Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-01-15
THE STATE AT LARGE.
KILLED BY A SAND BAG.
The Seventh Tragedyin the KnOch Family

murdered and burned near Springwclls on the
night OF December l6, died on New Years day.
IL was supposed AZ the time that the old Indy IS
death was caused by heart disease, and hasten
tened 10y the terrible tragedy oi few weeks
previous
Before her death Mrs. Knoch had made a
request that Justice RoulU of sprlngWolls, he
called. \ messenger was dispatched for him.
but before his arrival the lips were sealed In
death.
The doctor who had been summoned detected
evidences OF poison. and al onsc notified the
officers. who ordered him 10 make u post NOR
TEN. This was done, and the stomach and
intcstncs were given 10 the doctor FOR
mcrOscopical examination. When this
part az the examination had been concluded
attention was next turned 20 the examination
ul Tie head, although from symptoms reported
a attending her illness and death little was
expected 10 result Upon careful inspection
thr upper portion Of the right ear showed en-,
culoratlou, but the marks were so faint that
they were dismissed az first a. of slight con
sequence. When the scalp had been turned
back. however the quick eve OF the doctor dc
tcctcd discOioratiou of the temple bone on
the right side OF the head. On applying the
knife and pressing gently upon the fran bone
10 gave freely and disclosed a creylce, extend
lng partially along the line at the bone an "A
half circle. Again and again the doctor app
piled the test aud each TIN. the slight
crcyicc opened before his ccutle pressure
After the crown Of the skull Was removed the
line Of the fracture was more easily traced.
10 started httlc above and back OF the right
ear, following the Nuc Of the temple bone and
then continuing obhoucly downward uutA IL
reached the large bone back of the ear, aud 10
the base OF the skull At about the center of
this fracture another fracture started aud ran
outward in straight course toward the eye.
There were also indications OF other small
fractures which were II so slight extent that
they could not be- traced easily Fractures II
al almost similar character and eNtCut were
found on the left side OF the skull The Oase
of the sphcnold bone on the inside Of the brain
was found 90 be- dead. An aute-mortem clOl
of blood was found, but had evidently been
partially removed hy absorption Nearly
the entire brain aud covering showed
evidence Oi congestion but not
nearlt SO much as the doctors expected 20 md.
more careful examination Of the. scalp dis
covered number Of discoloratiOus The
marks had evidently undergone the several
changes Of black and blue and we're nearly on
the point OF vanishing This would indicate
that they had been inflicted a. some time from
one 10 three weeks previously.
such fracture and such bruises. said one
OF the doctors. could only result from force
iul. contact with some blunt instrument with
soft covering 4 sandbag could have done IL.
il might result from the blow OF powerful
mans inst Under some peculiar ana highly
improbable circumstances n might pc the re.
suit of an accident ANYHOW. Wc have found
tNoiractures IN thie skull, 10 is for the OIL
cer, t1 lclrn bow and under what D,rcum
stances they v re sustained
The ,herIA rs ~ once informed Of he re
suit OF the post mortcw and proceeded a. the
house OF tAc kUODh'- and arrested tie tWO
young men Herman aud Gus knuCh, and toOk
item 20 jail ln Detroit IL be following morn
lng thc daughters and Son-iv law OF Tie elder
Mr. kuutL were arrested.
The death 90 Mrs Elizabeth kuoch registers
thc sD.eath violent death IN thD family during
five years Inc awful average o' AN untlmciy
death every nine months fora period of uNv
wears is thr record. The tragic history opcus
Aug. q, $50 when Christian knoch, the faith
er OF the household, was supposed 10 have
been Kicked 70 death by horse
After the tragic death OF the father Charles
the favored son, assumed the management Of
the fatnIlf alfaI,
In November, l,s2 shortly after assuming
the mana- n nj Of Affairs Charles made APP
plcation ~ uaSea brother, Herman, who had
shown signs ~ insanity aud attempted 20 Kill
his mothe! ana sisters, removed t. Pontiac
asylum. soon alter making this application
Charles disappeared, and nothing Fa~ known
Of him until spring came. anu t4r Ice i'm the
river began 90 break NJ and disjgurcd
corpse Was pulled from the river 40 Prtitc,Ote,
below SanGVIch y heavy pump chain WAS
tied about his waist, and large loops in IL in
dic,cd that tine body had been heavily weight
cd With stones. 4 scar ou the hand ana a card
in The pocket Indicted that the gha.tlv ln4
was the body OF Charles knOch. An inquest
was held. 1h, Developed he startling fact
that the chain around the body was one taken
from the knoch house II was fastened Ia
places hr copper wire and this, also, was
similar Oh wire found 40 the kuoeh homestead.
Alter Charles disappearance The duties Of
head Of the family had fallen On Frank. Her
man. the Youngest brother was az The Pontiac
asylum. GU,tyuS. the second brother, assisted
Frank Iu tac forW dGtie. There was
apparent harmony under Franks manage
mcut until bis marriage. This
displcl-cd some members OF the hn0chs
family add Frank erected little house about
u mile from Dis Wuthcr's and began house.
keeping lvGHtfic ones came 10 gladden. the
hearts Of Frank and bis wife, and all went
well until midnight az Dec. IT, last this peace
fui lwuiI, persisted Father and mother were
shot through the brain The children were
hUtctcr,j with ccaycr. lhcu the little
house Was given 20 the torch. and when the
f.iur- t.lr'i rui fulf o,tprW,a aud a!acheNcI
Iuus. Hgru aIl that remained % Frank
kuo,h'- lami.t. hc details of his most bot
rhlc Guadrupe tragedy are stiA too fresh iu
the minds Oi The readers 20 be- rcAcarscd
Ibis made the sixth untimcly death. The
record seemed complete. Gustatus had be
come head Of the household. Ills mother
was lis Onlt superior and she held bat
dover interest l.Je estafe-in The property.
Tie elder Mrs. knoch went about her house
hold duties anti Thursday, December 81 she
had been aillng, and seemed 10 be- mentally
depressed and it was an attributed 70 the fact
that -Lc was brOod!nC over her troubles
ON jbc Jlst she went to bed. and the following
morning died The doctor. say Elizabeth
kuoc, died by violence This makes the
seventh tragedy, which Las brought this family
into such wide notoricty Four are left OF tie
family TWO brothers a married daughter and
two daughters, aged u aud IA, all OF whom, as
stated, are under arrest
LATER
Further examination and investigation OF
the remains of Mrs knoch revealed the fact
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