She was my great, great aunt.
Myrtle May Bates was born on February 22, 1879 in Michigan to James Bates and Eva Devenport.
She married Casey VanLieren and together they had two children, Lloyd and Thelma.
On May 9, 1911 in Lake County, Michigan she was murdered along with her two children by Van Lieren at the young age of 32.
Special thanks to my cousin Mary Ann Cassady for typing and sending her obituary to me.
Awful Tragedy - Enraged Farmer Shoots Wife and Two Children - Luther is all Stirred Up - Worst Murder in the Annals of Lake County, Tuesday.
Casey VanLieren Committed Dastardly Act at Jopling Home West of Luther-- Whole Family Exterminated.
One of the worst, if not the worst murder in the annals of Lake County took place early Tuesday morning when Casey VanLieren in an angry rage shot and killed his wife and two children and then committee suicide. The murder was the result of a family quarrel, his wife having taken the two children and left him a fortnight or so ago. The rash act was done with two rifles, one a 32 caliber and the other a 38-40. The dead are:
Mrs. VanLieren, thirty-two years old, shot through the head and heart.
Llyod VanLieren, twelve years old, shot through the head.
Thelma VanLieren, five years old, shot through the heart.
Casey VanLieren, thirty-four years old, shot through the temple.
It is stated that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had not lived happily since a short time after their marriage on account of the husband's heavy drinking and extremely ugly temper. But a short time ago he accused his wife with being too intimate with other men and she left him, taking the two children with her from the farm two miles west of Luther and obtained employment as a cook at the Minzey Hotel.
Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren went to visit Mrs. Joplin, who resided near her former home, taking her daughter with her, the boy being at school. A short time after her arrival Mr. VanLieren drove up with the son in a buggy, having got him at the school. A heated argument took place between man and wife when suddenly he jumped into the buggy and drew a riffle from under the seat. Without warning he turned it on his wife and pulled the trigger, she dropping to the ground. He fired a second shot which went through her heart. VanLieren then turned and shot and instantly killed his son who still sat in the buggy. The daughter who stood near the gate was the next victim, she having received the shot in the heart.
Completing the annihilation of his family he then stepped into the buggy and threw the body of his dead son upon the ground. Lashing his horses he started in a hurry for his home. Too frightened to move lest they should meet a similar fate the Joplings huddled together in the house. In a few moments the murderer returned and calling Mrs. Jopling. He was then armed with a 32 caliber riffle but assured Mrs. Jopling that he would not harm her and called that he wanted to leave word with her. No one venturing out he then scribbled the following on a piece of paper and left it on the gate post: "God forgive me," the rest of the sentence being missing. A P.S. at the bottom instructed that his property be given to his brother, Ed. He asked that he and his family be buried in one grave.
This completed, he crossed the field and placed the butt of the riffle against a stump with the muzzle against his head. His courage then evidently failed him as he waited twenty minutes before discharging the gun which ended his life as a suicide. His actions at the last seemed to indicate that he imagined the officers to be after him which gave him the needed courage to fire the fatal shot for him.
It is said that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had had many family quarrels but he was afraid of his wife as she was much larger and could easily handle him. He was a man with a mean disposition but was a big coward around the men, even when under the influence of liquor. Had he been unarmed Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren would have had no trouble in defending herself. Everything goes to point that he had the whole murder scheme planned completely.
Coroner Fairbanks held an inquest over the four bodies at the Joplin farm, where the bodies laid, rendering a verdict in accordance with the plain facts in the case.
Jas. Bates of Tustin is the father of Mrs. VanLieren and he took charge of the bodies.
Myrtle May Bates was born on February 22, 1879 in Michigan to James Bates and Eva Devenport.
She married Casey VanLieren and together they had two children, Lloyd and Thelma.
On May 9, 1911 in Lake County, Michigan she was murdered along with her two children by Van Lieren at the young age of 32.
Special thanks to my cousin Mary Ann Cassady for typing and sending her obituary to me.
Awful Tragedy - Enraged Farmer Shoots Wife and Two Children - Luther is all Stirred Up - Worst Murder in the Annals of Lake County, Tuesday.
Casey VanLieren Committed Dastardly Act at Jopling Home West of Luther-- Whole Family Exterminated.
One of the worst, if not the worst murder in the annals of Lake County took place early Tuesday morning when Casey VanLieren in an angry rage shot and killed his wife and two children and then committee suicide. The murder was the result of a family quarrel, his wife having taken the two children and left him a fortnight or so ago. The rash act was done with two rifles, one a 32 caliber and the other a 38-40. The dead are:
Mrs. VanLieren, thirty-two years old, shot through the head and heart.
Llyod VanLieren, twelve years old, shot through the head.
Thelma VanLieren, five years old, shot through the heart.
