The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-13
THE w HEN
Prominent Illinois Banker and Ills Wifs Bru-
tally Murdered by Drunken ScoundreL

wESoSA, H.. Nov. 12-This village is in
fever of excitement over double murder. fol-
flowed by the suicide of the assassin, this morn
ing. The victims OF the brutal assassination are
Peter Howe. senior member of the banking
firm OF Howe & Son. of this place, and his wife,
the former aged seventy-three, and the latter
sixty nine. They lived in a large two-story
frame house, situated about half a mile from
the business portion Of the town. The only
other occupant OF the house was o domestic
At o'clock this morning, she came down
stairs from her bedroom to begin her daily
duties, the hight of lamp which she carried
fell through the open door Of
Dir. and Mrs. Howe's bedroom and
revealed ehasty sight Tue walls and bed
clothes were covered with blood, aud lying on
the coverlet was a coupling pin. to which
adhered hair and cloited blood. She ran to
communicate the terrible story to Mr. Irwin,
Mr.. Howe's sonin-law. The latter at once sus-
pected Charles Burkhart Of committing the
decd, aud q watch was placed on the rooms
where he resided with his wife over a grocery
store situated in the principal business block Of
the town. Burkhart was observed walking Nd
agitation. 1t was not long until he discovered
that sehtinsls had been posted outside, and he
went into his bedroom, procured razor. and
cut his throat from ear to ear, and
was a dead man inside Of five minutes.
His wife. who had been in the adjoining
room, heard his dying moans. When she en-
tered the room. he requested her. IS best he
could, 20 'care for the baby The cause OF
arrih Ia 1aaAf efpif 1taA ~ matt anti
on the part Of Burkhart. The domestic in the
house of the murdered couple, Sarah Richard
son. handsome girl OF nineteen, and Burk-
harss sSep-daUghter, was often importuned TO
come and live with him. but she refused to do
SO. and he thought that the Hs~es were at the
bottSm OF her obi jectiona He therefore concluded
20 murder them. Sometime during the early
hours OF this morning he left hIs apartments
procured ladder. and entered q second story
window, descending to the room where the fear
full crime was committed. Nothing was taken
from the room, Burkharts only desire being
murder.
Peter Howe, the murdered man, had been
resident of Wenona for nearly thirty years, and
had amassed fortune of $250000. He was very
charitable aud possessed q spirit OF philanthropy
which LED him, some time ago, TO endow the
Howe Institute at Now iberia, La. aud the
Baptist Institute at Memphis, Tenn. the latter
being college for the education of INDECENT
persons Of both races. The murdered wife is o
sister of George Parks, the Magnolia I'LL mill
ioDsire.
Burkhart. the murderer, was q dissolute,
drunken fellow. and very dangerous when
der the influence of lquor The citizens OF
Wenona emphatically express themselves to tbs
effect that had not Bnrkhart committed suicids
they would have lynched him.
Sheriff Morrssey. Of Ottawa. with three dep
uties. arrived on the scene at noon. app-ehen-
sive of difficulty of this kind. but the desperate
man chose death in preference to being taken
alive
The coroner this evening obtained q state
ment from the domestic Sarah Richardson. She
said that her step-fathsr, Burkhart, the MUIR
derer. came TO the house last night. and did his
horrible work down stairs; be then came to he-
ROOM told what be had done. and after an at
tempt to ravish her, left the house. She lay all
Night not daring TO give the alarm. Apparently
the assassin's motive, aside from revenge and
liquor TO enable his step-dsuehter TO come
In possession of a sum OF money promised her
by the old people, provided she would stay with
them during their lifetime. lt would seem that
the murderer had crazy idea that with the
girl once in possession of this money il would
be an easy matter for him to secure il.