The Indianapolis times., 1931-08-07
man, REFUSED
MONEY, Stays
Wife AND DIES
Husband Turns Gun on Self
After Killing Mate at
Orphans Home.
ENDS YEARS OF STRIFE
Witness Says Victim Had
Been HaraSSed for
MANY Weeks.


Many Weeks.
A family quarrel of several years
duration that resulted in a separa-
ton ended today in murder and
suicide.
julius Van Ooteghen, 81, former
employe of the indianapolis or
phans' home, 41o7 East Washington
street, shot and killed his wife
Alice, a cook at the orphanage, and
then killed himself.
The shooting took place at $40
a. m. in front of the home. Mrs.
Van Ooteghen. "A, stepped from an
east-bound street car to go to her
work in the orphanage kitchen
The husband approached his wife.
She attempted to elude him. The
couple quarreled and Van Ooteghen
drew a revolver and fired three
shots at his wife. One bullet struck
her above the heart. Death was
11loOdlIOdIlGOuSs
Van Ooteghen then shot himself
in the left temple.
. Police, called by the only eye
witness of the shooting, Arnold
Mead, enploye of a lunchroom at
4002 East Washington street, said
the couple were dead when they
arrived. The bodies we're sent to
the city morgue.
Wife Constantly Harassed
Mead told how the husband had
harassed his wife on several occa-
sions as she went to her work at
the orphanage.
"Wednesday he met her and they
quarreled in front of the orphan
age. Finally she had to duck
through a hedge on the orphanage
ground to get away from him."
Mead related.
Miss Lucy Brahan, night nurse
at the orphans home, said, "One
night last week Van Ooteghen way
laid his wife as she quit work by
hiding near a gasoline station. She
returned to the orphanage and told
one of the employees, I'm not afraid
Of him, but I'm tired of support
ing him She then slipped out the
back way and cut across some rail-
road tracks to avoid him
Money Demands Cause
Sergeant Victor Houston, who in
vestigated the shooting, believes that
demands for money to keep him and
refusals of the wife to grant the
money requests may have caused the
double killing.
The night nurse said Van Oote-
CHEN was employed at the orphanage
two years ago as assistant to the
engineer.
He was discharged for cruelty
to children at the home. He struck
several of them" she declared.
The wife left the orphanage's en-
ploy after the husbands discharge.
She worked at the Marott hotel
as maid from February until July,
when she returned to the Washing
ton street institution as second cook.
Threats Are Recalled
She lived with her daughter, Mrs.
Beulah Merrell, following her
separation from her husband.
Efforts of the police to locate the
daughters home proved futile at
an early hour today. Before separa-
ton of the couple, they lived at
Ala North Alabama street.
Residents at a former home told
police that Van Ooteghen met
friend of his on the street few
days ago, and, telling of his wife
leaving him, said, I'm going to get
her"
Mrs. Van Ooteghen had but 10
cents in her pocketbook when the
bodies we're found.
The daughter is believed to have
lived in the 1900 block on East
Michigan street, near the Indiana
woman'S prison.
Difficulty in finding the daugh-
ter's home was caused by the fact
that the dead woman, to prevent
being annoyed by her husband,
failed to give her home address,
either at the orphanage or the ho-
tel where she had been employed.
The Van Ooteghens weer married
May %, 1929, in indianapolis.
Lived at Poor Farm
The dead man lived at the Mar
ion county poor farm for a week
during July. He was sent to the
farm by the Family Welfare So
ciety, after applying for aid. He
left the farm and returned to the
city and took meals at the Wheeler
Rescue Mission on Aug. 2, 3 and 4.
He told officials of the mission:
"If I've got to starve, I'd just as
soon do it in the city as at the poor
farm"
The officials said he lived for a
time at the mission, but that in
August and the latter part of July
he did not reside there.
He has brother, Glen Van Oote-
Chen, who lives in Mishawaka, Ind.
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