Casey VanLieren, thirty-four years old, shot through the temple.
It is stated that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had not lived happily since a short time after their marriage on account of the husband's heavy drinking and extremely ugly temper. But a short time ago he accused his wife with being too intimate with other men and she left him, taking the two children with her from the farm two miles west of Luther and obtained employment as a cook at the Minzey Hotel.
Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren went to visit Mrs. Joplin, who resided near her former home, taking her daughter with her, the boy being at school. A short time after her arrival Mr. VanLieren drove up with the son in a buggy, having got him at the school. A heated argument took place between man and wife when suddenly he jumped into the buggy and drew a riffle from under the seat. Without warning he turned it on his wife and pulled the trigger, she dropping to the ground. He fired a second shot which went through her heart. VanLieren then turned and shot and instantly killed his son who still sat in the buggy. The daughter who stood near the gate was the next victim, she having received the shot in the heart.
Completing the annihilation of his family he then stepped into the buggy and threw the body of his dead son upon the ground. Lashing his horses he started in a hurry for his home. Too frightened to move lest they should meet a similar fate the Joplings huddled together in the house. In a few moments the murderer returned and calling Mrs. Jopling. He was then armed with a 32 caliber riffle but assured Mrs. Jopling that he would not harm her and called that he wanted to leave word with her. No one venturing out he then scribbled the following on a piece of paper and left it on the gate post: "God forgive me," the rest of the sentence being missing. A P.S. at the bottom instructed that his property be given to his brother, Ed. He asked that he and his family be buried in one grave.
This completed, he crossed the field and placed the butt of the riffle against a stump with the muzzle against his head. His courage then evidently failed him as he waited twenty minutes before discharging the gun which ended his life as a suicide. His actions at the last seemed to indicate that he imagined the officers to be after him which gave him the needed courage to fire the fatal shot for him.
It is said that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had had many family quarrels but he was afraid of his wife as she was much larger and could easily handle him. He was a man with a mean disposition but was a big coward around the men, even when under the influence of liquor. Had he been unarmed Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren would have had no trouble in defending herself. Everything goes to point that he had the whole murder scheme planned completely.
Coroner Fairbanks held an inquest over the four bodies at the Joplin farm, where the bodies laid, rendering a verdict in accordance with the plain facts in the case.
Jas. Bates of Tustin is the father of Mrs. VanLieren and he took charge of the bodies.
She was my great, great aunt.
Myrtle May Bates was born on February 22, 1879 in Michigan to James Bates and Eva Devenport.
She married Casey VanLieren and together they had two children, Lloyd and Thelma.
On May 9, 1911 in Lake County, Michigan she was murdered along with her two children by Van Lieren at the young age of 32.
Special thanks to my cousin Mary Ann Cassady for typing and sending her obituary to me.
Awful Tragedy - Enraged Farmer Shoots Wife and Two Children - Luther is all Stirred Up - Worst Murder in the Annals of Lake County, Tuesday.
Casey VanLieren Committed Dastardly Act at Jopling Home West of Luther-- Whole Family Exterminated.
One of the worst, if not the worst murder in the annals of Lake County took place early Tuesday morning when Casey VanLieren in an angry rage shot and killed his wife and two children and then committee suicide. The murder was the result of a family quarrel, his wife having taken the two children and left him a fortnight or so ago. The rash act was done with two rifles, one a 32 caliber and the other a 38-40. The dead are:
Mrs. VanLieren, thirty-two years old, shot through the head and heart.
Llyod VanLieren, twelve years old, shot through the head.
Thelma VanLieren, five years old, shot through the heart.
Casey VanLieren, thirty-four years old, shot through the temple.
It is stated that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had not lived happily since a short time after their marriage on account of the husband's heavy drinking and extremely ugly temper. But a short time ago he accused his wife with being too intimate with other men and she left him, taking the two children with her from the farm two miles west of Luther and obtained employment as a cook at the Minzey Hotel.
Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren went to visit Mrs. Joplin, who resided near her former home, taking her daughter with her, the boy being at school. A short time after her arrival Mr. VanLieren drove up with the son in a buggy, having got him at the school. A heated argument took place between man and wife when suddenly he jumped into the buggy and drew a riffle from under the seat. Without warning he turned it on his wife and pulled the trigger, she dropping to the ground. He fired a second shot which went through her heart. VanLieren then turned and shot and instantly killed his son who still sat in the buggy. The daughter who stood near the gate was the next victim, she having received the shot in the heart.
Completing the annihilation of his family he then stepped into the buggy and threw the body of his dead son upon the ground. Lashing his horses he started in a hurry for his home. Too frightened to move lest they should meet a similar fate the Joplings huddled together in the house. In a few moments the murderer returned and calling Mrs. Jopling. He was then armed with a 32 caliber riffle but assured Mrs. Jopling that he would not harm her and called that he wanted to leave word with her. No one venturing out he then scribbled the following on a piece of paper and left it on the gate post: "God forgive me," the rest of the sentence being missing. A P.S. at the bottom instructed that his property be given to his brother, Ed. He asked that he and his family be buried in one grave.
