Gilpin observer., 1912-11-21
WOMAN DID NOT KILL
WATERS IN FIT OF JEALOUSY

In an interview published in The
Grand Junction Sentinel of a few
days ago, Mrs. Lulu R. Rehkugler
the murderess of Joseph Waters, a
former resident Of Central City, the
woman gives her reasons for killing
the man. She denies that the shoot
Ing was done in a fit of jealousy and
says the intention of Waters to take
the only work horse there was on the
ranch was the motive for the killing.
The woman has dismissed her at
torney and has resolved to resign her
self to the consequences. She gave
as a reason for not making a fight
in court, that she did not want to
pauperize her husband through at
torney fees.
The body of Waters was brought to
this city Thursday evening from
Grand Junction by the step-son, C. L.
Crosson. The funeral was held Friday
afternoon.
The interview in The Sentinel with
the Rehkugler woman follows:
I'm the only statement she has
ever made for publication as to her
defense for the murder of Joseph Wa
ters, Mrs. Lulu R. Rehkugler this
afternoon to a Sentinel reporter en-
phaticany denied all the accusations
made by her victim that she had
fired at him in jealous rage.
1.-The truth will be my Defense"
declared the woman, and no amount
of cross questioning can change a
statement l will make"
Then, in a clear and connected
manner, Mrs. Rehkugler dictated the
following statement:
"1he story that has been printed
about me shooting him in a Jealous
rage is not true, absolutely not. The
whole affair was just as l stated the
morning of the shooting-was over
the mare which Waters was going
to take to the city to sell. 1 was
angry when he threatened to take
our only work horse and warned
him l was angry, and meant every
word l said when l told him: You
listen to me-you hadn't better try
to take that mare And have
something to tell you about that
mare which Mr.. James testified Wa
ters worked for and earned.
'"When We came from Cripple
Creek to this city we didn't. have
much money left after getting the
place. We wanted a horse and be-
gan to look for one. Waters had
come with us to help us get settled
on the ranch. Mr.. James mare at
tracted our attention and We planned
to work for the animal. Mr.. Rehku-
gler and Waters discussed the matter
and finally agreed that Waters was
to work for the horse for 65 days at
50 per day, as Mr.. James wanted
s130 for her. We We're to board and
room Waters at the rate of 81 per
day. while he worked for James. Wa
ters was big and strong and an ex-
pensive man to board. In that way
Mr.. Rehkugler agreed with him that
they would both own half of the
horse. Mr.. James knew nothing of
this plan and at the time we secured
the horse / told my husband that he
would have trouble with such a mix
up deal over a horse, that horses had
+often caused bad quarels. At that
time he laughed, and now he believes
me.
1.-The horse was half ours and
half Waters and though he knew
that our returns from the fruit
growers association would be here
in very few days-and they arrived
Wednesday of this week-and he
would have had his money. he in
sisted upon hitching up that mare
and scuttling off with it and the
buggy to town to dispose of them as
best he could and expected then to
clear out of the country"
! Mrs. Rehkugler declared that If
there was anything In the story
about her shooting Waters in a fit
of jealousy that she would be glad
to tell it, but that she could only tell
the truth. She did not appear to
feel at all hard towards Waters, now
that the incident of last Saturday
morning is history and divulged a
good deal about the past history of
Waters"
LNiSssi.. 1 ~