The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-05
KILLED BY A MASKED MAN.
FARMER soRG MURDERED WHILE
ASLEEP IN BED.

mis- WIFE Awskes In Time e Sec the Murderer
Bury the Bisae or IN Axe In Her Hus-
bands shuii-The Asssssln Escapes, Leaving
Ne Clue. but = Psie IL Arrested on Suspicion.
BUFFALO, Feb. A.-Farmcr Michael Sorg. who
lived two miles from Lancaster. Eric county.
was murdered by q masked man at 4 o'clock
this morning whilo asleep in bed with his wife
and a ycar-old baby. Mr.. and Mrs. Sorg and
seven Of their nine children live in a roomy
farmhouse. 1t was easy for the murderer to
effect an entrance, for the Sorgs were careless
in the matter OF fastening doors and windows,
and Mrs. Sorg thinks the back door was loft I'M
locked. Strange noises awakened Mrs. Sorg
at about 4 o'clock. She opened her eyes
and saw n man standing beside tho bed
with upllfted axe. He wore a piece of cloth
over his face. As she stirred, the muir.
derer swung the axe and the blade
OF It sunk into Sore's head. This was evidently
the second blow. 1t must have been the noise
OF the first that aroused Mrs. Sorg. She at.
tempted to spring out of bed and the handle of
the axe struck her arm as the blow descended.
Then the murderer ran through tho door to tho
veranda and disappeared down the road. In
her night clothes Mrs. SorR ran to a noighbor's
house and summoned Farmer Diemirt. Mr..
Sorg's skull was crushed and the brain exposed,
but signs of life remained until 8 o'clock. A
sum Of money in the dresser drawer had not
been touched, but Mrs. Sorg believes tho object
Of the murderer was robbery. Sorg drew 800
out OF tho bank yesterday. and II is possible that
this fact was known to the murderer.
When questioned by the officials as to her sus-
picions. Mrs. Sorg recalled that Michael Ro-
guski, a Pole, who lives at Depew. recently
bought a COW from her husband and had not
paid in full for 1t. Roguski had a horse which
sorg was anxious TO buy, and Sorg had told Ro-
guski that he would have some money to buy 1t
with after he called at the bank yesterday. Mrs.
Sorg said that a few days ago Roguski drove her
home from the village store in his sleigh, and
complained bitterly that her husband had
cheated him on the purchase of the cow. The
murderer was about the size and build OF Ro-
guski. and while she could not identify him,
hor suspicious were so strong that the constable
arrested Roguski this afternoon at his home in
Depew.
Roguski stoutly maintained his innocence,
but on a search of his house fresh blood stains
were found on the pillow Of his bed. He cx.
planned this by saying that his wife's nose bled
last night. and Mrs. Roguski confirmed this
fully examined. but no trace of blood was found.
A neighborinR farmer said he had loaned an axe
to Roguskl Mt about @ o'clock last night. but the
axe was returned within an hour. The axe In
Sorg's woodshed does not appear to have been
used. and the efforts of the Sheriff to find the
murderer'sw weapon have been unsuccessful. 1t
is remarked, too. that the first persons to appear
on the scene were unable to find any footprints
In the snow to indicate where the murderer en-
tered the house or what course he took in de.
parting. This has served to cast a slight suspi-
ciOn on Mrs. SOrC.