Bentley, Matthew 1841 - 1912

BENTLEY, COOKE

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:46

Source: Decorah Republican Apr. 18, 1912 P3 C2

A TERRIBLE TRAGECY.
An Old Winneshiek Resident Kills His Wife and Himself.
Fred Thomas last week received notice of the death of Matthew Bentley and his wife at Siloam Springs, Ark. Mr. Bentley will be remembered by the older residents as a citizen. He left Decorah a number of years ago. Mrs. Bentley’s remains arrived in the city Monday and were buried in the cemetery beside her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Cooke. Her brother Frank J. Cooke came down from Minnesota to be present at the interment.
When the news of the death came it ws not known what was the cause. It afterwards developed that an awful tragedy had been enacted. From the Daily Free Press of Siloam Springs, Ark., of the date of April 11th we get the following particulars:
“Wednesday noon M. R. Bentley shot his wife in the head twice with a 38 calibre revolver, and then turning the weapon shot himself in the temple. The act was committed at the family home. When Mrs. Bentley was found she was lying in a pool of blood on her face. One ball entered the chin and went through the neck, the other entered her ear and ranged downward. It is supposed that the first shot was fired as she was facing her husband and she fell over and to make sure of death the second shot was fired as she was lying down. When the marshal arrived he began search for Mr. Bentley and found him in an adjoining room lying in a pool of blood, the resolver on one side and a hand mirror on the other. It is supposed he sat down on the floor and used the mirror to place the weapon. His brother John, living in the country, was notified and he came immediately and took charge of the remains.”
M. R. Bentley, or Matt as he was generally known, was born in England and came to this country with his parents when only a boy. About forty-two years ago he married Agnes Cooke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Cooke, well known citizens of the county some years ago. Mr. Bentley, after farming in Madison for a number of years, sold out and moved to Decorah. He left here for Nebraska where he lived a long time, moving to Arkansas a few years ago. He was always a money maker and money was his god. He was the{sic} constantly trying to accumulate and always disliked spending any, even for the necessaries of life. He was penurious with his wife, so much so that she for years made her own spending money by fancy work and painting rather than ask her husband for money. He was 71 years of age at death and considered very wealthy.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows he was born Feb. 3, 1841 and died April 10.,1912. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Siloam Springs, AK.