Person:Clarence Rash (4)

Rash, Thos. V., 50, farmer, IN
, Matilda J., 43, KY
, Joseph H., 23, IN
, James T., 18, IN
, Jno. W., 17, IN
, Charles H., 14, MO
, Stephen A., 11, MO
, David F., 9, MO
, Laurance, 6, MO
Scott, Mary A., 42, at home, IN

Rash, Thos. V., 60, farmer, b. IN, fa b. [blank], mo b. TN
, Matilda J., wife, 51, keeping house, b. KY, both parents b. KY
, David F., son, 18, works on farm, b. MO
, Clarence K., son, 16, works on farm, b. MO
Carlysle, William C., 16, visitor, works on farm, b. IA, parents b. [blank]

Nebraska STATE GAZETTEER
Business Directory and Farmer list for 1890-1891.
Omaha: J. M. Wolfe & Co., Publishers, 509-510 Paxton Block 1890
Rash, C K, Winside

Friday's metropolitan papers contained a dispatch from Wayne, Nebraska. "Doc" or C. K. Rash, formerly lived in this county and has two brothers--James and Frank--who reside in York township. He is also a brother-in-law of Orin Coffrin who resides about four miles north of this city, the two gentlemen marrying sisters by the name of Reece. The news of the tragedy has cast a bloom over the locality where the family was known. The dispatch which follows explains itself: Wayne, Neb., Jan. 18.--C. K. Rash returned home last night from a revival meeting and murdered his wife and three children. When the sheriff and coroners reached the house the dead bodies of Mrs. Rash and her ten year-old son lay on the floor, frightfully gashed, and the two younger children lay dead on their beds with their heads mashed to a jelly. The deed had been done with three pieces of soapstone. When the sheriff entered Rash was sitting in the window and made no offer of restance. [sic] It is supposed that Rash's mind had become unbalanced as the results of the excitement at the revival meetings.

“RELIGIOUS FANATIC MURDERS FAMILY
“Tragedy entered the Clarence K. Rash home in Wayne county when Mr. Rash took the lives of his wife and children on February 3, 1897. Mr. Rash had attended revival meetings in Grace Methodist church two miles west and six south of Wayne [village]. The evening was cold. Rash stood by the stove during part of the service. On top of the stove was a soap stone about 18 inches long, with handle on one end. The minister kept this hot and used it to warm himself when returning home after the meeting. As Rash left the church he took with him the soap stone. The revival services seemed to arouse Rash’s fanaticism, and when he reached his home two miles south of the church he killed his wife, Mrs. Julia Rash, and his three little children, Hugh, Estella and Reece, with the stone. After the brutal deed Rash sat until the next day amidst the battered bodies of his family. When neighbors informed Sheriff Ed. Reynolds of the happening, the sheriff went to arrest Rash, who did not resist. He admitted having beaten the members of his family on the head with the soap stone.

“The brutal murder aroused mobs to gather at the jail and threaten to lynch Rash. So great was the threat of 60 men Saturday night, February 7, that Sheriff Reynolds took Rash to Lincoln the Monday following for safe keeping.

“As it was thought Rash could not get a fair trial in Wayne county on account of prejudices, the matter was taken to Pierce county [next county to west]. The application for change to Pierce county was filed by J. W. Rash, 43, brother of Clarence K. Rash. The matter was tried before District Judge A. A. Welch June 8, 1897, at Pierce. Frank Fuller was counsel for the Defendant. Rash was judged insane and was sent to the state institution at Norfolk. He was very quiet and talked of the crime without excitement. He said he was sorry God told him to kill his family.”

Clarence Rash murders family; much the same information as in Nyberg, except:
“In the spring of 1899 C. K. Rash was released from the hospital at Norfolk and left for Missouri. Later Mr. Rash married a second time but did not come back to Nebraska.”

Rash, Clarence, servant, white male, b. Dec 1863, 36, single, b. MO, fa b. IN, mo b. KY, day laborer, able to ready, write, speak English
with family of Daniel Peterman, 28, b. Germany, farmer & wife Lena, daus. Emma & Hattie, s-in-law Emma Richard

Wiffinson, Chancy, 25, married once for 2 yrs, b. NE, fa b. Germany, mo b. IL, farmer, rents farm
, Winnifred, wife, 21, ma once for 2 yrs, b. NE, fa b. MO, mo b. NY
Rash, Clarence, uncle, 46, widower, b. MO, fa b. IN, mo b. KY, farmer

Clarence K Rash
Birth: Dec. 1, 1863
Death: May 23, 1916, Missouri, USA
Burial: Saint John Cemetery West , Putnam County, Missouri, USA

Parents: Thomas V Rash (1819 - 1886), Matilda J Rash (1827 - 1904)
Memorial# 81472724

St. John Cemetery, Sherman Township
Rash, Thomas V. d. 4 June 1886, age 66 yr. 10 m, 29 d [father of Will "Doc" Rash]
, Matilda J., d. 10 Mar 1904, age 76 yr, 5 m, 8 d
Rash, Clarence E., b. 1 Dec 1863, d. 23 May 1916

Reece Family History, From Alice Fay Scott
In a fit of temporary insanity, "Doc" Rash killed his wife Julia and 3 small children, using a flat iron. Yrs. before, "Doc" and Frank Rash's father had ended his life by suicide. Eventually, "Doc" Rash also committed suicide.