The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-20

took the train for Bloomington, but I
just stopped there long enough to get
a ticket to Kansas City, and when |
got there 1 got another one to Denver
and then to Colorado Springs. Oh, /
didn't care where 1 went to, and the
first think I knew / was here in Salt
Lake Thursday morning.
1.-THE papers travelled faster than me,
it seems like. I went into news stand
last night and got a Times-Herald and
read about the murder Of the Moser
family, and I couldn't stand it any
longer. went out to the river. I shot
myself and fell in. Everything was
just as I wanted it to be, only the
bullet didn't take its course. 1 would
to God it had gone into my brain. Then
could forget all this trouble, for
that is all I've got to live for. I sup
pose they'll hang me. Well, I'm not
trying to get away from it, but L
would like to do it myself. I'm in my
right mind now anyway"
Fisher Heard the Shot.
A. Fisher, proprietor of the brewery
near where Moser made his attempt
at suicide, heard the shot and fixes the
time at a. m. He paid little atten-
ton to ii, however, thinking it was
some drunken man out on the road.
Sergeant Burbidge visited the spot
yesterday afternoon and searched for
Moser's gun, but he could not find it
in the four feet of water. It was a
| thirty-two calibre.
Chief Hilton would not have Moser
put in Jail last night fearing he might
make another and more successful at
tempt to destroy himself. He was
watched by an officer, but remained
quiet all night.
The authorities Of Tazeweu county
were at once notified of the finding of
Moser and Chief Hilton received in
reply the following dispatch: Hold
Samuel Moser till 4, can get there with
proper papers.
JOHN Di MOUNT. Sheriff"
The chief wired back that Moser
would return without papers, the
prisoner having sigriffed his willing
ness to do SO, and Sheriff Mount re-
piled:
'eWin be there Wednesday, May %.
| Watch him closely that he does not
commit suicide" g5 To-
Following is the account of the
murder given by the Times Herald.
which MOser read Just before he tried
to kill himself. Although the murder
| was committed on Sunday, the 18th. it
| is apparent from this that two days
| elapsed before it was discovered. That
| being true, MOser had all of fOrty-eight
! hours the start of the Illinois officers,
which probably accounts for his get
! ting away so easilyFand coming as far
as Salt Lake without being molested
! The article says;
THE most appalling crime IN the his
| tory of Tazewell county was discovered
! today in the farm home of Sam Moser
| three miles south OF Horton, when the
| bodies of Mrs. Moser and her three lit
/ tie boys were found dead, victims OF
| the husband and father, who had shot
| them.
THE circumstances surrounding the
case show that the murders were COM
mitted early Sunday evening. Mrs
Moser and the children, as is the Gus
| tom Of the Omish- people of the COM
munity, had spent the entire day al
the services in the church near by
| They returned shortly after o'clock.
Mrs. MOser was in the cellar pre-
parclg supper when her husband came
down and shot her in the forehead. He
| then returned to the living rooms above
and killed the children, firing one shot
/ into the brain of each of his z and
year old sons and three into the body
of his babe Of months. After cover
ing the bodies with quilts he fed.
-Moser is go years old and the soT
of Ben MOseT, a highly esteemed ole
resident of Morton, worth nearly $780,
600. The murdered wife was about the
same age, the daughter Of Gottlel
Hohulin Of GQodfield, a preacher in the
new Omish church. No cause is as.
signed for the crime"