Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-18
Man in Pembroke Mur.
 der His Family.
THEN SHOT HIMSELF
Authorities Are Puzzled Over the Affair as the Man Made No Statement Before His
 Death.

 sumed the investigation of the grim tragedy in which seven persons were victims and an eighth took his own life yesterday. After daylight many of the townspeople visited the ruins of the farmhouse at North Pembroke which for three years had been occu. pied by Charles F. Aver, his immedi- ate family and his mother-in-law, Mrs Isaac Lakeman. Following the mur- der of Mrs Lakeman, Mrs Aver and the five children of the latter, the farm buildings were burned and the bodies incinerated. Before the fire was dis covered by the neighbors Aver left home for the residence of his sister, Mrs George Bailey, in the town of Chichester. six miles distant, where Ee shot himself yesterday afternoon af- ter being informed of the destruction of the property. Aver died last night without making a statement which would assist the authorities to ascer- tain the exact manner in which ms seven relatives met their death.
 Aver acted in strange manner af- ter his arrival at the Bailey house and the county officials concluded early ill the evening, after a nasty investlga- ton. that he had murdered all seven members of his family as they lay i'll their beds late Tuesday night or early yesterday morning.
 Sheriff George A. Kimball, County Solicitor Thomas F. Clifford and other officials of Merrimack county, togeth- CT with the local officers, resumed their investigation to-day. The ruins had cooled during the night and q careful search was instituted for the remains of five of the victims. Two charred trunks. one of which is sup posed to be that of Mrs Lakeman, and the other that of q child, were found in the debris on the site of the ell of the house yesterday. Mrs Lakemah usually slept in room of the ell.
 The main portion of the house stood over the cellar, and it was among the ruins there that the search was d. rected.
 A light snow fell during the night and helped to cool the embers, max Ing the work much easier.
 The two bodies rescued from the embers last night are at the undertak- CTS shop at Suncook, where the oth' CTS will be taken as fast as they are rescued.
 During the night County Solicitor Clifford interviewed Ayers sister, Mrs George Bailey; her husband, to whom Aver addressed the words: Its all up with me, George; I've had trouble" and others whom Aver saw during his few hours there on we'd nesday.
 The solicitor found that Aver, upon arrival in Chichester, visited Town Clerk A. s. Dame, to whom he soff the team in which he had come from Pembroke. Then his whereabouts for il few hours are in doubt, but It IS presumed that he purchased the re- yolver with which he afterwards eno- ed his life.
 He made his appearance at the home of his sister about 3 o'clock Tn the afternoon. It was between ana 5 o'clock when his neighbor, William gH. Fowler, arrived at Baileys and told Aver of the burning of his nome.
 Without word in reply, Aver drew the revolver from his pocket and shot himself In the right temple. lie never regained consciousness ana died at 9:3O o'clock in the evening. Further investigation disclosed the fact that for three months Aver hau been brooding over fancied financial wrong in connection with the settle ment of the estate of his wife's fath- or Isaac Lakeman. who died three years ago. The widow was named as executrix. No final settlement or the estate has been made. however. Tn November last Mrs Lakeman put up inc farm at auction and it was bought hy one of her sons. Fayette Lakeman of Goffstown. He made an arraEse- ment for Aver and his wife to remain mn the place. having their rent free II return for boarding Mrs Lakeman, having the taxes and making repairs.
 Aver insisted. however, that h.s wife should receive the share of the nurchase money that would be hers as heir. before she signed the deeds to the place. To this her brothers r. fused to consent. Aver was angry. hut his wife finally signed the neces- sary papers. The failure to obtain this ready money to meet his very pressing financial needs is believed to have unbalanced Aver mentally.
 The authorities expect that the de taiIs of the actual commission of the cIrme will never be known. but they Ielieye that the deed was done with an axs or some other silent weapon for they have found that the neighbors heard no pistol shots or disturbance of any kind from the Aver home pre- yiaus to the fire.
 The search of the ruins resulted In the finding of all five of the remaining l,rslIe< during the carly hours of the forenoon. All were burned terribly and it was practically impossible to tell one from another save that a diff ference in size indicated that of the mother.
 Ayers boiy has been taken to an