Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-17
NOW OF SUICIDE CLUB
Attorney in Rustin Case AdhereS to
This Belief Firmly.
THINKS SEVERAL WERE IN IT
Believes Dr. Rustin Met and Com
spired with Men of Hts own
hin - s22,5OO Insurance
Ready fer widow.

II Charles e. Davis establishes an slibi
and clears himself OF the killing OF
DR.. Frederick 7. Rustin early on the morn
Ing OF September 2, the entire effort OF the
police department may be turned toward
Investigating another man, who will make
the Rustin mystery a four-cornered murder
and suicide plot, rivaling Robert Louis
S~tevenson's Suicide Club"
That DR.. Rustin Joined two men at For
tieth and Farnam streets. OF in the neigh
borhood Of his home the evening before the
tragedy, is the growing belief not only
among the curious and rumor starters, but
among attorneys who have a direct interest
in the case.
County Attorney English does not believe
this. He lie inclined to believe DR.. Rustin
took a quiet smoke on the comfortable
porch OF his own home and probably spent
the last three hours of his life smoking
behind the vines in a big ship chair. The
cigar stub on the porch indicates this to
Mr.. English.
But what DR.. Rustin did from II 30 until
he was found dying by his wife at 3 o'clock
Is a mystery.
The county attorney does not connect
either Rustin or Davis with the three men
seen and heard by the Beckers in the vicin-
ity OF Fottieth and Dodge streets between
midnight and 8 a. m.
If there is any new information in the
hands of the police or county prosecutor,
1t Is not being given out. County Attorney
English is to have a talk with the Rice
woman before she goes on the stand at the
preliminary hearing and she may be able
to add more information, perhaps tell
something of a third man in the murder
plot.
Looks for Third Man.
An attorney who IL concerned believes
another man will appear on the scene in
voluntarily and that DR.. Rustin had fallen
in with characters through the Rice woman
and meeting her in various "roomins
houses who could be secured for a nomi-
nal sum to fire a shot which would take
another's life.
Some investigation has convinced me
that DIR. Rustin knew members Of a gang
Of desperate men," said this attorney. And
my information has not come from friends
Of Davis, either. Some Of the characters
with whom he associated were as des-
perate financially as the physician thought
he was, and l believe II will develop that
he talked the matter over of aking his
own life with some desperate men, who,
themselves, were bent on lettering their
financial condition by desperate means.
1t was a suicide club in fact. this gather
ing Of men with the Rice woman and ]
believe DR.. Rustin was influenced by their
morbid ideas and desperate tendencies.
las the mystery unfolds we will see that
DR.. Rustin was not hopelessly In debt and
I do not believe he was convinced that he
wanted to take his own life, but some OF
the people with whom he talked thought
1t was the solution of the problem, and
a well, the killing followed"
McIntosh to Take Hold.
]. H. Mcintosh, brother-in-law Of DIR
Rustin, will arrive from New York City
Thursday morning. Mr.. Mcintosh Is thu
!. agency counsel for the New York Life In
4 surance company and an eminent attorney
v who formerly practiced in Omaha.
Frank T. Ransom, attorney for Mrs
a Frederick I. Rustin, said matters would b,
placed in the hands of Mr.. Mcintosh al
soon as the attorney and relatives arrive
and that nothing would be done toward tn,
collection Of insurance or adjusting tn,
financial matters until Mr.. Mcintosh be
comes familiar with the case. Mr.. Ran
som said he understood the Penn Mutua
was ready to pay Mrs. Rustin $4,000 a
2 any time she called for It on the polio!
Of DR.. Rustin. The Penn Mutual confirm
this.
Chief Of Police j. j. Donahue has re
turned from David City, where he wen
, to attend the wedding OF his son, and vii
continue his work on the case. Chief o
n Detectives Savage says nothing new hal
developed.
The Rice woman Is apparently enjoying
life in the matron's department OF the cit,
: jail, and insists on appearing at the up
: stairs windows Of the station and ''Joshing'
with those who appear at the station
i Twice Tuesday Captain Savage had he
driven back from the windows and threat
= ened one of the men below who was talk
ing with her with arrest II such conduct
did not cease.