the table was an open
letter, a neatly arranged bouquet, his watch
and glasses, and his hat, her gloves and
handkerchief. and neatly folded upon the
back OF a chair was her jacket, and the
room was orderly as though it had just
been cleaned. The letter was written in
German and when interpreted was found to
be an answer to another letter which Rev.
Robe had received. and there was nothing
in It to indicate that the two had intended
taking their lives.
Rev. Rabe was 81 years OF age and came
TO Omaha from Buffalo. n. Y, last January,
when he was chosen pastor Of the German
Baptist church. In that city he left a
wife, who is attending a missionary school.
and one son. He was held in high esteem
by his congregation and recently upon the
occasion of his birthday a church party
was given in his honor. He roomed with
two young men named Dirkson and a house
keeper. The parents OF the young men re-
Gently died and Rev. Rsbe remained with
the boys to take care OF them.
Miss Busch was 81 years OF age and had
been a missionary in Omaha for the last
Ave years. She came here from Chicago,
sent by the church missionary school. She,
too, was held in high esteem and was very
popular. She had a brother, believed to be
In Michigan, but for some time she had
had no trace Of him and his address IL I'M
known to her friends. Her trunk, contain
ing many letters which will likely lead to
a - 49,.
taken charge of by the coroner.
Crowd mt the Church.
Around the front and side Of the little
church building at Twenty-sixth and Sew
ard streets, a large crow OF church mem
hers stood s%orrowing and uncovered as the
bodies were taken out Of the building. To
Miss ottolie Noerling particularly was the
death OF the two a shock and she was al
most Frustrated. Miss Noerling is IS years
Of age and came to Omaha yesterday
morning from Louisville. KY, enroute to
Denver. She stopped on for a few days
TO visit Miss Busch. She arrived at the
room OF the dead woman Just as the news
was taken there that she was dead.
Rev. Rabe and Miss Busch had each eaten
their dinners at their boarding houses ana
each had left in the early part OF the even
ing. and II is supposed that they met in
Nut CbuINH bNuug q buOIl llmG later. MIS-.
Berndes supposed the dead woman was in
her room until Mrs. sehaikau. housekeeper
for Rev. Rabe. came and said Mr.. Rabe
had not been at home during the night.
Then it was discovered that Miss Busch
had not occupied her room and the search
was begun.
Miss Busch spent the entire day Monday
at RABIES home. where she was engaged al
sewing. She left about . O'Clock Monday
evening. Mr.. RAbe had already preceded
her to the church. where she went &c
meet him.
Inquest This Afternoon.
Coroner Bradley will hold an inquest a
2 O'Clock this afternoon. The gas which
heats the small stove is. controlled by
key near that on the Jet that furnished
light for the room. II is supposed tina
enc Of the parties turned on the wall light
and in doing so turned on the gas to thu
stove.
Miss Busch was born in West Prussia IL
1871. Her parents died while abe wa
young. soon after coming to this country
and she was left to care for an invali,
sister. After the death OF the sister shi
went to Oak Park. H.. and made her hom,
with her brother, After a course In til,
missionary school In Chicago she was sen
10 Omaha nearly ave years ago.
CHICAGO. Nov. 5s=Ars. Mary ID. Bur
dett, secretary and treasurer OF the so
ciety OF BaptIst training schools
which is located at 2411 indiana
avenue, said this afternoon that Mics Au
gusta Busch entered that institution Il
1895 and graduated in 1897 and that sh
now lived in Omaha. Before she entere'
her school course there she lived in Oal
Park and that she was a woman 80 year