Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-10
JURY DOES NOT ACCUSE
Suggests That Arrested Man Be
Further Investigated.
RICE WOMAN IS TO BE NURSE
Will Follow Life Suggested by Man
She Loved-Strange Deeds
of C.. E. Davis.

|
Frederick Rustin came to his death y
pistol shot fired by a person unknown.
! was the verdict of the coroner's jury %
| day.
| The jury recommends that Charles E.
| Davis, Tuesday implicated by Mrs. Able
C. Rice, be held. and that his conduct
| on the night of September l De tnor-
| oughly Investigated.
Davis was taken into custody and later
! released OF a bond signed by his brother.
Frederick II. Davis, brother of the man
| under arrest. declares that Charles f.
Davis had been afflicted for about thlr-
teen years with spells Of insanity, and
that they had come on him periodically
| ent occasions been placed in sanitariums.
and on at least three occasions has been
violently insane
Two weeks ago he showed signs Of
larly noticeable in mutterings to himself
and queer actions. His brother at once
sent him to DIR. Frederick Rustin for
treatment. He was being treated by that
physician at the time Of Dr.s Rustin'
death.
Frederick II. Davis does not believe
his brother had anything to do with
the death of DR.. Rustin. He asserts that
the police have implicated him simply
to attract attention from the real cause
PAe~-AA
Mrs. Rice is also detained. Davis will
probably be given a formal hearing in
day or two, but the time has not been
set.
At police court Charles Davis was
asked several questions in regard to his
whereabouts on the morning after the
murder. He refused to answer them.
Insurance Policies Lapsed.
Indications today are that Dr. Rustin
died useless death, and that most of the
insurance policies. to obtain the money on
which. It appears he died, have lapsed
and are no longer in force. Only the day
before he died one policy for $4,000
lapsed because OF non-payment of dues
Rustin had told the insurance agent to
call at his office the following day and he
would make reinstatement application
but this came too late.
Another policy OF $4,000 wa; allowed
to lapse in June Still another policy Of
$4,000 an accident policy. would be pay
for murder or for suicide. One policy
for Sc, 800 il In force, but beyond this
those in charge of his affairs have been
unable to discover any insurance which
will be paid to the widow.
The belief among Omaha medical men
is that DR.. Rustin and Davis were both
crazed by the use of morphine and drugs
and that each possessed suicidal mania.
or rather that while Davis was crazed
with a suicidal mania DIR. Rustin was
crazy upon the subject OF having himself
killed by some one.
DR. Rustin's mania had been gradually
unfolding itself for three years. but only
in the last three weeks had 1t reached its
to have himself killed. BY the use OF
drugs and whisky DR.. Rustin had got
himself in a condition bordering on in
sanity. where the strongest idea was that
he must have some one kill him for his
life insurance. On the other hand, Davis
has been possessed with a desire to die
at different periods Of his life. according
to his brother. Latham Davis:
Davis is brother-in-law Of the late
Herman Kountze a member Of the bank
York city. He is fifty years old and has
wife and daughter living in California
somewhere They have been separated
many years.
Tried to End Life.
In 1895 Charles Davis had his first
breakdown. wandering away from his
home in Whatcom. Wash, but was found
and brought back to Omaha. His second
breakdown came in 1902 in Boston. when
he stabbed himself with the intention of
suicide He was then sent to the Waiver
IN lMassD Insane Asylum for several
months. In Baltimore. In January, 19O7,.
came another breakdown, and he was
taken to the Pratt Institute for the In
sane in Baltimore. Arriving there he
slept, three days without waking and was
we'll when aroused.
Last October came another breakdown,
and DIR. Rustin took Davis to an insane
hospital in Council Bluffs. Ten days ago
he gave indications Of still another at
tack. and DIR. Rustin was called in. For
four years Charles Davis has lived with
his brother Latham, the other members
of the family declaring they were afraid
to live with him.
Denies Suicide Theory.
Mrs. Rice yesterday was interviewed
for the first time since she was taken
into custody.
MRS. Rice. from your knowledge Of
DR., Rustin and of his plans, do you think
he could have committed suicide?" she
was asked.
"Emphatically no. During the two or
three weeks Dr. Rustin sought death he
never talked OF suicide but once. and that
was when my nerve failed me and I
to first shoot me and kill himself.
DIR. Rustin talked death for himself.
but 1t was always to pe at the hands OF
some other persons-neVer by his own
hands For that reason l will never be-
lieve he killed himself"
do you believe Charles Davis killed
| him.
II cannot answer that question. / don't
know. 1 don't believe Or. Rustin would
breath. and know that he thought Davis
| had gone out to his house to kill him.
Davis might have failed; his nerve may
have gone back On him. ] can't say what