The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-08-11
KILLS WIFE AND
TURNS ON CHILD
jacksonville Man Shoots
Woman i'm Bed,
DOMESTIC TROUBLE THE CAUSE
NeighbOrS Rescue Daughter
and Prevent Murderer
From Escaping.

4uduiSOHNilIS, n.y., AuB' is-OiiS VI
the most CHASTITY and horrible TRACE
dies in the history of jacksonville &C.
Cured here at midnight last night,
when Roland Rich shot and instantly
killed his wife while she was in bed
with her 11-year-old daughter.
Rich went home between IL and IL
o'clock and went Immediately TO his
wife's room. Boarders in an adjoining
room heard them exchange a few
words, and then two sharp reports of
q pistol rang cut. Rushing into the
room, they discovered Mrs. Rich lying
upon the bed in sea Of blood, with
one bullet hole through her head and
another through her shoulder She
lived only a few moments, and was
never conscious. The ball that pro-
duced the fatal wound entered her
left jaw, passed through her head
and made its exit at the rear of the
skull
Domestic troubles seem TO have
caused the killing. Rich and his
wife have not teen getting along am
icably for some time. About two
81 l,ff n 10
relatives in Evansville, saying that
she was being mistreated by him. A
few days ago she returned and resum-
ed her household duties, but refused
to allow her husband to live with her.
Rich has been in an ugly hunor
ever since their trouble began. Last
night about an hour before the trag-
edy he asked Willis Rudd, we'll
know liveryman, in whose employ he
was engaged, to lend him his pis-
toll, saying that he had to go to the
fair grounds and was afraid to go
unarmed. Ruddlittle dreaming of the
use to which it was to be put, let him
have the revolver. ,
According to the story of little Lo-
rena Ashby, the 11-year-ols step
daughter of Rich. she and her moth
er had retired for the night when
they were awakened by Rich entering
their room. He insisted that they
once more live together, and she re-
fused, saying that she would never
again live with him after being so
brutally treated. Rich then jerked the
pistol from his pocket, and, reaching
across the body of the child, fired the
shot into her head and then followed
it with second bullet into her Shout
der.
Joseph Springer, who, with his
wife and son, boarded with Mrs. Rich,
was awakened by the shots and the
screams of the child and rushed into
the room. Rich extinguished the
lights and tried to make his escape
by way of the hall in the darkness,
bat little Lorena Ashby pluckily
sprang after him and grabbed his
coat as he was going through an outer
door.
Joseph Springer, in the meantime,
rushed into the hall and sprang upon
Rich Just in time to prevent the
shooting of the child. Springer and
Rich became engaged in a furious
encounter, but Springer finally ov-
empowered the murderer and,wrestling
his pistol from, his grasp, held him
while young Springer ran for the po-
lice. na
Patrolmen Powers and Laffoon
rushed to the scene and, taking charge
Of Rich, hurried him off TO the Jail.
Rich had but little to say about the
affair to-day. He said that he did
not remember anything at all about
it but the authorities. pay no attention
to his talk, as he was not drunk at
the time Of the murder and has never
shown any signs of insanity. He con-
tinually begged the officials to remove
him to Henderson or Hopkinsville, as
he seems every moment to hear
mob clamoring for his life.
There was some talk of fynchins
this morning, but by noon the talk /
had died out and Rich will doubtless
be allowed legal trial.
Mrs. Rich was about 80 years OF
age. while Rich Is five or six years
younger. Prior to her marriage TO
Rich, Mrs. Ricn was Mrs. Dora Ashby,