Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-30
MAHASkA COUNTY, CORONER
FINDS FACTS oosNor WAR
RANT INVESTIGATION.
MURDER DOUBTLESS WAS
PLANNED DELIBERATELY
indications Are That Martin Went to
oskaloosa For Avo~ed Purpose Of
Finding Wife and Killing Her
Leaves Note Asking Friends Be
Notifed-Further Particulars.

! Coroner Eugene Cheesman. of Ma
! haska county. has decided that no in
quest is necessary in the case of
Thomas J. Martin. the young man
] from this city who. near Givin,
Wednesday morning, shot and killed
! his wife, Mrs. Myrtle Martin. and then
killed himself.
! That the murder was planned is in
dicated by further particulars received
by the Times-Republican from Oska-
loosa-
After reaching Oskaloosa Tuesday
night Martin spent some time at po-
lice headquarters. trying to find out
from the officers if they knew the
whereabouts of his wife. Martin was
IN and out of police headquarters all
night and appeared very nervous II
is presumed that he went to Givin on
a Rock Island train. and from there
walked to the home OF Mrs. Martins
parents. Mr.. and Mrs. J. E Bescoe. two
and one-half miles southwest of GiviE-
viii Settle II Standing
MIR. Bescoe and mis- sons were out in
the field when Martin arrived. Martin
removed his ulackinaw and an under
coat and left them hanging near the
gate. He then went to the side entrance
Of the house and Mrs. Bescoe an
swe7ed the knock. Martin asked to see
his wife, and Mrs. Bescoe replied that
she was up stairs. Martin said he
would go UP and see her, bu. Mrs. Bes-
coe, not wanting Martin TO be alone
with his wife. replied that she would
call her daughter. Mrs. Martin came
down stairs in reply to her mothers
summons. and set down at table fac
ing Martin. who remained standing.
Mrs. Bescoe asked her son-in-law to
be seated
No" replied Martin. TIL settle this
matter standing up"
With this ne whipped out a 3s-caliber
revolver. held the muzzle within few
feet of Mrs. Martins breast, and fired
The woman pitched forward in her
chair. but before she reached tine floor
Martin sent another ball thru his VIC
TINS breast Both bullets passed thru
the heart, and the woman died in
s,antly.
One Bullet For Mother-in-law?
Mrs. Bescoe ran toward her daughter.
TO catch her as she fell, and as she did
so Martin fired a third time. Whether
this ball was intended for the mother
is. of course. not known, but such is
the supposition. Il was buried In the
wall, and Mrs. Bescoe ran screaming
from the room. She had no sooner left
than the report of a fourth discharge
OF the revolver was heard. When Mrs
Bescoe looked thru the door she saw
Martins body stretched out on the
floor near that Of his wife. He had
placed the weapon over his OWL heart.
and had died as quickly as did his vic
tim.
Coroner Cheesman was summoned
and took charge of both bodies. That
Of the murderer was taken to OsiSa
Ioosa. but Mrs. Martins body was left
at the Bescoe home.
Asks Friends Be Notified.
Tuesday night. while in police head
quarters, Martin did some writing on
paper given him by the police at his
request This piece of paper was found
In the dead mans clothing, and on il
he asked that several people be mott
fled Among them was c. r. Tyler.
of this city. who roomed at the place
where Martin lived. 331 South Third
avenue