Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-11-01
SAD SCENES AT THE FUNERAL
OF THE FINER FAMILY.
Three Collins and Five Occupants
Further Details Ofthe Ter
rible Affair.
Especial Dispatch to the Enquirer.l

Especial Dispatch to the Enqurer.l
NEW PHILADELPHIA. Ohio, October
25.-The killing of the Finer family in
Fry,s Valley, near here, is still the all
absorbing topic. A report was circu-
lated here last evening that there was
new evidence showing that the family
might have been murdered for money.
The report, however. is not credited.
Finer was trying to buy piece of land
about week ago, and was to pay, 81
900 for it. The rumur grew out of this.
It is evident that a fearful struggle
took place between Finer and his wife.
When found by the neighbors the wife
Law on'the bed, her hands crossed on her
breast and the cover smoothly drawn
ND to her chin. Her head was hOrrid |
sight. All the right side of the fore
head had been crushed in, and through
the ragged gaps the brain protruded and
her life blood had soaked the pillow.
The white partition wall was hideously
shattered with blood. She was un-
dressed, and had evidently endeavored
to get up after he first struck her.
There were several deep bruises and
cuts on her hands and arms. After
killing her, the husband straightened
her limbs, placed her head upon the
pillow and carefully covered her. But
to make death doubly certain he took
his pocket-knife and cut her throat from
ear to ear.
Whether the babe was sleeping with
its mother or in the crib is not known,
but it had evidently awakened, for
blow on its forehead shows plainly how
its cries were forever hushed. The in
human father then cut its throat and
placed it nicely in the bed beside its
mother. Near by, on an old-fashioned
settee. with its back turned from the
wall so they could not fall out, lay the
other two girls, Fanny and Zella, one
two years old and the other four. Wheth-
er they awakened during the struggle OF
the mother will never be known.
When found they lay in their places
with their throats cut, and between
them lay the bloody shoe-hammer
which had beaten out the mothers
brains.
AS to Finzer's suicide nothing new re-
mains to be told. The theory as tele-
graphed you yesterday still holds good,
and the life of the author Of the great
horror went out mysterously with those
of his wife and little children.
The murdered wife's former name
was Tschudey, and she had been mar
ried to Finer about five years. She had
the reputation of being one of the
meekest and most affectionate OF Wo-
men of the valley. FINER was q good
carpenter, and as their three little girls
came into the world one by one, there
was no happier man than he in the
land. His health commenced failing
him within year past, and he seemed
to grow melancholy. A week ago he
told neighbor that his eyesight was
failing him. and he would probably go
blind. Sabbath evening last his wife's
brother, David Tschudey, had q talk
with him at the gate, but noticed moth
ing strange about his conduct. After
that it is not known that any of the
family were seen alive. Here the cur
tain drops, and all that occurred in that
house that night is only surmise.
The funeral of the murdered woman
and her three little girl babies, together
with that of the murderer and suicide,
took place to-day at ten o'clock, q. M,
at Fry's Valley, Revs. Van Week. OF
Gnadenhutten, and Clewell, of Uhrichs-
vile, officiating.
Mr.. and Mrs. Finer were both mem
bers of the Moravian Church, but ne
didn't worship much at 1t. Inc Ittle
ten-months-old baby was buried in the
same coffin with its mother, lying in
her arms with its head against its moth,
er's cheek. The two other girls, aged
two and four years, were buried in an
other coffin, and the murderer and sui
eide in casket by himself. Four mer
carried Finzer's remains to the Mora
Wan graveyard, near by, as also did
like number preform the last service fol
Mrs. Finer and child, while four little
girls dressed in white carried the coffir
containing the two babies. 1t is esti
mated that there were two thousant
people who passed in line single fil'
near the church to take last look q
the remains of the murderer and hi
victims. AS the great crowd surget
along by the coffins of the murdered
woman and the little children tear
trickled down the brown ckeelzs o
many strong man and the weeping
and wailing of women were heard OF
every side. The scene was simply in
describable. They are now sleeping il
the ouiet church-yard in the valley.