The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-10-27
CRIMSON CRIME.
A Horrible Murder Committed in
Tuscarawas County.
Christian A. Finser Kills His Wife and
Three Children and Then Com
mits Suicide.
From the Iron valley RoDOrter.l

ing in the peaceful, quiet hamlet Of
Fry's Valley. There, without cause or
provOcatiOn, Christian A. Finser muir
dered the wife of his bosom, the mother
of his infants, then cuts the thrOats of
the three prattling little ones; and end
ed the heinOus sin by placing the muz-
zle of a shot gun into his mouth, and
sent his bloody soul Shrlek1ng TO Its
Maker. The cause of the crime will
never be known, till the books are open
ed to the bar of justice to answer for all
deeds done Co the body.
Christian A. Finser about five years
ago married Sarah Adaline Tschudy, one
of the meekest and most affectiOnate
girls of the valley. She had early been
left an orphan, and was raised by her
grandmother Tschudy, in the house
where she was killed. Mr.. Finser was
a good carpenter and cheerful man,
and when little daughter came four
years ago to grace their home, they felt
that they were in an earthly paradise.
Time sped, and another little girl two
years ago added to their responsibilities
and claimed place in their affections.
Ten months ago the third daughter
came, and the five made as happy a
household as could be found in the
land.
But within the year past the grand
mother died, and the husbands health
was seen to be failing. Still he worked,
but a melancholy seemed to be settling
over him. The death of the grandmother
would probably neceSSitate the sale of
the homestead; and this with his i'll
health made him despOndent. week
or two ago he told neighbOr that his
eyesight was failing him, and he was
afraid that he was going to go blind.
There was nothing particularly notice
able about his conduct at the time, but
now these little incidents are remem-
bered.
Sabbath evening last at five o'clock,
his Wife's brother, David Tschudy, also
young man, stopped at the fence and
talked with him for some time, and did
not notice anything unusual in his talk
or conduct. After that, it is not known
that any of the family were seen alive.
Here the curtain drops, and all that Oc-
Cured in that house that night before
the terrible slaughter, Is only surmise.
There Is cross roads within thirty
Yards; the one road running about north
and south (New Philadelphia being
miles to the nOrth) and the other east
and west. Trenton being four miles to
the east. In the southeast angle of this
crOss-rOad stood this dwelling. Fifty
wards away to the north and across the
east and west road, stood a large, new,
slate-rOOfed school house. One hundred
wards farther lived Samuel SweitZeT,
late a Commissioner of Tuscarawas
county, the two residences facing each
other. One hundred yards direct west,
on little knoll, stands the pretty Mo-
rayian church. A little farther distant
toward the southwest, lived the widow
of John Keiser and some of her children.
About three hundred yards to the east
lives Abram Nusbaum, relative, his
wife having been Tschudy, an aunt of
Mrs. Finser, and one of the heirs. 1t
will thus be seen that the Finser house
was almost the center of circle of
houses, all being within easy hearing.
The FinseT home was StOry-and-a-
half log house originally, but it has been
weather boarded, a verandah built in
front and low frame addition to the
rear. This frame addition was used as
a bed room 10x12 feet, in which was a
bed and settee, and in which the five
slept and where they all were killed.
The other rear room IS kitchen, and is
in the southwest corner of the building.
1t NAV be 12x15 in size, with q broad
partition between it and the bed room,
with door leading through. The room
directly in front of the bed room was
their parlor; and that in front Of the
kitchen was the sitting room. The
ground plan of the house is about square,
with doors in each room so you could go
around through all without retracing
your steps.
Tuesday evening between six and sew
en- O'Clock Mr.. Nusbaum was out doing
his chores, and noticed the Finser COW
in the field. She bawled mOurnfully
and seemed to follow him as he moved
about. He also noticed her udder dis
tended almost to bursting, and saw she
had not been milked for some time. He
walked over to the house, but neither
saw nor heard any one, and thought
they were away wishing. He went to
the stable and found Finser's horse had
eaten everything within reach, and that
it seemed restless and uneasy.
This aroused his fears, and he went
home and told his wife, and she urged
him to 90 aud see what it meant. He
went over to SWeitZer'S and asked If
thew had seen the Finser family go
away, or whether they had seen them
about home. This added to their fears,
SO they determined to go over to the
house and investigate. There were three
carpenters stopping at Sweltzers, and
they, with another neighbOr OF two, went
over. The crowd now consisted of Abb
ram Nusbaum, Louis Keiser, Sylvester
SweitZer, Louis Maughiman, John For
ney and John Swab. They were prOvi-
ded with lantern, and tried the win
dows and doors and found them all fast.
At the back window of the bedroom the
lower corner of the white muslin cur
tain was turned little aside, and hold
ing the lantern up and peering in, they
saw a naked form on the floor. They
also saw spots on the curtain that they
concluded were blood.
They then went around to the OppO-
site side of the house, and took off the
strips from sitting room window, took
out the lower sash and looked in. There
stood Finser's boots with the stockings
laid across the tops; and on the door
latch hung the dresses of the little girls
and on the chairs other clothing. One
man crawled in and opened the door,
and together they went through the
kitchen into the bedroom. There most
hOrrid sight made the strong men turn
pale. On the floor, with his head toward
them and his CHASTITY, mangled face up
turned, lay Christian Finser's corpse,
with stream of elotted blood from his
head to the door.
On the bed in the corner to the right