The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-11-18
MYSTERIOUS CRIME
IN CALIFORNIA
Four Members of One Family
Murdered and Home
Nearly Burned.
TRIED TO COVER DEED
Murderer Sets Fire to Home of His
Victims, But Bodies Are 6ecov.
cred Before Entirely Destroy
ed-There Is No Clew.
TRIED TO COVER DEED

Auburn, Cal, Nov. lit is now
khown that Julius Weber, his wife,
their l9-year-oid daughter, Bertha,
and their son, Paul, aged ia years, were
murdered by an unknown assassin who
set fire to the home in AN effort to
cover his crime. Before the fire had
made any great Roadway the bodies of
the murdered woman and her two
children We're rescued from the burn
ing house.
An examination of the bodies showed
that Mrs. Weber and the children had
been murdered before the fire had been
started. The daughter had been killed
by a pistol wound, as had been Mrs.
Weber. On the boys head were sew
eral deep cuts. He had also been shot.
An effort to reach julius Weber, the
iather, who was also thought to be in
the burning house, was abandoned UNI
VI a search was made in the burning
emberS and his body was found in the
bathroom of the dwelling. He, too,
mad been shot down before being left
to be consumed by the flames.
The body of Mr.. Weber was so bad
~ burned that it has been impossible
TO ascertain how many times he was
shot. ~
1t has been ascertained, beyond a
doubt that the women were killed in
one room and their clothing set on fire
and that they We're then dragged in
10 TIE apartlnent~Wher their bodies
were discovered.
one very peculiar circumstance of the
tragedy is that while the bodies of the
mother and daughter We're burned to
some extent, the apartment in Which
theN We're lying was not on fire when
the firemen broke in. which showed
that they had been killed in some other
portion of the house, partially burned
they We're found.
The physicians are holding AN
autopsy over the badly charred remains
of Julius Weber.
Coroner Shepard. Sheriff Kean and
District Attorney Robinson are making
a thorough investigation of the
tragedy. They are advancing no theor-
les, but the facts would Indicate h a
the murders We're the work of a mad
man or a cool. calculating, premedi-
tated crime. The robbery theory is
about exploded, as no incentive has
been found, Adolph Weber, the son,
aged 20, who is the only member of the
family alive, talks but little, but to the
coroner and sheriff he says he does not
think the motive was for either robbery
or revenge.
When asked if he had a theory, he
said he had. but would not give it. He
did say, reluctantly, that his father
had a violent temper. The boy said he
left h house about $50 o'clock and
came down town, purchased a pair OF
trousers, and did several other en-
rands, and when he went to the fire
he dropped his Old trousers, which
We're in a bundle, in the burning build
ing. He is now at the home of Deputy
County Treasurer John Adams. Young
Weber has q good regulations. Two %
callber revolvers We're found, but the
bullets extracted from the bodies We're
of 32-calibcr. The officers are looking
TOR the pistol from which they We're
fired.
The inquest has been adjourned to
the result of the autopsy.
Weber a Retired Brewer.
Julius Weber was a retired brewer
and was possessed of considerable
wealth. The family lived in a hand
some home here, and MI. Weber pos
sessed valuable property in Oakland.
He was about As years of age. Mrs.
Weber was Al years old.
The autopsy on the body Of Mr..
Weber disclosed a bullet wound through
the heart. The diameter of the wound
was the same as that of those found in
the bodies of Mrs. and Miss Weber !
who We're shot with a 32-caliber weap.
on. Owing to the fact that Mr.. b
body was badly burned no bullet could
be found. Two 22-caliber rifles were
in the house, but no trace of
n po.n1tihnr ,i.t@l