OBIT: William E. & Leeota (MANSPEAKER) OTTO, 1937, Juniata, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Michael S. Caldwell Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ COUPLE DEAD IN MURDER-SUICIDE William E. Otto, Aged 62, Takes Own Life After Fatally Wounding Mrs. Leeota Otto, Aged 54, as She Is Conversing With Sister-in-law In Barn Near Juniata. DOUBLE-BARREL GUN IS USED IN TRAGEDY As Mortally-wounded Woman Collapses In Cow Stall, Husband Goes to Floor of Barn Where He Dies as Result of Firing Full Charge of Shot Into Left Breast. A ramshackle barn at the Kipple farm, located in the vicinity of Ninth avenue and Eighth street, Juniata, was the scene of a double tragedy at 7.05 o'clock this morning when William E. Otto, aged 62, ended his own life after mortally wounding his wife, Mrs. Leeota Otto, aged 54, with a 12 gauge shotgun. Coroner Chester C. Rothrock and Private Leo Miller of the state police investigated the double shooting and declared it was a case of murder and suicide. Apparently crazed over financial losses and other misfortunes, Otto fired a charge of No. 6 shot into the abdomen of his wife as she stood in a cow stall conversing with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Annie Manspeaker, aged 42. Then going to the barn floor, Otto fired the full charge of shot into his left breast. Otto's death was believed instantaneous as he suffered a gaping wound near the heart. His body was found in a pool of blood near his automobile. Mrs. Otto was rushed to Mercy hospital where she died at 9.45 o'clock as doctors were preparing to give her a blood transfusion. Contemplated Deed. Otto had planned to kill his wife and then commit suicide, a letter found in his clothing indicated. However, his family had no warning of the man's intentions this morning and the events of the double shooting came with shocking suddenness to the couple's children and other relatives. Mrs. Manspeaker, who lives at another dwelling on the farm property not far from the Otto domicile, came to the barn to milk a cow there as had been her custom for some months. She was met by Mrs. Otto and the women went together to the cow stall in the barn. Engaging in conversation, the women noted the approach of Otto who, Mrs. Manspeaker said, addressed his wife as follows: "You've ruined my life." Otto then left the women to go to the upstairs of the barn. Mrs. Otto informed her sister-in-law that her husband had threatened her with bodily harm in recent weeks. "As we were talking, I looked up and saw Mr. Otto standing at the barn door pointing a gun at his wife," declared Mrs. Manspeaker. "I was terribly frightened. He didn't say a word to us but pointed the gun at Mrs. Otto. She jumped toward me in the cow stall but the shot struck her left arm and left side." Wounded Woman Falls. "As Mrs. Otto fell into the cow stall, she said to me, 'He's shot me in the side. Go get Eugene.' I then ran out of the cow stall, passing Mr. Otto who stood bewildered near the door. I hurried to the house and called for Eugene and the other Otto son to come to the barn. As the boys reached the door of the house to go to the barn, we heard another shot. They found their father lying on the barn floor. "I was afraid he might shoot me and I ran into the house. He had a funny look in his eyes and I was so frightened after he shot his wife. I believe I brushed the gun as I passed him. I didn't look back but he must have gone to the barn floor," continued the woman who was an eyewitness to the shooting of Mrs. Otto. Mrs. Manspeaker vividly described her narrow escape from being struck by the charge of the shot which mowed down Mrs. Otto. "I fell off the stool as I was milking the cow. I jumped into the cow stall and the cow also moved forward. Just then the charge of shot struck Mrs. Otto, who was attempting to get into the stall," concluded Mrs. Manspeaker. Find Gun Near Body. The picture that confronted the coroner and Private Miller when they went to the barn floor gave mute evidence of the man's death. Lying near his body was the 12 gauge double-barrel shotgun. A stick of wood, about three feet in length, with a nail driven into the one end, had been used by the man to discharge the weapon as he pointed the barrel towards his heart. The hammer which he used to drive the nail into the wooden contrivance also was found nearby. He had taken off his vest and placed it over the fender of his car. In the vest was found the letter which Otto captioned "This Is My Story." Quoting Scripture throughout the two-page letter, Otto made known his financial troubles and worrier and at the end signed the message as follows: "My name is W.E.O. My life numerals are WOE." Children of the dead couple said their father had been injured in 1932 while working as a brakeman in the East Altoona yards of the Pennsylvania railroad. He then left the company's employ. He received a considerable sum of money which had been lost in various enterprises in recent years, it was said. This worried the man, his children declared, and his health also had been impaired. Engaged In Selling. For some months, he had been employed in selling insecticides and was brooding over the fact that he couldn't get his car repaired in order to carry on his business, the children said. Although their parents had some disputes, none was of serious character, the children insisted, and the couple apparently had no words this morning preceding the double tragedy. The Ottos have tenanted the sixty-seven-acre Kipple farm for more than twenty years. Eleven children were born to the couple, nine of whom are living. The surviving children are: Mrs. Helen Spankman of Cullman, Ala., Mrs. Evelyn Eby and Mrs. Marguerite Hughes, both at home, Mrs. Zelda Torrens of 311 Walnut avenue, this city, Mrs. Louis Simpson of Indianapolis, Mrs. Martha Raye of Dunedin, Fla., William Otto, whose whereabouts is not known, Eugene and David, aged 16, both at home. Mrs. Otto spent last night sitting with her enfeebled mother, Mrs. Melissa Manspeaker, aged 84, who resides at the Otto home. The aged woman was seated in the living room of the Otto home when she heard the two shots that took the life of her daughter and son-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Otto had been married almost two score years. Mrs. Otto was 54 years old Sept. 17, last. In addition to her aged mother, and nine children, she also is survived by the following brothers and sisters: Oliver, David and Arch Manspeaker, Mrs. Nora Love, Clyde Manspeaker, Mrs. Freida Yeager, and Irvin Manspeaker, all of Altoona. William E. Otto would have been 63 years old on May 9, next. He is survived by his aged mother, Mrs. Jacob Otto of this city; one brother, A.E. Otto, and two sisters, Mrs. Martha Keagy and Mrs. Rose Weyant, all of Altoona. At Woman's Bedside. A sister and a son were at Mrs. Otto's bedside when she breathed her last this morning. Doctors at the hospital described her wounds as of fatal character. The charge of shot struck the left side of the abdomen, tearing into the intestines and bowels. Internal hemorrhages caused her death. The bodies of both the victims were taken to the Mauk & Yates funeral home to be prepared for burial. Coroner Chester C. Rothrock continued his investigation of the double shooting and expressed the opinion that no inquest would be necessary in the case. OTTO - Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. William Elmer Otto of Ninth Avenue and Eighth street will be conducted by Rev. Vernon D. Grubb from the Mauk and Yates funeral home on Thursday at 9.30 o'clock. Interment will follow in Rose Hill cemetery. The remains can be viewed after noon Wednesday, at the funeral home. Altoona Mirror, April 12, 1937