The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-05-16
KILLS EAhEhlS, fUlS
BABES TO SLEEP; FLEES
Posse Bent on LYnching tn,
Murderer Of Mr.. and Mrs.
w. r. CoppIe.
+ HlLlP BURKE SUSPECTED
E1ircd Man and Mcncy Missing
Dead Bodies Left Where Hogs
Horribly Mutilate Them
Appealing Crime.

TsosalIe. Neb., May Il People re-
mort having heard hoof-beats six
miles east of here and Burke Is
thought by some to be in the brush
along the Missouri river. He Is
armed and win doubtless fight.
w H. Copple brother of the dead
man, this afternoon offered re-
ward of $500 for Bnrke's capture.
The state 10 expected to offer sim
liar amount.
.Rosalie, Neb., May 15.-Fred Burk.
whom a coroner's jury adjudged guilty
OF the dastardiy murder of Mr.. and
Mrs. Walter F.. Copple on their farm.
four miles east of town, Monday morn
ing is still at large. Sheriff Young be-
ueves the man is making toward Oma-
ha and that he surely will be cap
tured. ..,,
with all or the ghastly details
known II Is apparent that the double
murder was the work of maniac or
aend incarnate. The criminal an
nails OF Nebraska probably contain no
crime its equal in brutality or fend-
ishness.
evidence which was developed by the
authorities owing partly to the isola-
tIon OF the scene of the crime and part
iy 10 the intense excitement which
aroused the whole of Thurston county
points in but one direction While
there were no eye witnesses OF the
bloody butchery there Is scarcely the
SLIGHTEST doubt but that the deed was
the work OF Fred Burk, the hired man.
HIS flight alone is proof of his COM
plicity, but added to this iS the testl-
mony OF the seven orphaned children
which hardly leaves a shadow OF
doubt OF his guilt. .
Rosalie, Neb., May 15.-This section
viii have a lynching today or tonight IL
philip Burke is found byenraged neigh
bors Of Mr.. and Mrs. Walter #. Copple,
who were murdered at an early h0ur
this morning on their tarm three hiheS
east of here.
burke was their hired man and Is
srsnected for the reason that ne Is
missing, as is also a mule upon Wnlcn
he Is supposed to have made his escape.
The murdered man and wlfe were Iels
where the hogs could get at them, ana
the woman's head was nearly eaten
away nv the ravenous brutes and both
bodies mutilated.
puts Babies to Sleep.
Following the crime OF when ne ls
suspected Burke came back INTO tns
house and reassured the frightened
children, saying in answer to the Old
why, / wouldn't murder your rather
and mother"
Burke then urged the children to re-
turn to bed There are seven or tnern.
the Oldest Blanche, aged IA years. ahu
the Youngest twins, aged months
Burke Is said to have fed the twins art
er killing their parents. putting the
little ones to sleep and after seeing thai
all the children were quiet, stole away
leaving them alone to come upon th'
ghastly picture OF the rather ana Inotn
er In the morning, dead and mutilated
Murdered for Money.
John 7 Elkins of this place was ont
of the first to reach the Copple farm
after the news of the tragedy wa
started. He as well as Sheriff Houni
and the other hundreds VINO sWarne'
about the scene Of the awful crime 10
day, ia convinced that the murder wa
connnitted by Burke and that the lat
ter cid II to cover up his theft of sew
ernl hundred dollars stolen from Copple
Couple was attired in his nigh
clothes, but had on his shoes, indicatin
he had planned to go out. A lamp wa
burning and he probably III II, haVan
been disturbed and was planning a
Investigation. The blood spattered
the Kitchen and just outside indicate
terrific struggle and means that prof
ably Copple came across the thiet
the kitchen and fight ensued. heaV
club smeared with blood showed tha
the missing man used that or that
was used on him before he shot n
victims.
Goes to Her Death.
After two shots had been fired, a.
\ cording TO the Oldest child, Blanch
Who was awakened by them, Mr.
Copple in alarm rushed from the hou!
10 see what was the matter and whetl
er her husband was in danger. Thr'
shots followed and then all was quie
Philip Burke, who is about 25 yea
old, found employment at the Copp
farm three months ago ana no ol
hereabouts appears to know anythli
OF his antecedents. The pocketboo
Containing Mr.. Copple's small hoard
several hundred dollars, and Whi'
Burke no doubt had knowledge or
missing The only clew Is the repo
Of the Burlington section foreman W, WI
says he saw a man and shot gun WI
mule, north of here early this NOR
ing. .
The enraged men who are hot on {
trail OF Burke believe they Will III
him wounded from his terrible e
viii be no mercy shown, Is feared
Sheriff Young who is himself engag
IN the search, having telephoned me-
OF the crime In all directions
Whole Section Aroused.
The report of the atrocious de
has spread over this and adJolnl
counties and In many cases has De
exagTerated over the true facts, a
paiiing as they are and Burke, gul
or not guilty, is likely to be given sn'
shrift II he is found by any consld'
able group OF searchers.
The Copples have lived here Tor 81
eral years. He was about 4O years
n age and his wife few years his Juni
Coroner Reichenpaush; % o,,ast
this place this afternoon.
W. III. Copple, of Bancroft, brotl
of the murdered man, this morn
found on the premises of his brotl
$3.50 in cash and a check for $500
"a the sale of cattle last week. The dauI
ter blanche, says there was at lie
5000 in cash besides this in the hot
Rosalie is a small town in Thurs
inorntv Nahraska, on the Burllng