The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-02-24
A TERRIBLE GRIN
Six Persons Found Murders
North Dakota
Indians Thought by some to u"
Been the Murderers-A Mother
and Twin BABY Boys Among
the Victims.

Bismarck. n. D., Febt15sn he horri-
BILE discovery of the murder : six per-
sons was made Thursday mean Winona,
on the Missouri river, about 30 miles
below Bismarck. The wholesale slaugh-
ter occurred at the farmhouse OF Thorn
as Spicer. The affair is shrouded in
mystery. 1t is believed that Indians
may have been the murderers. although
there is nothing 10 substantiate the
theory other than that number or
them are said 10 have been seen loiter-
ing about the neighborhood. 1t is said
they were decked with war paint, which
is considered proof that they were out
for mischief. The dead are: Mrs. William
Waldron, Mrs. William Rouse, twin
baby boys, sons of Mrs.- ksee Rev.
Thomas Spicer. Mrs. Thon,as>Bpicer.
The Tragedy DISCOVERED.
Thursday morning John Spicer,
well-known farmer, was driving out for
a load of wood. and while passing the
house of his brother. Thomas, mile
and "A half from where he lived, he hall
looed TO the occupants. as was his Gus
tom. He received no reply. and after
shouting several times he alightcd from
the wagon and knocked at the door
There was no response and he pushed
open the door. He was Mortified to find
Mrs. William Waldron, the mother OF
Mrs. Spicer, lying dead upon the floor.
A hole was crushed in the skull and the
blood was streaming from the wound.
In the next room he found Mrs. Will
liam Rouse, the daughter of Mrs. Spicer,
and Mrs. Rouse's twin baby boys, about
a year and half old, lying dead on the
lounge Mrs. Rouse had been struck
twice in the back of the head with the
heavy oaken leg Of dining table, and
the children were killed, evidently, by
blows with the same weapon. In the
barn John Spicer found the body of Mrs.
Thomas Spicer his sister-in-law. There
was "A deep hole in her head and n cash
in her chin. evidently produced by
an Ak.
John Spicer returned 10 Winona, and
a large band of citizens, led by the dep
uty county coroner. accompanied him
to the scene of the wholesale murder.
The search was continued. and the body
of Thomas Spicer was found in a cow
shed horribly mutilated. The entire
family had been murdered with the ex-
ception of two daughters OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Spicer, who CHANGED to be away
from home at the time.
William Rouse. husband of Mrs. Rouse
and father of the twin babies. had left
his family only last Monday for the
Cannonball river country 10 fix up new
ranch which he had purchased recently,
and upon which he was about to move.
Messengers were Phi after him, and he
was found only ~, les Always, return
lag.
Search for Murderers.
A coroner's jur,I S impaneled, and
he work of searsI g for clew was
begun. Some bel it was the work
OF Indians, for sci have been seen
near W;nona reed 1t is thought
the murder occu I'd either early
Thursday morninen "Wednesday night.
Searching parties e already set out.
Just opposite VIZ is Fort Yates,
where there are et raj companies of
United States troHY and they will
lend their assista, We in running down
the criminals +<6er was a quiet man,
with no enemies so far as known, and
no cause for theideed can be found. He
was Methodist preacher. He and his
wife were about SO years of age. Mrs.
Waldron was aged about so. and Mrs.
Rouse about 90. All were highly re-
spected. and their fate has caused
great sensation over all this section OF