The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-12
WEBER FAMILY
WAS MURDERED
Father, Mother and Two Chill.
dren Were Shot Down.
HOUSE WAS THEN SET AFlRE
BLACK CRIME COMMITTED AT
AUBURN, CAL.

A UBURN. Cal. Nov Ill is now
y known that julius Weber. his wife
their 19-year-old daughter Bertha
and their son Paul. aged Il years, were
murdered last night by an unknown
assassin, who set fire to the home in
an effort to cover up his crime. Be
A., lore the. fire had made any great head
( way the bodies OF The mother and her
TWO children were rescued from the
burning house. Mrs. Weber and her
I boy were still alive. but died almost As
soon as they reached the air.
An examination of the bodies showed
/ that Mrs. Weber and the children had
/ Deen murdered before the fire had been
( started. The daughter had been killed
/ Dy a pistol wound, as had been Mrs.
! weber. On the boys head were sew
/ eral deep cuts. He had also been shot.
Fathers Body Found.
All efforts to reach julius Weber. the
Iather who was also thought to be in
/ the burning house were abandoned
/ until today, When a search was made
in the burning, embers and his BODY
/ was found in the bath room of the
dwelling. He, too. mad been shot Gown
before being left 10 De consumed by
the flames. This makes the death list
as follows:
julius Weber, aged As.
Mrs. julius Weber, age6 A.
bertha Weber, their daughter, aged
10 years.
Paul Weber, son, aged "A years.
Clothing Set on Fire.
The body of Mr.. Weber was so badly
burned that it has been Impossible TO
ascertain how often ne was shot. II
mas been ascertained beyond a doubt
lldl the women were killed in one room
ana their clothing set on fire, and they
were then dragged into the apartment
Where their bodies were discovered.
one very peculiar circumstance of
me tragedy is that while the bodies of
the mother and daughter were burned
10 some extent, the apartment in which
( they were lying was not on fire when
me hremen broke in, which showed
thdt they had been killed i'm some other
portion OF the house, partially burned
ana then dragged into the room where
they were found.
Only One Survivor
Adolph Weber 20 years old. the only
surviving member of the family. left
the mouse shortly before the crime was
discovered. He says that when he left
the FAMILY were all well and i'm good
spirits, entirely without apprehension
or impending harm. He declares he. has
no suspicion and not the slightest idea
as to how the house was set on fire.
ne inquest will be held tomorrow.
me physicians are holding an autop-
sy over the badly 0harred remains Of
Juhus Weber Coroner Shepard and
Sherlh keena and District Attorney
ROBINSON are making a thorough in
Nesugation of the tragedy Thev1are
advancing no theories but the facts
and circumstances would indicate that
IL was murder, either the work of a
mad man or cool. calculating. pre-
meditated crime The robbery theory
Is ABOUT exploded, as no incentive has
been found.
Son Had a Theory.
AdOlph Weber the son. who is the
only member OF the family alive. talks
Dut little. but to the coroner and the
sherin he said that ne did not think
the motive was either robbery or re-
Nenge. When asked if he had theory
ne said ne had hut would not give it.
lie did say reluctantly that his father
mad a violent temper The boy said
that he left the house about $50 and
came downtown, purchased pair of
trousers and did several other errands
When he went to the fire he dropped
ms old trousers, which were in a bun
Ole, in the burning building He is now
at the home of Deputy County Treas
urer John Adams. Young Weber was
a very quiet fellow. great reader and
thinker. chess player. palmist and
dyspeptic. Two .22-caliber rifles were
found but the bullets extracted from
the bodies were Of .32-cal:ber The Off
GERS are looking for the pistol from
which they were fred.
The inquest has been adjourned to
await the result of the autopsy.
julius Weber was retired brewer
and was possessed Of considerable
wealth. The family lived i'm a hand
some home here, and MI Weber pos
sessed valuable property in Oakland.
Cal He was about As years old. Mrs.
Weber was Al years old.
An autopsy tonight on the BODY Of
Mr.. Weber disclosed a bullet wound
through the heart The diameter Of
the wound was the same as that in
the bodies Of Mrs. Weber and Miss
Weber. who were shot with .32-calibre
weapon Owing TO the fact that Mr..
Weber's body was badly burned. no
bullet could be found. Two .22-calibre
rifles were discovered in the house. but
no trace of a .32-calibre pistol. The
opening session Of the inquest to-
night did not throw any light on the
murders