New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-07
KILLS THREE CHILDREN.
WOundS Fourth One and Then
Slays Himself.

Roselle. n. J., June 6.-Joseph NJ. Pouch mur-
dered three of his children and after wounding
a fourth killed himself this evening in his CO.
tage near the local station of the Central Rail
road of New-Jersey. He killed two of the
children yesterday. and laid them out as an
dertake- would. He had been an undertaken.
Pouch nephew of the Pouch who built
the Pouch Mansion. in Brooklyn He fifty
two years old. His father was a wealthy
dertaker in Brooklyn. When the father died. some
years ago. he is said have left his entire estate
to brother Of the man who figured in the trag'
edy here tonight 1t is said that since he was
cut off in the will Of his father Joseph Pouch
had been soured and morose.
The death of his wife made Pouch even more
moody than before. and. to add to his troubles,
he ran a nail into his foot three weeks ago while
at work in the Singer machine works. IN Eliza
beth. where he was employed He had been
Iimping from this injury ever since.
This morning Pouch mailed a letter. which
was received this afternoon by the county physi-
cian 1t was dated from this place. and told
the doctor he should come here. there was
something doing in his line The letter told just
where the duty of the doctor lay. The physician
at once telephoned TO Justice Willie. of this
place and he informed Marshal Hennessey, who
with Policeman Kinney went to Pouch's home.
When they knocked at the front door there
was a few seconds OF silence, and then thres
shots were heard in the front room upstairs
The two officers threw themselves against the
front door and broke IT down. Running to the
second floor they found the door to the front
room locked but it yielded 10 their rush. As
they stumbled into the room they came upon
the body of Pouch. He was still breathing. but
gasped his last in few seconds
In a far corner the police found Albert Pouch.
ten years old with a bullet just below the ribs
in the right side. He was alive and conscious.
Beside him lay his sister Minnie, five years old.
dead. shot in almost exactly the same manner
Albert was hurried TO the Elizabeth Central
Hospital. where the bullet was extracted, and
his chances Of recovery are excellent. He re-
vived and told the story of the last thirty hours
in the house.
Meanwhile the police in exploring the house.
forced the entrance into rear room on the first
floor There they found laid out as IL by an
undertaken the white clad corpses of two other
little girls. They were the bodies Of Lillian
Pouch seven years old and Grace Pouch. eight
cen months old. Their mouths were burned
with carbolc acid and on their throats were the
marks of fingers. showing that besides having
the poiso2 poured into their mouths by their
father, they were ChOked
The boy Albert says that Sunday morn
ing his father took his two sisters, Lillian and
Grace into the where their bodies were
found and sent himself and Minnie to the
upper part of the house Albert never saw LII
liam and Grace again. and does not yet know
their fate. He says his father told him he had
locked them in the back room Albert and
Minnie remained locked in the front room up
stairs all Sunday afternoon all night and all of
to-day. Most of the time their father was with
them.
Albert says he and his sister were seated
in corner this evening. He thinks his sister
was aslaep leaning against him. when there
came a rapping ON the front door His father
then rose from the chair he had been sitting
in ard shot both of them. The boy says he
must have been stunned by the shot he did
not hear the third shot. He did not realize
things for a minute. and then the police were
brea king into the room