The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-06-03
SISTERS HEAR FATAL SHOOTING
Daughter Hears of Fatality While
Working as Nurse at Kenosha Hos
pital-T Tragedy Result ,of Husband
Being Long Out of Work.

Dark tradegy entered the life of Mrs.
Edna Coughlin, nurse at the Kenosha
hospital this morning when she receive
ed word from Chicago that her mother,
Mrs Emma Becker Peterson, had been
shot and killed by her husband, John
Peterson, who minute later turned the
revolver upon himself and shot him
self through the brain. The tradegy
occurred at the Peterson home, 5942
Racine avenue, Chicago, just before
SIX o clock this morning and the hus-
! band and wife were alone in the kit
chen of the house when the shooting
took place. Three shots were fred.
Mrs. Peterson was shot through the
heart and died before the other men,
bers Of the family could reach the kit
chen. Just as two daughters of the
murdered woman. Miss Rosalie Becker
and Miss Carolyne Becker reached the
kitchen Peterson tu1ned the revolver
on himself and be fell dead just as the
young women opened the door leading
into the kitchen.
Peterson and Mrs. Becker had been
married two years ago and the two
children of Mrs. Becker anG little
grandson. Joseph Coughlin, five years,
he'd gone to live with them Peterson
waE a &c frartor and hife he had
ty o1 work their married life was
seemingly happy. He had been out of
work for months and there had been
trouble in the home over financial mat
tiers. Rosalie just past fifteen years of
! age had brought these troubles to an
acute stage on Tuesday evening when
she returned home from school happy
over plans for her graduating exercises.
IShe had asked for little money to buy
a gown in which to attend the gradua-
tion exercises. The father had appear
ed terribly wrought up ever the request
of the girl and he had quarreled with
her mother. The mother had taken
sides with her daughter and had de-
clared that the graduation was such an
event in the life of a child and that
she should be permitted to have the
gown even if it was necessar for the
family to stint itself even more Father
and mother were still quarrelling when
the two girls retired for the night.
Early in the morning they were awak
ened by the sound of voices in the kit
chen of the house. Rosalie called her
sister and the two were dressing when
they heard the first shot fired They
hurried toward the kitchen but got
there just in time to hear the body Of
Peterson fall on the floor.
The two daughters of the murdered
woman were so overcome by the trag-
edy that they were unable to tell tho
story to the police
The two daughters claimed that their
stepfather had been jealous Of the love
given them by their mother ever since
the marriage two years ago and that ne
had many times sneered over the kind
ness that she had shown TO them. Mrs,
Peterson was dying when her daugh-
tiers reached the room but she did not
make any statement in regard to. the
details of the tragedy
In addition to the two daughters in
Chicago, there are two other daughters,
Mrs Edna Coughlin of Kenosha, and
Mrs. Hazel Belgium of Douglas, Mich.
Mrs Coughlin had been called to Chi
cage early this morning but the mes
sage to her had indicted that her moth
er was very i'll and It brought no news
of the terrible tragedy. She hurried to
Chicago on the first train.
Mrs. Coughlin had been at the Keno
sha Hospital for more than two years
a1d she is very popular among the en-
ployees of the hospital. Her friends
had not heard of the tragic death Of
the mother until informed of it by
Of the News this after
noon. She had recently completed
her training. at the Illinois Training
school in Chicago and Lad returned 20
the hospital for work but three days
ago. 1t is said that Mrs. Becker was
formerly a resident of Kenosha but
this fact could not be confirmed by any
of the friends of Mrs. Coughiin in Ken.
osha. The deepest sympathy was ex-
pressed for Mrs. Coughlin in her greab
sorrow.