The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-07-28
The Arcadia Horror,

The full details of one of the most hor-
rihle tragedies that has ever occurred in
Wisconsin.
The murderer, man about forty years old, his
wife of about the same age six boys ranging in age
from two to fifteen years, and a girl twelve years
from Switzerland They stayed in Arcadia week,
completing the purchase of the farm which was the
scene of the awful tragedy. Nothing unusual was
relatives here say that they lived happily and
neaceahy together. They were in easy crcum-
iaffsf the m mn having lately received
making the 1ual payment on his farm. He
was temperate and industrious man. aud
IN and around the desolate home to-day
can be seen many little evidences Of refinement and
SOFIA! comfort not usual in su3h families. Sunday
morning about O'Clock a .peishbor on his way to
Went to the house. and through the open door was
terrified to Held lying in pool of blood on the
kitchen aoor dead. On the floor of the small bed
all fatally through the head. She was in her night
nothing e';ideuty having been shot while in bed,
as the clothes and head Of the bed which she occu
ic'l were spattered with blood. She was not dead
when the neighhor reached the house, but was uu-
conscious and died shortly after. On tine bed to the
right as he passed into this little room sy the
DEAD BODY OF THE BOY BABY,
little cnrly-headed innocent two-years-old. with
bullet hole extending from the back Of his right
s the bedng oe the bed to the e
and almost over the .prostrate form of the dead
mother Jay another little curly. fellow five
yon think the heart of the cruel father surely
have failed him here aud he was left sleeping peace
fully until the burnt aud matted hair back of bis
the deadly bullet Blood spots on the short fight
of stairs leading from the kitchen to the low attic,
yGh wa; used as see'ps oom for Of the
stopped below and that fear terribly verified
by the awful spectacle above. In the bed
The afo' s's So th direct; oily sr t S'S
her head towards the stairs Her father must have
stopped upon mounting the stairs and fred directly
wound would not prove fatal and completed the
awful work with a Ratchet which was found near
pounded to jelly. In the other bed in this apart
ment slept two boys aged about seven and niue
years. The oldest boy. was sleeping near the wall
the head. the ball entering in front Of the and
passing diagonally through the head and found in
the pillow. Strange to say this boy is still alive
killed with Ratchet, the back portion of the skull
being horribly smashed. The Oldest boy, aged
arn 1os 4o ice slept s
blood leading from the kitchen door to the place
where they slept.
DESTROYED THE LAST HOPE
that the unnatural brute had left portion of his
bloody work undone. On the hay IN ", with their
oxeIas and jackets under their heads for pillows
rest of the family, through the head, the younger
brother dead when found, tbs Older one alive at
this hour, but without hope OF recovery The
bloody monster did his work well. OF the eight
shot but two are alive, and they will probably die
during the da:. After killing the boys in the barn
pscea t6e barre, n hi, to pa the
| right and sent a bullet through his own
head-nt copsummatlon Of 80 bloody q deed.
At his feet lay the instrument that did snch bloody
execution, an old Colts ve-barrel powder and ball
pistol On the table in front Of him lay the follow
ing articles: tho Ratchet used. an ordinary sized
! but formidable weapon having the appearance OF
being lately sharpened with the blunt end clotted
with the blood and hair Of the. victims: a savage
looking butcher knife, just sharpeneds which had
not been used, but had evidently been provided for
| bullet mould, and on the table and floor five fired
| caps, showing that the pistol had been reloaded
One chamber Of the load had not been fred and
! had no cap on and a fresh cap was on chamber
! without load, showing haste and nervousness in
| reloadine it. The crime is 30 unparalleled and
motive for its commission. The murderer has
been respondent and gloomy for the past
three weeks, dissatisfied with his pur-
chase Of the farm and fearful that his CROPS would
fail. His neghbors urged him to sell his farm and
rctusn 10 the old country if he was dissatisfied, but
| long story about countryman who murdered his
| family aud himself under similar circumstances. In
these circumstances, together with the fact that
| Saturday forenoon he quit work in the field COM
! planning that the intense heat had made his head
very sore. will have to be made the only motive.
| That the crime was premeditated is shown by the
fact that the Oldest boy was working for neiehbor
hrd Held sent for him Saturday morning, and that
he did not work in the field Saturday afternoon, but
spent the time at the house sharpening the Ratchet
and butcher knife, making bullets and otherwise
preparing for the bloody work be executed 30 thor
| 0nphlv