The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-16
Louis Stearnberg Killed by
Thugs in Kansas City, Kan.
His Wife Lying Near Horribly
Beaten and Disfigured.
ROBBERS AFTER MONEY
Deed Committed Saturday Night
in a Grocery Store.
Thieves Looted the Safe and
Secured Considerable Cash.

Kansas City. Kan, Dec. 16.-With his
mead beaten into pulp, the pody OF
Louis ID. Stearnberg, a grocer at Fourth
street and Walker avenue, was found
lying back of the counter in his store
at 1880 O'Clock Sunday morning. Lying
on the floor about eight feet from the
BODY OF her husband, her head almost
split and her left eye knocked out, was
the unconscious form of Mrs. Stearn-
| berg. Near by were a meat cleaver and
a long iron bolt. the instruments used
| In committing the most brutal murder
ever recorded in this city. Both instru-
ments were smeared with blood.
The crime was committed some time
saturday night. probably about the
| closing hour. The cash register had
been rifed and the little safe in the
store looted, the cash box having been
taken from it and broken open. 1t is
thought that the robbers secured about
$500 or $500. This estimate is made by
Il. M. Stearnberg, brother of the MUIR
dered man.
1t was shortly after o'clock Sunday
morning when a neighbor living in the
vicinity Of the Stearnberg store called
to make a small purchase and discov-
cred the crime. The police force was
Immediately notified and the entire de-
partment was put to work on the case.
The manner in which the crime was
committed was made very apparent by
the evidence found. On the counter di-
rectly IN front Of Stearnberg's body was
a can of sardines which had been open
ed and partially wrapped up. The con-
clusion reached by the police is that
the robber, or there may have been
more, had entered the store late Satur-
day night and ordered the can Of sar-
dimes. Stearnberg, after opening it, was
probably in the act of wrapping 1t up
when he received the death blow dealt
by the robber. He evidently fell in his
tracks. The robber or robbers then
walked back of the counter and DELHI
erately beat his head into jelly.
The Stearnbergs lived in rooms in
the rear of the store, and Mrs. Stearn-
berg was evidently attracted from that
part of the building by the assault made
on her husband She was found be-
tween the ice box and the meat chop
ing block. 1t is thought that she was
first struck with the iron bolt. which
knocked out her eye. and then struck
with the meat cleaver, the latter pene-
trating the skull.
The floor near where the body of
Stearnberg and the almost lifeless form
of his wife were found was completely
covered with the blood of the two vic
Tins, it having run together forming
pool The only evidence OF a struggle
was found in the living rooms back OF
the store. This leads the authorities to
believe that Mrs. Sternberg was beaten
back by the robber or robbers into these
rooms after she first entered the store
to assist her husband. There were
splctches of blood on the walls and floor
in this room, and several chairs were
turned over. 1t is possible that she re-
ceived both blows in the living apart
ments and, after the robbers departed,
managed to crawl as far as the ice box
in the store, where she lost conscious
ness and was found.
Mrs. Sternberg was removed to st. |
Margaret's hospital. The attending
physicians state that her wounds are
fatal
Mrs Stearnberg Dies
Kansas City, Mo-, Dec. 16.-Mrs. |
Fanny Stearnberg, wife of Louis D.
the grocer who was killed |
Saturday night by robbers, died today |
in the hospital Of the wounds inflicted |
upon her by the murderers. She died |
without being aroused sufficiently to !
tell Of the attack. The robbers are still |
at large