Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-18
MURDERED HIS
WHOLE FAMILY.
Charles F. Aver Kills His Wife.
Mother.ln-LaW and His
Five Children.
THEN BURNED THEIR BODIES.
Went to His Sisters IIousc--Wheu
Ncighbor Came and said Mis- House
Was Burned, lie Shot Himself,

Pembroke, n. Y, Jan. 1s.-The au-
thorities toaay~resumed the investiga.
ton OF the grim tragedy in which eight
persons were victims. Seven charred
trunks were found IN the debris. All
were burned terribly, and IL was prac-
tically impossible to tell one from an
other.
Many persons today visited the ruins
of the farmhouse at North Pembroke.
which had been occupied by Charles r
Aver, his immediate family and his
mother-in-law. Mrs. Isaac I.akeman.
Following the murder Of Mrs. Bakeman,
Mrs. Aver ana the five children OF the
latter. the farm buildings were burned
ana the bodies Moderated. Before
the IRE was discovered, Aver left for
the residence of his sister, Mrs. George
Bailey, at the town OF Chichester. six
miles distant, where, after being in
formed or the destruction OF property,
he shot himself. Aver died last night
WITHOUT making statment which
would assist the authorities 10 ascer-
tain the exact manner In which his
victims met death. The officials con-
cluded early IN the evening. after a
hasty Investigation, that he had muir
dered all seven members Of his family
as they lay in their beds.
The authorities believe that Aver
used an axe or some other noiseless
weapon, ms the neighbors heard no
pistol shots nor disturbances Of any
kind from the Aver home previous to
the fire. They do not expect the de-
tails OF the actual commission of the
crime ever will become known.
County Solicitor Clifford has learned
that Aver yesterday had visited Chi
chester, where he sold his team and
presumably purchased the revolver
with which he ended his life. He made
his appearance at the home Of his sis
ter, Mrs Bailey about 3 o'clock IN the
afternoon. an hour later his neighbor,
William VI, Fowler, arrived and told
Aver OF the burning OF his home.
Without a word i'm reply, Aver drew
the revolver and shot himself lie
never regained consciousness and died
last night. Further Investigations dis
closed the fact that for three months
Aver had been brooding over faucied
financial wrong in connection with
settlement OF the estate Of his wlfe's
father, Isaak Lakeman, who died three
years ago.
The widow was named as sdministra-
triN. In November last Mrs. Lakeman
put UP the farm at auction and Il was
bought by one OF her sons, Fayetts
Lakeman. He made an arrangement
FOR Aver and his wife TO remain on
the place. having their rent free In re-
turn for boarding Mrs. Lakeman, pay.
ing the taxes and making repairs.
Aver, however, insisted that his wife
should receive the share Of the pur-
chase money TO this her brothers re.
fused to consent. The failure TO OBJ.
tain this ready money to meet pressing
financial needs II believed to have UNI
balanced Aver mentally.
The eight Victims Of the tragedy
were:
Charles r. Aver, aged 43. killed him.
self by shooting.
Mrs. Adde Aver. his wife.
Mrs. Isaac Lakeman, Ayers mother
-in-law.
Flossie Aver. aged l2.
Alfred Aver, aged 10.
Bernice Aver, aged 6,
Andrew Aver, aged 4, and a girl bsbv
all children ot the Ayers.
From the appearance OF the ruins the
officials think lt probable that the IN
mates OF the house died several hours
before the fire was seen. The report
that the curtains had not been raised
IN the morning led TO the theory that
the seven members OF the household
were killed some time before daylight.
Aver had not been held I'm high es
TEEN by his neighbors. He was Obliged
TO rely upon his wfe's relatives for sup
port.