Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-21


Hanging.
PHILADELPHIA, june 15.-Crazed by
dependency over his poverty, John
Kaufman, a laborer, who lived on
Cleveland avenue, North Cramer Hill,
on the outskirts Of Camden, some time
between o'clock Wednesday morning
and the same hour yesterday, cut the
threats of his wife, Rosina, his twin
baby boys and his infant daughter. He
then completed his awful work by
deliberately banging himself with his
ewes fastened upon the spot where two
Of his victims lay weltering in their
blood.
The quintuple tragedy was not dis
covered until last night, and has horri-
fed the community in which 1t oc-
CURED. Hundreds of people besieged
the place at late hour, when County
Physician Iszard and Coroner Justice
arrived on the scene. They found the
house guarded by the entire police force
of Stockton, who had great difficulty in
keeping the crowd outside. After ex-
aiming the five corpses the authorities
ordered them removed to the Camden
mcrgue.
OUT OF WORK FOR WEEKS.
Kaufman was o comparative stranger
in the neighborhOod, having moved
there from Trenton five weeks ago. He
was in destitute circumstances, and had
been out of work for several weeks.
Kaufman rented one-half of a double
frame house, the other half being UNI
occupied. No sign of life was visible
about the dwelling after O'Clock We'd
nesday morning, when Mrs. Kaufman
went to the door and received the bread
delivered daily by John Studinger, the
bakers boy. The fact that the shutters
of the house remained closed all day
| Wednesday and yesterday excited the
suspicious of Frank Hartman, the
nearest neighbor of the Kauffmans, and
| last night he communicated his fear that
all was not right to Justice of the Peace
! William Schmid.
BEHELD AN AWFUL SIGHT.
The latter Immediately visited the
house and, pulling open the front shut
tors, beheld, in the dim light of the
early evening, the body of Kaufman
hanging by the neck between the double
| doors of the first floor rooms. In front
Of him was chair, from which he had
deliberately stepped off TO his death,
while just beyond, in the middle room,
was low bedstead, on which lay the
body of his wife, with her recently-born
child still within her arms. In a room
Just above were found the bodies of the
twin boys, about years of age, almost
devoid of clothing. Their heads were
nearly severed. Both were lying on
| air faa nnt no q
the only furniture of the room.
Just what sort of an instrument was
used by Kaufman in his terrible work
was not determined last night. He had
apparently put it out of his sight and
taking his own life, as there was no
blood on the shirt and pants he had on,
and but little on his hands. His wife
and children were all undressed, and
the fact that the only blood stains were
found on the beds leads to the belief
that the tragedy was enacted after all
had retired for the night on Wednesday.
HAD WORKED BUT WEEK.
Kaufman worked at the Franklin
sugar refinery, in this city, for one week
after moving to North Cramer Hill.
Then he was thrown out of work, and
at about the same time his wife gave
birth to her baby.
Real Estate Agent William Reeves,
of whom Kaufman rented his house,
said that the manspaid his first months
rent in advance, and that the rent fell
due on June Sd. Kaufman went to him
then, and said that he would pay the
rent on the 10th. On that date he par
TALLY explained his circumstances to
Mr.. Reeves, and said that he was unable
to pay tho rent promptly, though he was
not in the habit OF asking credit.
Mr.. Reeves said that Kaufman APP
peared down-hearted over his inability
TO pay, but did not complain, and told
as little as possible of his poverty.
DR.. w. II. Kensinger, who attended
Mrs. Kaufman, said that the family
seemed respectable, but very poor. That
their restitution was pinching was evil
dent from the appearance of the house,
which, though clean, contained no fur
nitura except the bed, crib, the boys
cot, bureau, small table and five
chairs.
Kaufman went to Trenton on Mon
day to endeavor to sell lot, but evil
IDENTIFY failed to do so, as he walked
back, reaching home at a. m. on Tues.
day.
TRIED TO SAVE HER BABE.
The murdered woman was Kauff.
mans second wife. She was OF rather
comedy appearance and about 25 years
old. In addition to her throat being cut
there were several gashes on the side Of
her head, showing that she had made q
desperate effort to save the babe IN her
arms. 1t had evidently required an
effort to loosen her grasp upon the little
one.
The determination that had existed in
the mind of the father was apparent
even in his own death. He had first
driven screw hook in the door frame
put the moose around his neck, fastened
the rope TO the hook, turned around fol
. a last look at his dead wife and baby
and then stepped off the chair. The
rope was little long, however, and hi.
feet rested on the floor. Then he had
evidently allowed the weight of hi!
body to keep the rope taut until lie