Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-09-10
SOLICITED HIS
OWN MURDER
SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
DEATH or DR.. RUSTlN
OF OMAHA.
BANK CLERK AND A WOMAN AL.
so INCLINED TOWARD
SUICIDE

] Omaha, Neo., Sept. 9.-The coro-
ner's inquest into the death Of DIR.
Frederick H. Rustin developed Several
: sensations yesterday. Mrs. Abbie
Rice, the woman who was last known
to be in Rustin's company on the
night Of his death, declared that for
some time DR.. Rustin had been talk
ing Of suicide, but he wished to dis
guise the act SO as to protect his life
insurance for his family.
He induced her to promise to kill
him and then take her own life. This
was to be done on August %, but her
nerve failed. The Tuesday night fol
lowing, Rustin pointed out to her on
a street car a man who, he said, had
promised to do the deed, saying that
it would be done that night. Later she
identified Charles E. Davis, clerk in
a local bank and member of a promin-
ent family, as the man referred to by
Rustin.
Davis on stand testified that he at
tempted suicide on the night in queS-
ton by taking the drugs furnished HIM
by DR.. Rustin, but denied that ne
promised to kill the doctor or that he
had anything to do with the laters
death. He said the drugs made him
sick and he vomitted, thus saving his
life. He gave no special reason for
wishing to end his life, except that he
had 70 desire to live. He said he had
made previous attempts at suicide.
Davis has not been arrested.
Woman Was to Kill Him.
Mrs. Rice, in her testimony, said
that Rustin first asked her to kill him
about two weeks ago and finally she
consented and agreed TO shoot her
self afterwards She said the shoot
ing was to be done in his office Sun
day, Aug 30, his idea being, she said,
that the noise of passing street cars
would drown the report of the re
voIver shot. She was then to kill
herself.
Cunning Scheme Broached.
She said a cunning scheme to
avoid her suicide being connected
with his murder had been preached
by the doctor. She was to shoot
him through the abdomen. Then she
was to remove the empty cartridge
and dispose Of it.
Then she was to take the revolver
away with her, reload it and kill her
self. In that way only one empty
rLol1 ,,C+ two would no found yubaY
she died by her own hand, and his
death and hers could not be connect
ed to bring shame and humiliation
upon his family.
Dr. Rustin had bought a revolver
at a pawn shop but had no ammuni-
ton
Revolver Out of Order.
The woman said she bought some
cartridges but in trying to load the
weapon Saturday night she got it
out of order so that the killing could
not be carried out on Saturday night
as planned.
Her Nerve Failed.
The following Friday night she ac-
companied Rustin to his office, he
loaded the pistol and asked her to
shoot him. Her nerve failed, how
ever and Rustin became angry. 1t
was then decided that the shooting
was to be done in his barn, the idea
being that it would appear that he
had been shot by footpads.
Lost Her Nerve Again.
He gave me the gun said the
witness, and 1 walked up to the a.
ley back of his house, while he went
in the front door of the house, intend
ing to 60 out the back way to the
barn. All this happened on Friday,
Aug. %.
While I was at the alley, someone