The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-22
WENT To DEATH.
Sister of Oliver Smith Commits
Suicide.
BrOoded Over Brothers Con-
viction for Murder.
SHE STOOD By HIM.
Believed That He Had a Right
to Kill Bair.
Thought Evidence Against Him
Was False.

BrOoding and driven to desperation
over the conviction of her brother,
Oliver Smith, on the charge of murder
in the first degree, Mrs. w B. Rambo
of Kansas City. Kan. walked into the
Missouri river near the Quindaro pump
ing station at that town on Monday
afternoon and was drowned. The cir
cumstances all point to suicide.
Mrs. Rambo was a full sister of
oliver Smith, in fact they were the
only living members of the Smith fam
lily. She was a cousin of Congressman
Charles Curtis and Mrs. Rome Colvin.
Three aunts of Mrs. Rambo, Mrs.
Brown, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Arm
strong. also live in Topeka.
Those who were in the Shawnee
county district court room when Smith
was sentenced to be hung for the mur-
der of Tom Bair, will remember the
woman who sat beside the prisoner,
as she rose and cried after the pro-
nouncing of the dreadful words: "Oh
=judge-d-dont ti''
That was Mrs. Rambo. She believed
in her brother. She thought that he
had a right to kill Tom Bair, because
she was convinced that the latter had
ravished her brothers daughter. Smith
gently restrained her in the court
room. She took his arm and walked
WIFI niIl 70 the jail Eo1lC went VIII
him into the CELL, and there sat for
several hours talking to him and COM
forting him.
All during Smiths long confinement
before his trial, and during the case.
Mrs. Rambo was constantly at her
brothers side, always cheering him,
and hoping with him against hope 1t
was a beautiful instance of sisterly love
that rare kind of affection which Is
only stilled and hushed with death
Her faith in her brother only multi
piled under the mass of convincing evi-
dence which the prosecution piled
about him. AS she sat in the cell with
him after it was over, and after the
broke down and cried Between her
sobs she murmured: 1T was all
wrong; it was all wrong. Ollie has
always been a good boy He has no
murder in his heart. The evidence
against him was untrue. I believe in
him It is an awful blow" Her words
were stif1ed with sobs.
Smith will go to the penitentiary to
serve life sentence before this week is
out. Before the silent doors of the
prison swing in upon him forever. he
must learn that his sister, the only
member Of his immediate family, has
taken her life by her own hands, crush
ed, borne down and driven to despera-
ton and suicide by his conviction-h1s
act.
Mrs Colvin was asked this morning
as to what she knows of Mrs. Rambo' 8
death, to which she replied: I'VE re-
ceived a telephone message last night
from a druggist living near their home,
saying that Mrs. Rambo had been ac-
cidentally drowned.s Further than that
we know nothing. She is my cousin,
and a cousin of Charles Curtis. We are
brother and sister. Ollie Smith is her
brother, in fact the only remaining
member of her family. She was crush
ed by the awful occurrence in which
her brother figured. We do not know
what disposition will be made Of her
body"
Mrs. Ra1nbo was 81 years of age, and
leaves husband and six children, four
boys and two girls. Up until about ten
years ago, she and her husband lived
IN Topeka
The Kansas City Times of this morn
ing has the following relative to the
matter:
MRS. Alpha G. Rambo, 81 years old.
wife Of w B. Rambo, a millwright of
1887 North Eighteenth street. west side,
was drowned yesterday afternoon in the
Missouri river near the Quindaro pump
ing station. In company with her Is
year-old son, Ross, Mrs. Rambo was
taking a stroll along the river. She
left him for a moment, saying that
she would return soon. A few moments
later the boy saw his mothers body
lust beneath the surface. He swan out
and brought it ashore. All efforts to
resuscitate the woman failed An ex-
animation showed Mrs. Rambc's foot
prints leading directly into the river.
said last night he believed the drown
ing accidental, as Mrs Rambo had
been in good health and apparently
happy''