The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-01
mo WITNESSES
TO THE TRAGEDY.
The Crime, It is Believed, Was Cons,
roitted in a Moment Of temporary Il
insanity, Caused BY the Young
Lady Refusal Of an Offer. III
Of Marrage-victims VI
Highly Esteemed. ;

city mas known IN many years OCCuEIeu4S N
on Church Hill yesterday morning.
prominent young man. Of an excellent
and highly regarded family. shot and In
stantly killed a most estima BILE young Y
lady whom he madly loved. Then he I.
killed himself, both lying dead on the
parlor floor Of the young ladys home
when her family, hearing the pistol re. N
ports, rushed In. " "
The young man was Herbert B. Bates,
son Of Mr.. Frank T. Bates assistant
city engineer. His victim was Miss Rena
Gentryt daughter Of Mr.. j. W. Gentry,
No. 1920 East Broad Street. Fifteen
minutes after the young man called at5the \
Gentry home, at s @ clock. both h$were dead
in the parlor where the night before a
pleasant hour was spent by them. The y
cause Of the deed will probably never be IS
certainly known, Ii s33 II. \ M tGizas
The report was heard from many
sources yesterday that q slip OF paper Il
had been found in his room upon which
we're written these words; u Me- u 5l$
with the girl! i love-. si5 s3
Whetherthis was true or not could not \
5,bn5 ascertalned. The coroner heard It. &
Many others had heard of It also, butfl
no one could be found who had seen . t.Sa
None of the. family could be reached.
The opinion of many is that Mr.. Bates /:
asked her Sunday night ito marry him,
and that she refused. The consequent
grief and disappointment weighed upon &
his mind so heavily during the night that
~ 4, o1or RI 1Jo1 a
have gone to a vel known gun store on
Main Street. near Thirteenth, early yes.t
terday morning and purchased the pistol K
he used. This, and the note, II there.
was one show, at least, some premedita AZ
ton, EIe came back and probably asked
her to reconsider. When she refused ne Y
killed her, the fear ranking in his broken
mind that she might wed another. He, &
preferred to be dead with the girl he 4
loved. ty{ N 8 4
To Church T ogether. 4
Young Bates was at the Gentry home
Sunday night He and Miss Gentry went
to Broad Street Methodist Church to-
gether, accompanied by q young lady
who is first cousin of the Misses Gentry,
Returning from church. they went to the
home Of this young lady, remained a feW
minutes. left her and came to the .i. aeads
girls home several squares away. They
went into the parlor. and Mr.. Bates sat
talking until bedtime with the young lady
he was soon to kill. This leads TO the
story of yesterdays terrible affair. .S,.
Herbert Bates lived with his parents
at No. 321S East Broad. He came to the
residence of Miss Gentry three squares
vest from his house. at o'clock and rang
the door bell. A little girl, the sister OF 4
the dead girl. answered the ring and the
Young man told her he wished to see MISS
Rena. He was invited into the parior,&
and had but moment to wait BEFORE Miss
Gentry came. The death OF both draws
tho curtain on what occurred IN me par.
lor priorg to the shooting. Mrs. Gentry
saws that she heard excited talking BY
the young people. n
Young Man Excited.
The young man was speaking
in - high tone. What he said
could not be distinguished. Then
came one report of pistol shot.
followed at once by another. All rushea
to the parlor whence the sounds came ahd
behed one of the most ghastly spectacles
human eyes are forced to look upon m
times of peace, The daughter; tae pr,hs Ths
of the homo was already dead Inc
Young man. who had for years enjoyed
the hospitality OF the home as a Welcomes
guest and friend highly esteemed ny al,
was gasping for breath, With the deat ~
palor spread upon his oolntenahce.
neighbor, who had been sent TOT tHMe-
dIately, and who was among tha llrst ,!o
arrive describes graphically tina horriole
scene In the cosy parlor, flis eyes never
looked upon such sight before, thousn
he lsi man In middle life. Both were
then dead They were lying prone upon
the floor where they fell. Their feef
were hut a short distance apart, WIN
their heads separated by the lengths OF y
hoth bodies. 4 pool OF blood lay by the
head of each, and the right hand OF the
Young man was tightly closed about the
y,,stol' This was removed by the coroner
A. hour or more later and turned over to
he police. It was highly polished.
nav, Ivers j ohnson 32-callhre. Two cham
hers we're empty. the remaining three
loaded.
No Need for Doctors. IA
Drs. Ramon y, GaroIn and Yirslnius
Harrison were summoned, but both pa
tients were dead when the physlclaps
reached the house,
Among tho first OF the neighbors 70
come TO the house We're Sergeant Bailey
and Patrolman Kellan. They rendered.
all the aid to the family 1t was posslhh K
for them to do.
Tho report OF the double tragNdy trav-
clad quickly, and many friends called 10
offer their sympathy and services to thu
fs mily. Or. w. ". Taylor, the City corr +
oner, was notified and when he came to
Tho house was shocked to know that both
tha dead were former pupils of his In the
Richmond High School, He was warmly !,
attached Il both Tpls "a the arst N