Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-05
SEVEN FOUND DEAD
Richard Klaettke Murdered His
Family and Killed Himself
OUT OF WORK and Was DESPONDENT
Also Claimed That He Was Men
tally Unsound.
RELIEF CANE, BUT TOO LATE

CHICAGO, February 5.-An entire family
of six-father, mother, wife and three chill
dren-were murdered last night by Richard
Klattke, Lakeview carpenter, who then
completed his work by killing himself. The
dead are:
Richard Klattke, carpenter. thirty-eight
years of age.
Kate K1attke, his wife.
John Klattke, his father, aged seventy
three years.
WilheImine Klattke, his mother, aged
seventy-one years.
Nina Klattke, daughter aged nine years.
Anna Klattke, daughter, aged eight
years
Emma Klattke, daughter. aged seven
years.
The members of the Klattke family
were found dead early this morning in
their little cottage at 2O7 Berseau avenue.
two blocks from Cuyler station, suburb
ON the Chicago and Northwestern railroad.
The discovery was made by Matthew
Brown, saloon keeper. Mr.. Brown wish
Ing some work done, called at the klattke
residence to secure the services of the car
penter. He raped on the door, but there
was no response. Knowing that the Klatt-
ke'S were early risers, he became sus-
picious and called neighbors, and then
broke in the door.
The Discovery.
In the house he found the seven corpses.
Each lad a bullet wound in the head. In
each case the ball had penetrated the brain
and death had evidently been instantane-
Gus.
Beside the body of Richard Klattke lay
e revolver, and empty cartridge shells were
scattered about the rooms. One peculiar
feature was the lack of any indication of
q struggle on the part of any of the vic
tins, and heavy odor, which appeared to
be that Of chloroform. pervaded the house.
From this it surmised that Richard
had first chloroformed the entire family
and had then at his leisure taken deliber-
ate aim and had put the bullet into the
brain of each
Mr.. Brown took a hasty survey only of
the premises and then FASTENED to send
word to the police, and detail of officers
was sent to the scene in a patrol wagon
and a more careful examination was made
Of the surroundings. There seemed but
little more to complete the tale told by
Brown Everything pointed to a delib-
erately planned murder by the head Of the
family and a desire to place himself and
family beyond any further earthly troubles.
Klattke was de spondent. HIS family were
cold and rgry. Since Christmas he had
teen out OF work and he ended his troubles
just relief was in sight.
Relief Came Too Late.
Adolph Schmidt called at the cottage with
the joyful news that he had found a job
for Klattke. At the same time Matt
Brown arrived on the same errand. They
came too late, just how much no one
knows, for the bodies were cold when dis
covered.
A close examination of the remains
showed that one Of the victims alone had
any warning of her fate This was Mrs.
klattke, the wife of the murderer. She, 1T
appears, had struggled with her husband
before the fatal shot was fired Her hands
We're scratched and her clothing torn. She
had evidently been overpowered and
thrown the bed beside the dead body of
her little seven-year-old daughter Emma.
Both were found in the rear room of three
Of which comprised the one story above
the basement of the little frame cottage
where they lived
The pillow end bed clothing were satu-
rated with blood, which had flowed from
the wound in the right cheek just below
the eye of each The bullets had been fired
at close range and the faces of the VIC
tins were burned and torn by the force of
powder.
The spot for the re, divers mark was
carefully chosen and was the same in each
of the victims.
On a chair lay a milestone and two
knives, each CT which had been sharpened
to the keen edge of a razor. 1t was evil
dent that Kla.tke had prepared for pos
Siphc u his TSNOfVeT ana ndQ ar
ranged for a sure substitute if needed.
Was Not Destitute.
Later-The police theory as to the use
of chloroforn is not borne out by Dr.
Friend who v as called in by the neighbors
The doctor failed his arrival to notice
the characteristic odor of the drug. A
search was made for bottles which might
lave contained chlorofornl, but none were
fO1n6 of nIo lot,
might have been saturated with 1t. If a
soporiflc was used it was probably admins
tered in food, and it Is considered that
morphine was probably the agent selected.
Neighbors of the dead family say that
k!attke was driven to desperation by his
plisfortures and inability to secure work
On the other hand d quantity of potatoes
and other provisions was discovered in the
mouse and in a bureau drawer was 81. The
police and physicians reached the conclu-
sion that Klattke was mentally unsound
and his act was the result of brooding over
a recent similar crime in this city, the per-
Petrator of which was Jens Hansen a