The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-05-17
THE BOURBON TRAGEDY.
William Bates Shot Dead and Frank
Bates Badly Wounded by Fred
Rettinger.


almost the entire population OF Mar
shall county, were stirred by the trag-
edy at Bourbon, Saturday afternoon
in which William Bates, one OF the
old and prominent citizens OF Bour-
bon township was shot through the
heart and OF course, instantly killed.
ard Frnak Bates his son, was shot
through the arm by Fred RettInger,
young farmer of the same neigh
borhOod.
A feud arising over Some trivial
matters, had existed for. several
months between Rettinger and the
Bates family, and it seems that Ret
finger had prepared to kill William
and Frank Bates and Mr. Ellinger, a
farm hand for Frank Bates, on the
first provocation.
The parties lived on adjoinins
farms about two miles from Bourbon
Eettinger sold some hogs to Ben
Berson Friday; and Saturday morning
took the hogs to town. After they
were in the pen they were very sick
and two of them died.
Person went out to see Rettinger,
who told him that the hogs seemed
to be all right when he took them
to town, but he guessed Bates had
poisoned them and he would pay back
the money.
He then loaded two revolvers and
started to Bourbon, knowing that
William Bates, who is stock buyer,
would be there. When he reached
Bourbon he saw the elder Bates
standing in the door of Spencer's res
taurant, talking to another man. He
walked up to him, uttered an oath
saying you will poison no more
hogs" and before Bates could reply
shot him through the heart The
bullet entered the left side, passed
entirely through the body, killing Mr.
Bates instantly.
He then started for Frank Bates,
who was several rods away, fired at
him twice and when Frank ran into
a shop for protection, he fired again
the bullet striking him near the
shoulder, breaking his arm. Frank
fell, apparently dead, and Rettinger
then started towards home. Deputy
Sheriff Plant started after him on
foot, and being a sprinter of more
than ordinary ability, he overlook
Rettinger and succeeded in persuad-
ing him to return to Bourbon. The
prisoner said that he wanted to go
back to the farm ard kill Mr.. Filing
er, with whom he had some trouble
ss-st fail and then his job would be
complete. When he learned that
Frank Bates was not dead he said he
thought he had killed him and if he
had known he was not dead, he would
have shot him again.
This was about o'clock D. m and
a message was sent to Sheriff Steiner
here, who procured rig and drove
hastily to Bourbon. He found in
tense excitement there and strong
feeling in favor of lynching the pris-
oner Finding that it might not be
safe to attempt to take the prisoneI
through the streets of Bourbon, he
gave out the information that he
would leave for Plymouth with his
prisoner on the $40 p. m train This
had the effect of sending the crowc
to the station and he succeeded ir
getting the prisoner out at back
door. placing him in the buggy unob
served, and by driving around th'
outskirts of town he evaded thu
crowd and was soon driving at full
speed toward Plymouth where h,
placed the prisoner in Jail.
Sunday the prisoner was visited
at the county jail ard in an interview
made no denial nor defense of hi.
crime, but declared that he would xii
himself before he ever came to trial
A guard is kept over him night ant
day.
Rettinger, who is 2s years of age
is rather under medium height ant
weighs about 14s pounds. He doe,
not look the strong determined char
acter that would be expected to per
form such a deed. He has been mar
ried four years and has two children
His wife came Sunday from Bourbon
and was allowed to see him from tn
bars of his cell Rettinger has eri
pIoyed Parker and Stevens to defen'
him and Mr.. Stevens says they vii
do the best they can for him.
This is the clearest case of deliber
ate murder that has ever occurred il
Marshall county, and seems consid
erably like the act of an insane man
but Rettinger has never shown an
symptoms of insanity.
William Bates, the murdered mar
was about Sc years old, and his sor
the wounded man, is about 35 The
were prominent farmers and stoc
buyers and we'll known Throughout
the east half of the county and in tn
western part of Kosciusko count,
Fred Rettinger is the son of job
Rettinger, one of BOURBON township
best citizens.
Governor Morton's War Letters.