Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-11-11
4 Parallel 20 the smell Murder.

cious murder, resembling in many re-
spects the slaughter four years ago OF
Amos j. Snel was committed last
night at Melrose, a station on the chi
cago 4 Northwestern road twelve
miles from this city The victim was
Ernst Kunneth, an aged German cap
italist, who lived by himself. had no
enemies and bore an excellent reputa-
ton as good citizen. kunneth al
ways kept kept considerable money in
the house. hut none OF it was touched.
The murderers for there were two OF
them, did not commit the crime for
robbery but to gain possession otsome
documents which the old man had. A
box containing these papers was the
only thing carried away.
Alto o'clock DIETRICH Woechter.
who is a Tenant OF kuhnen's, called
at the house to pay mis- rent. lie
knocked repeatedly but received no
response. lie tried the door and find
ing it unlocked, walked in. In the
dining room close beside the table Sit
ting in his chair was Kunnetn. His
head and face were covered with blood
| and the room was literally covered
with dark red stains swift and
powerful blow had cleft the old man.
skull clean to the eyebrows. He new
| of
ment OF death came down.
The alarm was quickly given ana
search OF the premises made. In the
kitchen was found the weapon which
had gone crashing through the OLD
mans brain. twas a huge corn knife
with blade fourteen inches long,
broad and heavy. SO fearful had been
the blow that the heavy steel was
shivered and cracked half across.
Upon the table stood a bottle OF gin
and glasses. Two chairs were facing
that in which the blood stained corpse
was found. showing that two men
must have been with Kunneth when
the deed was done. Two half-smoked
pipes were lying near the bottle OF gin
Around the house were marks OF CORY
hands and OF feet wet with blood.
Drawers had been pulled open and
their contents overturned. Upon al
most everything the murderers touched
they left the stain OF their victim &
blood. Money they had found, for it
lay in omen sight when Wocchter en-
tered the house but it was not touched.
The only thing missing was the tin
box in which kunneth kept his papers
ami which was always kept beneath
the bed.
There is at present only one clew tc
the murderers. Mrs. George Johns,
n neighD Dor OF Kunneth's saw him ias'
night in company with German who
had been hanging around the vill9gt
all day. He claimed to be from the
same town in Germany as Kunnetf
and they became very friendly. They
were seen by Mrs. Johns to enter tine
old mans home ana that was the las
time he was seen alive. He is sup
posed to be one OF the murderers. q
the contents OF the tin box nothing il
, known, save that it contained all the
: deeds to the OLD mans property, hi
, notes and mortgages. Kunneth hat
. in his possession some valuable paper
, involving the title OF an estate in Nur
temburg. Germany, in which he wa
. interested. These could not be fount
: last night and it is supposed that the.
, too were carried away. kuuneth SAT-
j. some months ago that parties, who's
i. names he did not give were eudeavor
a ing to obtain these papers from him
= out that he had declined TO give then
. up. 1t is supposed that he lost hi
i. life in the attempt to retain them.