The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-11-17
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 Recov-
cred Before Entirely Destroy
ed--There Is No Ciew.

Auburn, Cal, Nov. 14.--It is now
their 1~9-year-oid daughter, Bertha,
n 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
father, who was also thought to be in
the burning house, was abandoned I'M
til a search was made in the burning
embers and his body was found in the
bathroom of the dwelling. He, too,
had been shot down before being left
TO be consumed by the flames.
The body of Mr.. Weber was SO bad
ly 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 were then dragged in
to the apartment where their bodies
were discovered.
one very peculiar circumstance of the
tragedy is that while the bodies of the
mother and daughter were burned to
some extent, the apartment in which
they were lying was not on fire when
no ~ -, It, --,--
that they been killed in some other
portion of the house. partially burned
and then dragged into the room where
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 that
the murders were the work of a mad
man or a cool, calculating, premedi-
tated crime. The robbery theory is
about exploded, as no incentive has
been ound. 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.
Wlen asked II ne naO q theory, ne
said he had, but would not give it. He
did say, reluctantly, that his father
had q violent temper. The boy said he
left the house about 6:30 o'clock and
came down town, purchased a pair of
trousers, and did several other err
rands, and when he ven to the fire
he dropped his old trousers, which
were in a bundle, in the burning build
ing. He Is now at the home of Deputy
County Treasurer John Adams. Young
Weber has a good reputation. Two %
caliber reVolvers were found, but the
bullets extracted from the bodies We're
Of 32-caliber. The officers are looking
for the pistol from which they were
fired.
The inquest has been adjourned to
await he 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 Mr.. Weber pos
sessed Valuable property in Oakland.
He was about as ears 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.. Weber's
body was badly burned no bullet could
be found w 22-caliber rifles We're
discovered in the house, but no trace Of
a 32-Calber pistol.