Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-09
OMAHA CRIME
AT LAST SOLVED
BY QUEER TALE
MRS. RICE SAYS SHE MADE
SUICIDE PACT
NERVE FAILED WHEN SHE WENT
TO KILL RUSTlN
Bank Clerk Also lnvolved-Latter
Tried to End Life-Woman Says
He Was to Have MUIR
dered Doctor

BY Associated Press.
n MAHA, Neb., Sept. 8.-The coro-
ners inquiry in the case OF treder-
" lex III. Rustin, whose tragic death
at the door of his home in TINS city
has given the police department u
puzzling problem, developed seiisaliois
Today.
The first was the testimony or MRS.
Abbie Rice, the woman who was last
known to be in DIR. Rustins company
on the night of his death.
She declared for some time DR.. Rus
tin had been talking of committing
suicide. but that he wished to disguise
the act SO as to protect his life insur-
ance for the Lenefit of mis- FAMILY;
After much Importantly he induced
her 10 promise to kill him and then
take her own life.
Arrangements to this end were maze
for Friday night August 2S, but her
nerve failed her.
pesiunates His Slayer
On Tuesday night following DR.. Rus
in pointed out to her on the street car
a man who, he said, had promised to
do the deed. saying that 1t would be
done that night.
Later she identified Charles E. Davis,
a clerk In a local bank and member
of a prominent family, as the man re-
ferred to by DR.. Rustin.
Davis was placed on the stand and
testified that he attempted to commit
suicide on the night in question by
taking drugs furnished him by DIR:
Rustin, but denied that he promised
to kill the doctor or that he had any
thing to do with the latters death.
He said the drugs taken had MADE
him sick and ne vomited. thus saving
his life, He gave no special reason for
wishing to end his life except that ne
had no desire to live.
He said he had made previous at
tempts at suicide.
Is Not Arrested
Davis has not been arrested.
Mrs. Rice in her testimony said Dr.
Rustin first asked her to kill MIN
about two weeks ago and finally she
consented and agreed to shoot herseiI
;fterward. She said:
"I was to shoot him in his Office
He wanted me to shoot him through
the abdomen so his family could get
his insurance money. He thought he
could trust me.
"He wanted me to give him two or
three days ito settle his business af-
fairs before killing him.
"I hardly knew what to say when
he said that. He wanted 1t done Sun
day at his office. That was August 80
He thought the noise of the cars would
drown the noise of any revolver shot. !"
Mrs. Rice said DIR. RuStln then salu
she could kill herself. She said a
cunning scheme to avoid her suicide
being connected with his murder had
been broached by the doctor.
Bought a Revolver
Dr. Rustin had bought a revolver at
a pawnshop, but had no ammunition.
The woman said she bought some
cartridges but in trying to load the
revolver Saturday night she got 1t out
of order, so that the killing could not
be carried out on Saturday night as
planned. The following Friday night
she accompanied Dr. Rustin to his Of
flee and he loaded the pistol and asked
her to shoos him.
at lost my nerve and backed out, ;"
said Mrs. Rice. This made Dr. Rustin
very angry and they debated the muir
der and suicide scheme for some time,
finally agreeing to go to his home and
commit the double tragedy in his barn.
Rustin told her 1t would make it look
like he had been murdered by some
burglar or footpad if he was shot in
the barn.
"He was to go in the barn and let
me in the bac,1 way. He gave me the
gun and I walked up to the alley
hack of his house. while he went in the
front door of the house, intending to
sContinned Page Two)