Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1894-06-21
TRAGEDY UNEQUALEO.

,r,,. FAMILY starving. This
probably Caused the Trag-
oav. An Infant Girl ana
Twin Boy Brothers the Dea"'
A tragedy In which four persons
.o murdered and one committed
.uieIde was enacted at an early nour
Thursday morning at Oramer Ill.,
email settlement on the outskirts OF
romdep. After midnight Johann
U~9man. of 2s13 Cleeland street,
arose from his bed, and with some
sharp instrument, probably a razor
amt the throats of his wife and three
children. Then, washing the blood
rom his person, he dressed himself
neatly and committed suicide by
hanging.
The Kuffman's lived In a two-story
house on the outskirts of the town.
They moved from Trenton three weeks
400. The family consisted OF the
father and mother, baby girl about
a month old, and boy twins. Kuff-
man was out of work most of the time'
only putting in a few days. employ
ment at the Kensington Sugar Re-
fnery. He was very poor, and his fall
ure to secure permanent posltlon'
and conse quent suffering for want OF
the necessities of life, probably caused
him TO become respondent, bordering
on insanity. He was about fifty years
old. and his wife was not over twenty
two.
The closed shutters of the house In
the morning first excited the suspicion
of the neighbors that something was
wrong, as the family was known to be
In the house on the preceding night,
and as late as twelve o'clock light
was seen burning In the second-story
front room. John Hartman, who lives
nearby, acquainted Justice Schmi'z
with his fears that all was not right,
and the two proceeded to the house.
They forced open front window, and
after striking light, stepped into the
room.
A ghastly sight met their gaze.
Hanging from a nail driven In the
frame of the doorway was the body OF
Huffman. As soon as they recovered
from the shock, they cut the body
down. 1t was rigid in death.
They next went into the adjoining
room. Lying on her face on the floor
was found the body of Mrs Kuffman,
with her head nearly severed from the
body. Around the room was blood on
the walls and furniture, showing that
the woman had made brave fight for
life.
With quick beating hearts and ashen
faces, the men then went up stairs to
where the three children were known
to have slept. The first object that
they saw, was the body of the baby.
Its head hung to its body by thread,
In the next room on the bed were
found the bodies of the twin boys, five
years old. They also had their throats
cut.
There was every evidence that after
cutting the throats of his victims, Kuff-
man shook them SO that the blood
might flow freely. This was no doubt
the reason why they were all placed
on their stomachs. The faces of the
children did not indicate that they had
suffered greatly, but the look on the
face of the mother was agonizing.
Both of her hands were clasped as
though she had with her dying
strength, pleaded for her life.
After committing the murders Kuff-
man divested himself of his night
shirt, which was covered with blood,
and after washing himself, put on his
oest clothing. Before committing sui
cloe, he combed his hair and shaved.
A thorough search of the premises
was made. but no papers were found
snat might throw any light on the
tragedy. On the wall in a frame was
marriage certificate, showing that the
TWO had been married In Trenton by
Nev. Jacob Allen, on April 18th, 1871
inere Is no doubt In the minds of
nelghbors that the crime was the out
come OF despondency. The Kuffmans
naa been living in debt with the grocer
ana other tradesmen since they came
70 the neighborhood, and have recent
" been refused further credit. They
nave been suffering from hunger, and
nave for nearly week been fed by
0nafitably disposed persons.
oounty Physician Iszard and Cor
onefs Ross and Justice have taken
0nafge OF the case. DIR. Iszard ex
pressed as his opinion that the MUIR
aers were committed between two and