Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-27
w Woman Shot by
Jealous Suitor
May Survive
Shot Fired by Andrew Msdsen of
Doom, Ia, Into Own Brain Caused
Instant Death.

Mrs Martha Rasmussen, wife Of Axel
Rasmussen, an iceman living at 417 Ave
nue. X, East Omaha, was shot three times
and probably fatally wounded by Andrew
Madsen Of Doom, Lyon cObNty, Ia be-
tween 2 and 3 o'clock WA =. .>.6Afternoon
at the voman's The coAfe onSn then
turned the weag% courthimseif the bullet
entering his forehead, piercing the brain
and causing instant death.
Jealousy of the woman, whom he
wanted to marry, Is believed to have
prompted the deed. Mrs Rasmussen, who
says she Is only IS years Of age, although
she has been married two years, is at ST.
Joseph's hospital under the care of DR..
Bishop, who, with Detectives Maloney
and Van Deusen Of the Omaha police,
went to the scene.
Il left my husband last November
when we were living at Doom. because he
drank so much" said the woman after
the shooting. Il met Andrew Madsen and
we became so well acquainted that he
wanted 10 marry me. But last week my
husband came to me and promised to be
good to me II 1 would go to live with him
at East Omaha
'Td sooner go back than get married
again, so we went to East Omaha last
Saturday and were just getting settled
when the other man hunted me up.
"He told me he would shoot me IL 1 did
not go with him and get married"
Going first to two other houses in East
Omaha Thursday afternoon, Madsen is
said by Lawrence Thorsen, who lives in
East Omaha and was one OF the prin-
cipal witnesses in connection with the
tragedy although he did not see the
shots actually fired, to have finally found
Mrs. Rasmussen scrubbing a floor in her
new home.
HE brushed past me as he came out OF
the door of Jens Christensen's house, 4l9
Avenue K" says Thorsen, "and when I
asked him what he wanted, he muttered
Never mind, never mind and went into
the house into which the Rasmussen
couple had recently moved.
Il heard four shots fired. Then Mrs.
Rasmussen ran out the back door and
tainted I'm my arms. 1 had been working
around there. She whispered There is a
man in there who shot me. He shot him
self, too. I'm hurt bad Then she tainted
dead away again"
ThOTson entered the house after, assist,
ing the woman to 42S avenue K, where a
neighbor woman cared for her. He found
Madsen's dead body.
Rasmussen is an ice wagon driver and
didn't know anything Of the affair until
informed his wife was shot.
He has been working for two months
in the Ice business, being employed by
Jens Christensen, his next door neighborl
Little is known here about Madsen. He
was well dressed when he appeared in
East Omaha and wore an Odd Fellows
button on his coat lapel. The revolver,
containing one unused cartridge, was
taken in charge with the body and his
effects by Coroner Cutler of Council
Bluffs, as the affair occurred in Potta-
wattamie county, Ia. An inquest will be
held,
Mrs. Rasmussen's parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Marinus Christensen, live at Larch-
wood, Ia, which is also in Lyon county.
They have been notified of their daughter S
condition.
She was shot in the left shoulder, right
Jaw and in the neck. The bullet that
made the latter wound went clear through
the neck, through a pane of glass and
into the earth outside.