The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-02
AWFUL DEED OF
UTAH RANCHMAN
-
Attempted to Slaughter His Fam.
lily With a Monkey Wrench.
DAUGHTERS SKULL CRUSHED
SUICIDE OF THE MANIAC WHEN
THE ALARM WAS GIVEN.
DAUGHTERS SKULL CRUSHED
fsnecIal 10 The HeraIdl

II ARK CITY, Sept. l-William
Trautman, a rancher living about
mile from town. tried 10 kill
his wife and two daughters with a
monkey wrench today. and. failing in
the attempt, fired bullet through his
own heart
He beat his wife and children over
the head with the wrench, and would
probably have murdered them, had not
their cries brought assistance. The
oldest girls skull was fractured. and
she is in a very precarious condition.
and may not live. The wife and other
daughter escaped with cuts and severe
bruises.
Trautman. WHO was bat recently re-
leased from the insan. asylum, seemed
10 be laboring under the mania that be
had TO kin his family ty screwing their
/ heads of with the wrench. but tried
also to persuade them 10 stand up and
allow him TO shoot them as an easier
means of death
The tragedy occurred while the La
| Dor day celebation was going on IN
| the city. and there was 40 one ON the
ranch but Trautman and his family.
Insane and Dangerous.
/ Last AaAtn LAAAAAAAuAA wa I'm
/ mitted TO the asylum al Provo as an
| insane and dangerous person. and re-
| NAMED in that Institution until about
/ two weeks ago. He was then released.
/ il being supposed that he had been
| cured OF his mental ailment He re-
/ turned to his home. and for few
| DAYS. II is said seemed 10 be all right.
! According to statements Of members OF
/, mis- family, he began 10 act strangely
a few days ago. and seemed TO think
that everything was going wrong, and
| his mind turned 10 thoughts of self
! destruction.
Today Trautman seemed 10 be worse
| than usual, and while his wife and two
| children were in bed he came in with
! a monkey wrench and declared that he
had 10 murder them and Kill himself.
He said he must kill them by screwing
| their heads off with the wrench. but
told them that it would be much easier
10 die by shooting, and begged thems
IL is said, to stand in line mad let him
kill them with his rifle.
Cries for Help.
The frightened wife and children be-
gan 20 cry for help as they realized
that he was violently insane and meant
every word he said Then Trautnan
the head with the wrench until she
/ managed TO jerk away from him and
run into the yard. The younger girl.
about Il years of age. started 10 follow
the mother, and Trautman struck her
several blows with the wrench. He
then turned upon the older girl, about
% years OF age, and beat her over the
head until her skull was fractured and
she became insensible.
| lie would probably have beaten her
to death there had not the cries OF the
mother and the younger daughter at
tracted the attention Of man by the
name OF Johnson. living some distance
away. Johnson rushed to the scene
and wTested the wrench away from the
frenzied maniac.
Suicide of Frenzied Man.
Then Trautman rushed 20 the wall
where his loaded rifle hung, and. press
ing the muZzle to his breast. he fired
. the shot. The bullet passed through
his heart. and when Johnson came
back into the house. the attempted
murderer lay dead upon the floor In a
pool of his own blood.
, As soon as possible Sheriff MAR and
the coroner were summoned, and the in
; iured girl was removed 10 a place
; where her injuries could be attended
. to- Her skull was found to be badly
crushed, and she is very low. The
chances for her recovery are said 10
be very slight. The mother and other
daughter escaped without serious IN
; Jury.
; ABOUT six years ago Trautman's
, / brother murdered a young woman and
committed suicide, and the mania for
, that kind Of crime, it is said. seemed
, / to run In the family The brother, PaL
) | Trautman, was in love with a young
/ woman by the name Of Hope Fuelling.
and finding her out with another young
| man, he Wayiaid them, killing the girl
: and woundinS the young man. lie
; / then shot himself