Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-10
THE FOLSOM HORROR.
A Crime So Shocking that it Cannot be
Fully Described

l v.
aged couple, residents of Folsom for
quarter of century. Since the publication
of the facts then at hand we have received
| the evidence taken at the Coroner's in.
quest Thursday evening.
The following jury were sworn by Cor
oner Clark Chris. L. Ecklon, J.. W Grace
Geo. c. Custer, H. c. Lawson, E. A. Jones
1. Sonles. Jacob LYMAN. J. L. Houx, Jas
Stanton, A. W. Jurghens, C. Zimmerman
and Charles Wiber.
City Attorney Anderson-acting as Dis
trict Attorney, in the absence of Mr.. Buck
ley from the county-made statement OF
the offices of the jurors, and that for reas-
ons of public policy no details would be
attempted, and that the inquest would be
confined to the cause of death, age and
nativity.
Thomas Burke, youth of the age of II
years, testified to the discovery of the
murdered couple at 25 minutes past s
o'clock A. NJ, while delivering milk at the
residence of Mr.. Kay. He informed Billy
Nichols of THE discovery.
VIM. Nichols stated that he at once Wis
tied the scene, and described the situation
as he saw it; that he saw Mrs. Kay dead
the floor with a knife in his neck.
John McComber was sworn and said:
am Constable of Granite township known
Sam and Sarah Kay for twenty-five years; ;
Sam was "a years of age and Sarah 66
years; they are natives of England; they
were both alive last night; found them
both murdered this morning at half past s
o'clock; blow from a hammer caused
Sam kay's death; there was bowie knife
stuck through his throat; either
wound would have produced death. A
lamp was still burning in their bedroom
this morning at half-past s. 1t was on the
floor near the bed, and near can of oil,
which was leaking. The house had been
ransacked. Bureau drawers had been
opened and searched, and contents scat
tered about. Papers had been overhauled
and put back in a desk The drawers had
been locked, but the desk had been forced
open with a miners pick. The safe had
been broken open, and the pick was used
for that purpose. Don't know of any
money being taken. Don't think Kav
was in the habit of keeping much money
in the house. Kay has son-he is a step
son of Mrs. Kay, aged about 50 years.
When here, resides with his parents. Sam
Kay was lying with his head east. Mrs.
Kay was in the woodshed, with her head
west, and large pool of blood at her side.
DR.. c. NJ. Slaybeck, the surgeon, who
made the post mOrtem examination, de-
scribed the wounds, and proclaimed them
fatal.
THE VERDICT.
Several jurors seemed impatient 10 get at
some of the theories. but were cut short.
The jury returned the following verdict:
We, the jury sworn by j. F. Clark,
Coroner, to ascertain the cause OF
the death Of Samuel Kay and Sarah
Kay, found dead at their resi-
dence in Folsom on the morning of
October y 1885, find that Samuel Kav
was of the age of Ga years, and a native of
England that Sarah Kay was 66 years of
age, and a native of England. That they
came 10 their death violently, on the night
of October 9TH or morning of October 8,
1885, at the hands of some person or per-
sons to the jury unknown, and were
brutally murdered. That knife and ham
mer were used to cause the death of Samuel
Kay, and that the death of Sarah Kay was
caused by knife wounds-all of which were
inflicted with intent to commit murder"
THE SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY
Battles all description. The victims were
killed upon the same spot within five
feet of the kitchen door of their residence
Mrs. Kay had evidently been called to the
door, and was Immediately seized by the
throat and stabbed. as the blood spot was
within fifteen inches of the threshold. Her
throat bears the marks of the thumb and
four fingers of the right hand of the assas-
sin, while one fatal stab is in the right
breast, which caused City Attorney Ander-
son to at once conclude that the murderer
was left-handed. The marks of the blood
on the floor showed that she had been then
dragged by the legs and thrown into the
woodshed, where she was found next morn
ing. 1t is concluded by the officers that
she was murdered some time before her
husband, and that the murderer then COM
menced his search for plumber, and went
into the front part of the house, which is
occupied as small hardware store
ONE OF THE PECULIAR FEATURES
Is the fact that new Ratchet was found in
every room in the house, where they had
evidently been placed by the assassin. 1t
is supposed that after the murder of Mrs.
Kay, the murderer was on the lookout for
her husband, and when he heard him COM
ing he took large rivetting hammer and
stood behind the kitchen door. at the very
spot where Mrs. Kay was stabbed, and upon
Rays entrance struck him a blow upon the
right temple with the hammer, crushing
his skull and producing instant death. The
City Attorneys theory of the crime being
committed by a left-handed ] an is here
again disclosed by the peculiai position of
the body and his entrance in he kitchen
door. This theory is sustained by the fact
that Mrs. Kay must have been lemoyed to
the wOodshe1 sometime prior to Kay's en-
trance as he could not have entered the
door unless this was done. The body of
Kay bears three knife wounds in the abdo-
men, and the knife, which is such as is
known as a Chinese bowie, knife, was found
stuck through his neck, and bore evidence
of having been driven into the floor by a
hammer.
THE CONDITION OF THE PREMISES
Shows that the murderer must have occu-
pied several hours between the murder and
his departure in searching the house, as
every conceivable part, from the cellar up
had been overhauled. The pick that was
used in breaking the safe was an old one,
and had fresh red clay upon it, showing
that it must have been brought some dis
lance. There were spots of blood upon the
pick, in about the position that the thumb
of the left hand would make. The papers
of Sam Kay were kept in an old metallic
vessel with movable cover, and disclosed
only slight displacement, the principal
bundle not being disturbed. In the bed
room of Mr.. and Mrs. Kay was found a
lighted lamp placed near a can of rubber
paint with the stopper out. and the floor
and portions Of the bedding were saturated
with oil. 1t is presumed that this was
intended to set fire to the house, but Just
how it was to be consummated is not clear.
There was small piece of candle on the
dinner-table.
ANOTHER SINGULAR FEATURE
Was the fact that a small pocket-knife,
with buckhorn handle, was found on the
floor of the dining groom, with marks OF
jelly upon the point. A further inyestiga-
ton showed glass of jelly which had been
opened with knife and partially eaten,
which it is thought was done by the muir
derer after the commission of the crime.
While all the rooms were ransacked, it was
discovered that Mr.. Kay's gold watch and
chain were hanging in their accustomed
place at the head of his bed in plain view,
unmolested. There ale various theories of
the crime. One, that the son of Mr.. Kay,
who had a quarrel recently with his father,
came home in the evening and murdered
his father and stepmother i'll order to Sc
cure the will that he supposed was in the
house, and destroy it, thus securing the in
heritance, and that the search among the
papers discloses this intent. Some of the
citizens seem to think this theory strength
ened by the fact that there were found two