The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-27
How He Killed Mrs. Haskc. Her Two
Children, sheriG Null, Deputy
sweem and Himself.
THE MURDERER'S FUNERAL
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT TIE
CHURCH AND TEE CEMETERY.
Parke County's Pretty Seat Crowded
All Sunday with Curiosity-Seekers
from Far anc Near.

Special 20 the Indianapolis Journal.
ROCKVILLE. Ind. April 2s.-This pretty
city, the seat OF Parke county. was to-day
the mecca OF thousands OF curiosity seekers.
drawn here by reports Of the sextup.e
tragedy enacted Saturday. which had spread
near and far. Great crowds OF people
thronged the streets all day. They came in
buggies. hacks and on bicycles. all filed
with desire to see the remains of Alfred
Egbert's victims. Many were from the sur
rounding towns and counties. Some came
from Paris, ILL.,. and brought their
entire families. there being many children
In the crowd. They would look ar the stair
way in the National Bank Building. visit
the jail residence, Herman Haske's home.
Mrs. William Sweem's house and wind up al
the undertaking establishment where the
body Of Alfred Egbert rested
The body Of the murderer OF five people
was dressed for burial about 9 o'clock and
photographed. Ii was then put In a casket
and taken 10 the first floor, where IL was
viewed by hundreds of people until o'clock
p. m. At l:s0 the father. mother. two
brothers and one sister took their last fare
well. The mother was driven back homs 10
attend her sick daughter, while the rest OF
the family accompanied the casket to the
Methodist Church. Long before the hour of
the services to begin the church was
crowded. Many people were unable to pro-
cure seats and stood near the windows OUT
side. The Rev. T. +. Drake began by an
nouncing the hymn. 'Frailty of Life" which
the choir sang. This was followed by read
ing the ninetieth Psalm and singing t.s
hymn "Sin Kills Beyond the Tomb" The
text Of the minister's discourse was from
James iv. IA. his remarks being adm 5nI-
ton and instruction TO the living. sEe
casket was not opened at the church. The
services ended at the cemetery. where suliy
twelve hundred people were gathered.
Alfred Egbert's body was buried In the
northwest corner Of the ground. JusI south
a few yards the sexton was digging a grave
for William sweem. to the east was another
for Sheriff w. ID. Null. and to the southeast
are the graves OF Mrs. Haske and two
children. Strange as il may appear. the
graves are all within a stones throw. The
funeral of William Sweem VIII be he'd to-
morrow morning at 10 a. m: in the after
noon that Of Sheriff Null, at p. m. in
charge OF the q. A. r.. The bodies Of Mrs.
Haske and the two children will be buried
Tuesday.
REVIEW OF THE CRIME.
The local excitement over the, -horribie
crime OF which Sheriff Null William Sweem,
Mrs. Herman Haske and two children were
the victims, and the suicide OF the murderer,
Alfred Egbert. has subsided. Esbert lived
across the alley from the home OF Herman
Haske. who works in Centraiia H., AT his
trade as baker. Saturday morning early
Alfred's brother told him to prepare the
wood for Sunday and went to his work I'D
town. Alfred and Mrs. Haske were heard
talking out in the alley by one OF his
brothers while at Breakfast. His brother
now remembers the insane look he gave him.
and believes he narrowly escaped with his
life. Some believe Egbert killed Mrs. Haske
before he secured the gun. When he took
the gun his mother thought he was going
to the woods. He went instead into the
alley. where Mrs. Haske was milking the
COW. Then two shots were heard. some say
three. DR.. W. H. GIllum failed 10 find any
shot in Mrs. Haske's head. and says she
was killed with a blunt weapon as her
skull was crushed in. The little boy Her
man. eight years old. was found dead on
the front portico. Ii Is said Es'bert chased
him around the house and shot him he
got on the poffico. RE tried 10 get into the
house as the door knob was stained with
blood from his little hands and one foot
was partially inside the door The little siTf
sitting room. some think She was shot in
the yard. then ran into the house and feil
where ,f, she was was found s;, The fiye-year-o'd
neghbors house. Doctor Gi.ium picked rs
Nc. shot out or the little boys body Both
children were shot in the stomach and the
| charge scattered and ranged up IN the lace
THE MURDER OF NULL
| After killing Mrs. Haske and the chill
dren young Egbert deliberately walked up
| town. AS he passed along the street sev-
eral neighbors inquired how fsss sister Eas
getting along. as she was very low with
| typhoid fever. He told one woman she
was better, but the woman saw something
was wrong with Egoert. He had the shot
| gun In his hands as he came through the
public square. II was noticed that both
| hammers the gun were cooked. ready for
firing. On the north side he motioned peo-
| pie aside. BY this time his brother had
| notified Sheriff Null. who. with William
| Sweem, were cautioned 10 be very careful
when they arrested him, as he would shoot
| to Kill. They met him in front OF the Ma
| t,onai Bank He motioned them TO keep
away. Sheriff Null trted TO engage his at
tention by talking to aim so ne % could cap >
was armed, and IL is not known way no
started up stairs unless ies ,s to get rife He
| way UP, fell and died In ten minutes.
sweem' was armed also. but did not have a
SsS the sSerifr ri al and IL sseem had their dou5ss s
| about Egbert shooting. Sweem was
| standing on the edge or the sidewalk In
| front OF Hunncutts tewelry store when
| shot. The load entered the right side OF his
neck He fell into the gutter AMI died al
| most Instantly.
sEgbert made his escape. going towards
| fhe fair grounds. His movements were
| watched at a safe distance. Everybody se-
| cured arms and started IN pursuit. The
murderer was shot at while going through
| field. He walked lame from that time.
and climbed over the fence into the fair
| grounds The report OF his gun was heard,
| and ne was found dead In a stall. having
| shot himself. The explosion OF the gun set
fire TO his shirt. Tnat also exploded the
| CARTRIDGES In his belt. badly burning the
| body. He had one shoe of. and the heel
| OF his right foot had been bleeding from 9
| wound ne received in the field.
| The above is a brief review OF the blood
| TEST crime ever committed I'm this county.
| The report sent out from here, and pub
| nshed In many newspapers that tgberts
| sister had died from shock after hearing
| OF the tragedy. Is not true. Miss EFoert3
| condition was improved this afternoon.