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Butler County, Kansas

Robert T. Gahm Kills Wife and Self Today

Double Tragedy Happens at Gahm Home About 9:30 This Morning; Uses Two Guns

Robert T. Gahm, 46, shot and killed his wife, Freda, 45, and then shot himself to death in the rear of the Gahm home at 1011 Dearborn street at 9:30 o’clock this morning. Both died instantly. A note found on Gahm’s person by the coroner’s jury stated that jealousy was the cause of his act. The note was written yesterday.

The Gahms have been separated since January 28, when Mrs. Gahm filed suit for divorce against her husband. At that time she had a restraining order issued prohibiting Gahm from the premises of the Gahm home. Neighbors reported previous to that time that Gahm had beaten his wife when he was drunk. They also reported that Gahm had threatened his wife’s life several times after the divorce proceeding suit was filed, but this was when he was under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

Shoots Wife With Pistol

Gahm evidently had hidden himself in one of the several sheds behind the Gahm home some time early this morning awaiting his wife’s appearance. She is thought to have just unlocked the cave behind the Gahm home when her husband appeared from one of the sheds and shot her through the head with a 32 caliber automatic pistol. The bullet entered the right side and passed entirely through her head. There were no powder burns. The empty shell was found three feet south of the body.

After this act Gahm went to the door of the wash house on the alley and there he placed the muzzle of a 410 gauge shotgun in his mouth and blew off the top of his head. He fell backwards into the wash house. The stock of the gun was found between his legs. The automatic pistol was also found in the wash shed.

Bought Pistol Last Night

Gahm went to the Ferguson filling station on East Seventh street at 7 o’clock last night and purchased the automatic pistol from Homer Ferguson. He paid a gasoline bill at the time. Ferguson said this morning that Gahm said he had a buyer for the pistol and could make two dollars on the deal. He paid five dollars for the pistol. It had only one shell in it when he bought it. The pistol was of a foreign make.

Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Brown, who live just north of the alley to the Gahm home said this morning that the shotgun used by Gahm had been in the attic up over the back porch but that Mrs. Brown helped Mrs. Gahm get it down last Friday. It was placed in the kitchen behind the kitchen cabinet. How Gahm secured the shotgun was not known this morning.

Neighbors See Gahm Shoot Self

Mrs. Brown testified before the coroner’s jury this morning that she was working upstairs this morning when she heard a woman’s scream. She said that by the time she got downstairs and out of doors she saw Gahm place the muzzle of a shotgun in his mouth and shoot himself. She said that she rushed over to the Gahm yard and discovered Mrs. Gahm lying face up, near the cave, with a bullet hole in the side of her head. She said that she immediately had the police and a doctor notified.

Mrs. Brown said that Mrs. Gahm had no keys to her house and had been sleeping away from home since she started the divorce suit against her husband. Yesterday she said that Mr. Brown put some new locks on the front and back doors. She said that Mrs. Gahm told her that she was afraid of her husband. She also told how Gahm got drunk and abused his wife before she separated from him.

Wife Was Afraid of Gahm

Brown told how several days ago he was requested by Mrs. Gahm to put new locks on the doors of her home as Gahm took all the keys when he left. He said that she was in mortal fear of her husband and he had threatened her several times since she left him. Brown said that about a week ago Gahm told him that he was going to get his wife. On all the occasions Gahm had been drinking, according to Brown.

Mrs. Rose Shelton, who is employed at the Charles Varner home back of the Gahm home said that she was ironing in the Varner kitchen this morning when she heard a woman’s scream. She said that next she heard a shot and looking over at the Gahm wash house she saw Gahm fall.

Select Coroner’s Jury

County Attorney C. Glenn Morris and Sheriff Lark Snodgrass arrived shortly after the act was committed and a coroner’s jury was selected from the large number of persons who appeared at the scene. The jury was: Dan Smith, foreman; F.T. Colgan, Jess Gruver, R.E. Mercer, F.T. Dodd and John Bourget. M.A. Merten was appointed coroner due to the absence of Dr. G.E. Kassebaum, county coroner, who was unable to be present. The law provides that a justice of the peace act as a coroner when the coroner is not available.

The jury rendered the following verdict: “We, the jury empanelled in the manner of the cause of death of Freda M. Gahm and Robert Gahm, do upon our oath find that Freda M. Gahm met her death at the hand of Robert Gahm by being shot to death and that Robert Gahm came to his death by his own hand by shooting himself.”

Find Note On Gahm

The note found on Gahm’s person was written in pencil on a piece of writing tablet cover. On one side he wrote that he had decided to end it all and that jealousy caused him to commit his act. He requested the services of two Augusta ministers for the funerals. On the other side he named the pall bearers he wanted for his funeral. The note was dated February 10, 1936.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Gahm have lived in Augusta most of their lives. They had been married 25 years. Gahm was a World War veteran and had just recently made application for his bonus bonds. He was the first post commander of the Augusta Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2485. He was also a member of the American Legion. He was a stone and brick mason by trade.

Two sons, Andrew, 23, and Glenn, 13, survive the parents. The younger son has been living with his mother since the parents separated.

(Augusta Daily Gazette ~ Tuesday, 11 February 1936 ~ Transcribed by Lori DeWinkler)

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TO BE DOUBLE FUNERAL

Gahm Services at Baptist Church At 2 P.M. Tomorrow

The double funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Gahm, who died Tuesday morning, will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the August Baptist church. Rev. L.R. John and Dan Smith, pastor of the Christian church, will have charge of the services. The bodies will lie in state at the Dunsford Funeral home until 1 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. The caskets will not be opened at the church. Burial will be in the Elmwood cemetery.

Mrs. Fred M. Gahm was born south of Augusta, July 19, 1894, and was 41 years of age at the time of her death. Robert T. Gahm was born in Augusta October 4, 1890. He was 45 years of age at the time of his death.

Surviving Mrs. Gahm is her mother, Mrs. Andrew Martin, Augusta; a sister, Mrs. Edna Rutherford, Augusta, and two sons, Andrew and Glenn Edward, of Augusta.

Surviving Mr. Gahm are his two sons, Andrew and Glenn Edward; four sisters, Mrs. Alice Smith and Mrs. Grace Thompson, Augusta; Mrs. Bessie Hughes, Wichita, and Mrs. Della Huffine, Council Bluff, Ia. Also two brothers, Ervin, of Council Bluffs, Ia., and William of Augusta.

The pallbearers for Mrs. Gahm will be: Charles Anderson, Wichita; Jess Hunt, Russell; J.D. Holt, Chud Rice, J.T. Wilson and Clyde Graham.

The pall bearers for Mr. Gahm will be the men selected before his death. They are: William Olson, Charles Bankey, Art Sharrock, George Patton, Bruce Alexander and Frank Watt.

(Augusta Daily Gazette ~ Wednesday, 12 February 1936 ~ Transcribed by Lori DeWinkler)