The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-11-28
A Horrible Midnight Tragedy Near
jackson. Michigan.

A Horrible Midnight Tragedy Near
jackson. Michigan.
JACKSON, Mich, November o.
This morning four persons namely,
Jacob D. Crouch, aged seventy four,
q widower Henry White, aged
thirty eight, son in law of Mr.. Crouch,
Mrs. Eunice White, aged thirty three,
daughter of Mr.. Crouch, all Of Sum-
NIT, and Moses Policy, aged twenty
six, of Transfer, Mercer County,
Pa, were found murdered in their
beds, all having been shot through
the head, Just behind the ear.
1t is supposed that they had been
chloroformed first, as with one ex-
ception, no signs of "a struggle appear
ed, three of the victims lying as if
asleep and the odor of chloroform
was noticeable when the bodies were
discovered. No clue to the perpe-
traitors of the butchery has as yet
been discovered, although tracks
around the house indicated that a
guard was placed on watch while the
terrible tragedy was being enacted
within.
Mr.. CRoUCH's GREAT WEALTH.
Mr.. Crouch was worth aboutS 1000,
600. He lived seven miles Southwest
of Jackson, and was the owner of an
extensive sheep ranch in Texas. 1t
is rumored that he had just received
about $4,000 from Texas in pay
mentof sales made on the ranch. The
bankers here say that no money was
deposited with them by Mr.. Crouch
and it is presumed the money re-
ferred to was in Mr.. Crouch's pos
session.
Mr.. Policy was stopping at Mr..
Crouch's place, having just come
from Texas with q large amount
of money, for the purpose of buying
blooded stock. The prevailing
theory is that Mr.. Policy was follow
ed by the murderers for the purpose
ofrobbery. The house was thorough
ly ransacked and everything of
value carried away,
HOW THE FOUR WERE SLAUGHTERED.
Mr.. Crouch slept in an alcove
opening into the sitting room, near
the front part Of the house. His
daughter and her husband occupied
a front bed room, while another
bed room, opening into the
parlor, was occupied by Mr.. Policy.
Mr.. Crouch was lying with his face
to the wall, and had a bullet hole in
the left side of his head, two inches
back of the ear, the bali having pas
sed through his brain and caused
instant death. Mr.. White had been
shot twice, one ball entering the
right side of the neck, three inches
below the ear, severing an artery,
and the other entering the right eye.
He was discovered lying on his back
as if peacefully sleeping.
His wife had been shot six times
and judging by the position of her
arms and her disordered clothing,
had made hard struggle for life.
She had two balls through the right
arm, one through the left ,one through
the right breast, which entered the
lungs, one through the chin
and neck and one through the left
wrist.
Mr.. Policy was shot twice, one
ball entering the right ear and pas
sing directly into the brain, and the
other passing through the chest from
the right side. In his case there
was no indication of struggle.
EMPTY CARTRIDGES FOUND.
The Sheriff believes that the shots
were fred by one person and from
one revolver, as a number of empty
cartridges found on the floor are all
of the same calibre. There are con-
flicting rumors regarding the use OF
chloroform. The physicians claim
that none was used, but the theory
of one person having done the shoot.
ing, and the testimony of the neigh.
bors who were first at the scene
that the odor of chloroform was
suffocating, contradicts this opin'
ion.
A young girl, an adopted daughter
of the Whites, and an Is year old
negro, who were sleeping in apart.
ments up stairs, say they heard NO
firing, although the negro says he
heard a humping noise about the
middle of the night and thought it
was caused by fierce wind which
vas blowing at the time.
ARREST OF THE NEGRO SERVANT.
The young negro, who is named
Boles, has been arrested and held tG
await the result of the Coroner's in
quest, which will be held tomorrow
A pocketbook containing S105 and
a certificate of deposit for $500 was
found on window sill in Mr.. Whites
room. An empty box, which had
contained cartridges of 30 calibre
was found in Boles' room.
Mr.. Crouch leaves two sons and a
daughter, Mrs. White was expected
to become mother shortly. There
is intense excitement here. and
hundreds of persons have fiocked te
the scene of the murders.