Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-14

Noble Old Man and. His Wife-NOt Fo
Robbery But Purely For Reyenge-H
Then Cuts His Own Throat From Ea
to Ear-His Last Words.
WENoNA, ILL.,. November IA mos
blood-curdling and atrocious murder wa
committed here early this morning, and tn
city is in fever heat of excitement over th,
issue. Peter Howe, wealthy banker anG
wife, aged rs and SO, lived about half q
mile from the business part of the city. Tht
residence is B. large two-story frame
structure. Here lived the aged couple, with
one domestic.
AT O'Clock his morning, as the domestic
came down stairs. reflection from the lamp
she carried shot through the open door
INTO Mrs. Howe's bed room, and revealed q
CHASTITY sight. The walls and bed-clothes
were covered with blood. Lying on cover.
A CAR COUPLING PIN,
to which adhered hair and clotted blood. :.
The affrighted girl ran to communicate
the terrible story to Irwin, Mr.. Howe's
son-in-law. The latter at once suspected
Charles Burkhart of committing the deed,
and watch was at once placed on the
rooms where he resided with his wife over
grocery store in the principal business
block in the city.
Burkhart was observed walking up and
down the hallway, apparently in great agi-
tation. 1t was not long until ne discovered
that sentinels had been posted outside, and
he went into his bedroom, procured razor
and cut his throat from ear to ear, and
was dead man inside of five minutes.
His wife, who was in an adjoining room,
heard his dying means. On entering the
room, he requested her, as best he could,
to ''care for baby"
THE CAUSE OF THIS TERRIBLE DEED
is attributed to petty spite on the part of
Burkhart. The domestic in the house,
Sarah Richardson, a handsom lass of 10
and Burkhart's stepdaughter, was often
Importuned to come and live with him,
but she refused to do SO, and he thought
Howe and his wife were at the bottom of
her objections. He therefore concluded to
murder them.
Sometime during the early hours OF the
he went out procured a ladder,
entered the second story window, descend |
ng to the room where the fearful crime was |
committed. There was nothing taken from |
jhe room, Burkhart's only desire being |
murder.
Peter Howe, the murdered man, has been |
! resident OF Wenona nearly 80 years, and |
Lmassed fortune here of $260,000. He |
vas very charitable, and possessed spirit |
II philantropis which led him some time
go.
TO ENDow THE HOWE INSTITUTE
It New Iberia, La. and the Baptist Insti-
ute at Memphis, the latter being college
Or the education of INDECENT persons. The
murdered mans wife was a sister OF George
'arks, the Magnolia, Illinois, millionaire.
Burkhart, the murderer, was a dissolute
runken fellow, and very dangerous when
nder the influence OF liquor. Citizens of
Venona emphatically expressed themselves
hat if Burkehart had not committed
uicide, they would have lynched him.
heriff Morrisey OF Ottawa. with three
equities, arrived on the scene at noon, ap-
rehensive OF difficulty OF this kind but
be desperate man chose death rather
han being taken alive.
CHICAGO, November 12.-The coroner,
MS evening, obtained a statement from
he domestic, Sarah Richardson. She said
nat her step-iather, Burkhart. the mur.
erer, came to the house last night,
DID HIS FIENDIsH WORK II
own stairs, then came to her room, told
hat he had done, and after an attempt to
avish her, lett the house. She lay all night
OF daring to give the alarm lest he would
aylay and murder her. Il
Apparently the assassin's motive, aside
ON revenge and liquor, was to enable his
5ep-daughter to come into the possession
sum of money promised her by the
Id folks provided she would stay with |.
lem during their lifetime. 1t would seem
1at the murderer had q crazy idea that,
ith the girl once in possession OF this
Ioney, it would be an easy ma tier for him
} secure it.