Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-23
FOUR MURDERED IN BED.
EACH OF THE VICTIMS SHOT
BEHIND THE EAR.

Girl and a Negro Sleeping up Stairs
not Discovered by the Assassins, and
their Slumbers Observation-Disclosures
the Scene-RObbery the MOtive-The
Criminals Unknown.
JACKSON, MICH. Nov. 22.-This morn
ing four persons, Jacob D. Crouch. aged
"A years, a widower; Henry White, aged
5o, son-in-law of Crouch; Mrs. Eunice
White, aged 80, a daughter of Crouch, all
OF Summit; and Moses Policy, aged 26,
Of Transfer, Pa, were found murdered in
their beds-all having been shot through
the head just behind the ear. 1t is sup
posed that they had been chlorotormed
first, as no signs of a struggle appeared.
each of the victims lying as If asleep. and
the OdOr of chlOrOfOrm was noticeable
when the bodies were discovered. Mrs.
White was also shot through the left arm.
No clue as to the perpetrators of the
butchery has as yet been discovered, al
though tracks around the house indicated
that a guard was placed on watch while
the tragedy was being enacted within.
crouch was wealthy farmer living :
miles southwest of Jackson, and the
owner of an extensive sheep ranch
IN Texas. 1t is rumored that he had lust
received about $4,000 from Texas in pay
ment of sales made in Texas. Bankers
mere state that no money was deposited
with them by Crouch, and it is presumed
that the money referred to was in Crouch's
possession. Policy was stopping at
Crouch's place, having just come from
Texas with a large amount of
money for the purpose of buying
Dlooded stock. The prevailing theory is
that Policy was followed from Texas by
the murderer or muTderers for the purpose
OF robbery. The house was thoroughly
ransacked and everything of value car
ried away. A young girl, ar adopted
daughter OF Whites, and an lS-year old
negro, who were sleeping in apartments
up stairs, say that they heard no firing
although the negro says that he heard a
humping noise about the middle of the
night, and thought it was caused by the
fierce wind which was blowing at the
time. Mrs. White was expected to be-
come mother shortly. There is intense
excitement here, and hundreds of persons
have fiocked TO the scene of the murders
Crouch slept in an alcOve opening into a
sitting room near the front part of the
house. His daughter and her husband Oc-
cupied a front bedroom, while another bed
room opening into the parIOr was occu-
pied 10y Policy. 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
ball having passed through his
BRAIN and causing instant death. White
had been shot twice, one ball entering the
right side of his neck three inches below
the ear, severing an artery, and the other
entering the temple near the right eve.
He was discovered lying on his back as if
peacefully sleeping. His wife had been
~ = fN- ind I,rit h.- h.
tion of her arms and her disOrdered cloth
ing, had made hard struggle for life. She
had two balls through her right arm, one
through the left, one through the right
breast which entered tue lungs, one
through the chin and neck, and one
through the left wrist. Policy was shot
twice, one ball entering the right ear and
passing directly into the BRAN, and the
other passing through the chest from the
right side. In his case there was no indi-
cation of Il struggle. The Sheriff believes
that the shots were fired by one person
ana from one revolver, as a number of
empty cartridges found on the floor are
all of the same calibre. There are con-
1licting rumOrS regarding the use of
chlOrOfOrm. Physicians claim that none
was used, but the theory of one
person having done the shooting,
and the testimony of the neighbors
who were first at the scene that the OdOr
of chloroiOrm was sutfOcating, contradicts
this opinion. \ young negro, who is
named BOles, has been arrested and held
to await the result of the COrOner's in
quest, which will be held tomorrow.
Crouch was worth about s., ,000, 900. He
owned property in Jackson county and
sheep ranches near Fort WORTH Texas.
He leaves two sons and a daughter. A
pOcketbOok containing $105 and a certifi-
cate of deposit for 81, 600 was found on the
window-sill in Whites room. An empty
box, which had contained cartridges, was
found in BoleS' roOm