The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-01
MURDER AND SUICIDE
FEARFUL TRAGEDY IN FAMILY
OF AN IOWA FARMER

JOhn Blocker Shoots His Wife and Sfx
Children Then Fakes His Own Life-AII
the Children Dead but One-The Wife
Killed With a Shot Gun-The Children
Shot in the Forehead With a Pistol-No
Reason Can be Assigned for the Fearful
Deed
Carroll, Iowa, September 27.-The
slaughter of a mother and her six chill
dren occurred at the home of John Boeck-
CT. a farmer living eight miles northwest
of here last night. Afterward the fendish
or dementeJ husband and father, at
whose hands they died, completed his
bloody work by sending a bullet into his
own head, inflicting a fatal wound. The
family were prosperous Germans and, as
far as is known, lived happily. No mo-
tive for the tragedy has been disclosed.
All are dead but Henry, and he cannot re-
cover from his Wounds.
Blocker had an engagement to help a
neighbor thresh this morning, and on his
not putting in an appearance, his brother.
Henry, who lives about twenty rods away
come. The doors of the Blocker house
were locked and there were no signs of
life about. Henry tried to get in the
mouse, out met no response ana flndiIy ne
kicked in the door and came upon a horri-
bic scene. Blocker, whose wife and baby
slept In a back room. and the three
corpses lay on Il bed. The wife had been
shot in the neck with Il shot gun, which
stood in the corner, the baby had been
shot and it's head crushed with the butt
of a revolver. The man, still breathing,
had a bullet hole high up on the forehead
and by his side was a Smith and Wesson
s~ix-shoDter with two chambers empty.
The Blocker home is a story. and a half
frame house and upstairs Henry and Liz
Zie lay on a bed with bullet holes in the
forehead, the latter dead, the boy still
breathing. In the opposite corner of the
same room Caroline, Christine ard John
were dead, each with a bullet hole in the
forehead, though Caroline had two.
Late this afternoon the bodies were
still untouched, the sheriff and coroner
being occupied in arranging for the in
quest and other preliminaries.
1t is undoubtedly a case of murder and
suicide. The indications are that Blocker
first dispatched his wife with the shot
gun, then used the revolver on the baby,
first shooting it and then knocking out it's
brains with the butt. Blocker then went
up stairs where the five children were
sleeping and killed them. He must nave
used a light, for his aim was affective,
each victim being shot in the forehead.
All but two children met with instant
death, for the blood clOts were under their
heads and two lay as calmly reposed as if
asleep. All except Henry, who is not yet
Cdu "Clo ltIt III Il6 IL bOcCh-
er had reloaded the weapon while up
stairs and evidently sent the second bullet
into the Oldest girls brain just before
leaving the room. Going down stairs he
stretched himself beside thee orpse of his
wife and shot himself. His right hand
was burned by the powder, showing the
rapid use Of the revolver. The weapon he
had borrowed from his brother Henry
last Thursday, remarking that he wanted
it to kill rats in the cellar. 1t Is now re-
called that Blocker had since then prac-
ticed target shooting with it.
Blocker was "a years old and for over
two years lived in the same neighborhood,
in fact on the same farm. He was mar
ried eleven years ago, and after living a
year with his parents moved to the scene
of last nights tragedy, which is almost
within hailing distance Of the old home.
He had been regarded as a prosperous
farmer and only recently bought a 200
acre farm a few miles from the old home
stead. Yesterday he attended Catholic
services at Breda with his wife and some
of the children. Later in the day he was
visited by a neighbor who says that when
he left the Boeckeris home in the even
and not a p~remonition Of the awful
tragedy enacted a few hours later was
given by Blocker or anyone Of the house
hold. Members Of his fathers family say
he had no family troubles, his financial
affairs were in good shape and they can
assign no motive for the terrible crime.
On the other hand it is said that John had
over the occupancy of the farm on which
John lived, and this is assigned by some
As the cause of the trouble which culmi-
mated in murder and suicide. The family
were Germans and highly respected citi-
ZenS.