Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-14
MURDER NEAR PENDER
Prosperous Farmer and His VIE Killed by
an Bmp,o7e.
ROBBERY THE MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME
Murderer Finally Mounts a Mule Be-
longing 60 His victims, Rides
Away and Has Not since
Been Seen.

Away and Has Not since
Been Seen.
PENDER. Neb. May 1s.-Cspecial Tele- /
gram. )-One Of the most brutal crimes in
the history Of Thurston county was COM
mitted four miles east OF Rosalie, at the I
farm Of w. l. Copple, where Copple and
his wife, Eva, we're the Victims About 2
a m. the children Of the family, seven in
number, were awakened by gunshots. The
eldest, Blanche, a girl Of l3. heard her
father scream and say, Fred. you have
killed me-" At this moment her mother
was aroused and ran OFT, when she, too.
was heard to scream out and say, "Oh,
my children"
Fred Burke, the hired man. who had
been In the employ of Copple since Febru-
ary. hadarisen from his bed, and in some
way attracted the attention Of Copple out
side where he shot him in the abdomen
and twice in the head. Fearing that the
mother would get away, he likewise fired
! three shots at her. Not satisfied with this,
/ he dubbed them until their skulls were
/ pounded into a pulp after which he went
into the house. where the seven children
were crying, and with threats made them
/ go to sleep. telling them there were burg
lars outside and that their parents we're out
watching them.
what the Children Tell.
At the coroner's inquest today, Summer,
boy 10 years old, who slept in the same
/ bed with Burke, told that when Burke re-
| tired he looked at his watch and mur-
INJURED that he wished his father was dead
He was awakened, but through fear did
not leave his room Blanche, a 13-year-old
! girl arose from her bed and attempted to
follow her mother out but was threatened
il she came out At 5 a. m. the children
arose. went outside and there found the
father and mother lying upon the ground,
dead, the hogs eating away at their pros
trate forms The nose and one ear were
already eaten from the face Of the father
and the whole top Of the mothers head was
gone At this revolving sight the little ones
herded the hogs away, while the older girl
attended the wants OF the youngest pair
Of twins 4 months old. Tom Headley,
neighbor, came upon the scene. where seven
innocent children were in sorrow.
The motive of this crime evidently was
robbery. as Ccpple was known to carry
considerable money upon his person A
few days previous to this tragedy Copple
had sold carload Of cattle. receiving some
money and a draft for $500. There was
some money in the house in a bureau
drawer, and this was missing this morning.
The draft and $3.50 was found. A shotgun
which was used is also missing. Burke sad
died a mule belonging to Copple and has
evaded his pursuers so far. II captured a
lynching will doubtless be the elimination
OF this tragedy. Copple was a well-to-do
and prosperous farmer living upon, the
reservation. where he had many friends.
In No Hurry to Leave
LYONS. Neb.. May 12-(Special Tele-
grsm-)-One Of the most atrocious crimes
ever known in this part OF the country
was committed at the home of Walter
Copple. who is known Bud Copple. on
the reservation about ten miles north Of
Lyons. Monday morning At about 2
O'Clock. as the evidence which has been
gathered shows, Bud Copple was called or
| aroused in some way from the outside and.
getting out Of bed and putting on his
shoes. went outside. where he was shot
down in his tracks just outside the door,
the charge, which was fired from a shot
gun. going through his body and into the
door After he had fallen to the ground
he was shot through the head. the charge
going through his head and into the
ground. As the circumstances indicate,
Mrs Copple, on hearing the shots, rushed
10 the door and was hit on the head with
. Z q piece OF a Dali udA anu hhuNhSA beASh
into a small kitchen, from which she was
dragged to the outside, where she was
beaten to death with the bail bat and left
lying on the ground.
Girl Met Murderer.
The oldest girl. who is Is years OF age.
on hearing the noise, rushed to the door
, and was met by the hired man. Fred
Burke, who pushed her back into the room
and quieting her by telling her that there
were burglars on the outside and that her
father and mother were watching for them.
He then helped her feed the little twin
babies who were crying, and then sat down
by a window with shotgun across his
knees and tried to get the girl TO take the
babies to bed. but she would not go, as the
babies were still crying. He waited until
about 4 O'Clock, just about daybreak then
went outside. locking the doors behind
him. and the little girl saw him ride over
Z the hill westward on one Of her father s
: mules. She then tried TO get outside and
! at last managed TO break the lock on the
, door and went out where she discovered
, her father and mother on the ground In
front Of the doorway. surrounded by the
hoFs. which were running loose and which
had eaten part Of Mrs. Copples head. The
! little girl drove on the hogs and called the
rest OF the children and told them to watch
and keep the hogs on While she mlikeo
' the COW in order TO feed the babies after
which she went 20 the neighbors and Sc
cured help and the entire neighborhood
was aroused and parties were organized TO
pursue the fleeing murderer.
Mr. and Mrs. Copple leave behind them
seven little children, the oldest OF whom
IS 10 years Of age. This Is one Of the
worst crimes ever committed in this sec
ton OF the country and no trace OF the
murderer has yet been found.