This completed, he crossed the field and placed the butt of the riffle against a stump with the muzzle against his head. His courage then evidently failed him as he waited twenty minutes before discharging the gun which ended his life as a suicide. His actions at the last seemed to indicate that he imagined the officers to be after him which gave him the needed courage to fire the fatal shot for him.
It is said that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had had many family quarrels but he was afraid of his wife as she was much larger and could easily handle him. He was a man with a mean disposition but was a big coward around the men, even when under the influence of liquor. Had he been unarmed Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren would have had no trouble in defending herself. Everything goes to point that he had the whole murder scheme planned completely.
Coroner Fairbanks held an inquest over the four bodies at the Joplin farm, where the bodies laid, rendering a verdict in accordance with the plain facts in the case.
Jas. Bates of Tustin is the father of Mrs. VanLieren and he took charge of the bodies.
Myrtle May Bates was born on February 22, 1879 in Michigan to James Bates and Eva Devenport.
She married Casey VanLieren and together they had two children, Lloyd and Thelma.
On May 9, 1911 in Lake County, Michigan she was murdered along with her two children by Van Lieren at the young age of 32.
Special thanks to my cousin Mary Ann Cassady for typing and sending her obituary to me.
Awful Tragedy - Enraged Farmer Shoots Wife and Two Children - Luther is all Stirred Up - Worst Murder in the Annals of Lake County, Tuesday.
Casey VanLieren Committed Dastardly Act at Jopling Home West of Luther-- Whole Family Exterminated.
One of the worst, if not the worst murder in the annals of Lake County took place early Tuesday morning when Casey VanLieren in an angry rage shot and killed his wife and two children and then committee suicide. The murder was the result of a family quarrel, his wife having taken the two children and left him a fortnight or so ago. The rash act was done with two rifles, one a 32 caliber and the other a 38-40. The dead are:
Mrs. VanLieren, thirty-two years old, shot through the head and heart.
Llyod VanLieren, twelve years old, shot through the head.
Thelma VanLieren, five years old, shot through the heart.
Casey VanLieren, thirty-four years old, shot through the temple.
It is stated that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had not lived happily since a short time after their marriage on account of the husband's heavy drinking and extremely ugly temper. But a short time ago he accused his wife with being too intimate with other men and she left him, taking the two children with her from the farm two miles west of Luther and obtained employment as a cook at the Minzey Hotel.
Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren went to visit Mrs. Joplin, who resided near her former home, taking her daughter with her, the boy being at school. A short time after her arrival Mr. VanLieren drove up with the son in a buggy, having got him at the school. A heated argument took place between man and wife when suddenly he jumped into the buggy and drew a riffle from under the seat. Without warning he turned it on his wife and pulled the trigger, she dropping to the ground. He fired a second shot which went through her heart. VanLieren then turned and shot and instantly killed his son who still sat in the buggy. The daughter who stood near the gate was the next victim, she having received the shot in the heart.
Completing the annihilation of his family he then stepped into the buggy and threw the body of his dead son upon the ground. Lashing his horses he started in a hurry for his home. Too frightened to move lest they should meet a similar fate the Joplings huddled together in the house. In a few moments the murderer returned and calling Mrs. Jopling. He was then armed with a 32 caliber riffle but assured Mrs. Jopling that he would not harm her and called that he wanted to leave word with her. No one venturing out he then scribbled the following on a piece of paper and left it on the gate post: "God forgive me," the rest of the sentence being missing. A P.S. at the bottom instructed that his property be given to his brother, Ed. He asked that he and his family be buried in one grave.
This completed, he crossed the field and placed the butt of the riffle against a stump with the muzzle against his head. His courage then evidently failed him as he waited twenty minutes before discharging the gun which ended his life as a suicide. His actions at the last seemed to indicate that he imagined the officers to be after him which gave him the needed courage to fire the fatal shot for him.
It is said that Mr. and Mrs. VanLieren had had many family quarrels but he was afraid of his wife as she was much larger and could easily handle him. He was a man with a mean disposition but was a big coward around the men, even when under the influence of liquor. Had he been unarmed Tuesday Mrs. VanLieren would have had no trouble in defending herself. Everything goes to point that he had the whole murder scheme planned completely.
Coroner Fairbanks held an inquest over the four bodies at the Joplin farm, where the bodies laid, rendering a verdict in accordance with the plain facts in the case.
Jas. Bates of Tustin is the father of Mrs. VanLieren and he took charge of the bodies.
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