The San Francisco call., 1910-05-05
OIL Man KILLS HIS
WOMAN COMP PANION
Arthur II. Anderson Shoots
Mrs. Beatrice Ottern and
Then Ends His Life
[ Special Dispatch TO The Call ]

SPecIdt Drspdtch TO The Call
OAKLAND, May 4-Mrs. Beatrice OF
tern, the talented and handsome wife
OF b. F. Otter, retired officer of the
United States army, was murdered this
afternoon at 1 o'clock by her compan-
ion, Arthur H. Anderson 40 years old.
VINO is reputed to be a wealthy oil oper-
ator and land owner of Coalinga.
Anderson fired several shots at Mrs.
Ottern in their two room apartment at
664 Tenth street, and when the woman
feu dying at his feet, he fired the last
ball from his revolver into his own
head He died at the receiving hos
pital without regaining consciousness.
Mrs. Ottern was "a years of age, the
petted daughter of a San Francisco
family. Identification was made by her
sister, Mrs. Eunice ]. Krider who lives
at 1920 Seventh street
Anderson rented the apartments at
664 Tenth street three weeks ago, telling
Mrs. Mary Snow, the landlady that his
name was Arthur Ricketts, He had
Mrs. Ottern with him and introduced
her as his wife.
QUARREL PRECEDES TRAGEDY
The couple lived in the apartment
for two weeks, when Mrs Ottern left
for few days. She is believed to
have gone to Bakersfield, intending,
according to Mrs. Kreider, to leave An
derson. She returned this morning and
telephone to Anderson, who left the
house to come back in short while
with the young woman on his arm.
Shortly afterward Mrs. Snow heard
the couple quarreling behind their
closed doors. Anderson seemed to be
reproachful and Mrs. Ottern, sobbing,
would break his talk with the remon-
STRANGE, That's not true"
The landlady listened a moment and
went about her work, supposing the
infelicity would end quietly and she
was terrified when she heard revolver
shots.
Four Pistol Shots Heard
Four times the revolver sounded and
after the first shot Mrs. Snow heard the
young woman behind the locked door
scream, For Gods sake help me-"
There was nothing else spoken The
revolver reports ceased and Mrs. Snow
too frightened to unlock the door, ran
into the street for help. She met two
carmen, r. F. Longwell of 4214 Glenn
avenue and H. II. Candy of 673k Tenth
street, to whom she appealed. They
called Police Sergeant Sill and the
three men broke in the door of the
apartment
Mrs. Ottern lay dead from bullet in
her brain and Anderson was on the floor
unconscious and dying with a pistol
near his hand
Up to this time nobody who knew the
couple in the Tenth street apartment
house suspected that they were not
husband and wife.
PAPERS FOUND ON BODY
Deputy Coroner Sargent found in
"Rickert's" pockets a certificate of de-
posit on the Bank of Coalinea for
$166.70 bearing and indorsed with the
name of b. F. Meyers. Numerous let
ters, all sent to Coalinga bore the
name of A. II. Anderson. There was
no way of telling which of three names
Rickert, Meyers or Anderson was that
of the dying man.
From Mrs. Kreider came the story of
Mrs. Ottern's life. When 20 years old
she became the bride of B. F. Ottern.
the army officer, who was so years old.
The soldier separated from his wife
shortly after the marriage, which took
place April 8, 1906.
A ring found by the coroner bears
the inscription "B. F. O. to B. A. H.
April, 1906" 1t is a wedding ring and
was given by the former army officer
to his bride Beatrice.
REASON FOR ASSUMED NAME
Anderson, said Mrs. Kreider had
ample reason for assuming a pseudo
nym on coming here. He had a wife
and two daughters living at Coalinga,
where he owned !, 100 acres of valuable
land Tidings of the tragedy have been
sent to that town.
Mrs. Kreider, when seen tonight at
her home, said:
My sister and B. f. Ottern were
married four years ago in this city.
He is now living in San Francisco and
is a retired army officer on pension.
Shortly after their marriage my sister
sued for a divorce in the courts of this
city on the ground of incompatibilfty
and the case is still pending. The final
decree should come within the next
two or three months"
Mrs Kreider refused to go into de-
tails concerning Anderson and her sis
ter. She admitted that she knew that
they had been living together and that
they had quarrels because her sister
was inclined to seek diversion away
from home. Mrs Ottern was fine
musician and enjoyed the company of
those near her own age.