The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-19

early morn, Frank Kniffen was bat.
tered to death while he slept in his
bed
Coroner Rothacher found him as
he lay. his hands crossed over his
breast, as though some person had
tried TO modify the ghastliness OF the
deed by giving the body some sem.
blance OF peace.
Six wounds there were upon his
face and head. Any one OF the blows
was SUFFICIENT 10 cause his death
In addition TO the ak, with blood.
stained handle, that lay I'm the shed,
a blood-stained skirt was found ly-
ing on the floor in the room, where
the husband was killed
The woman made a pitiful attempt
10 show that some other person mad
done 1t. She tried to show that his
room had been broken into. The DO.
lice found no evidence of that
Admits Quarreiing With Husband.
There Is much that is damaging
to her in what the woman has had
| 10 say. To Detective Stenton and TO
Coroner Rothacher she said she had
| quarreled with her husband many
times.
She says II was 8: 20 a. m. when
she was awakened by groans from
her husbands room. She crept in
10 his room and found him lying
there bleeding
1t was after 5 o'clock, she saws.
when she went next door, to the home
of Albert Wendt. No. 1913 LeMay.aye.
Somebody has battered up NV nus
band" she said. She spoke without
1 IL
DAY occurrence. DR.. Lounsbury was
called
The four children had slumbered In
one room. in which were placed two
beds. Pearl, aged IL, was the first to
be awakened and told OF her Gathers
death. She awakened Tommy. aged
10.
Get up and get dressed she said.
Your pa has been killed"
who killed him." was the startling
query that came from the child's lips.
The police say there is nothing in
the womans attitude to indicate that
she Is insane. despite DIR. Lounsbury's
statement.
she often ran up and down the
street with her hair streaming down
her back and screaming at the top
OF her voice." said the doctor.
The appearance Of the Kniffen house
indicates that the woman was a poor
housekeeper. The place was in gener-
al disorder and was filthy in places.
Capt. Mcdonnell is confident that
the children know the circumstances
OF the murder and he believes one OF
them or the woman herself will con-
fess.
Planning For Christmas.
pathetic feature OF the tragedy
is that the children were planning to
have good time on Christmas. The
police, in making search Of the
house, Monday morning. found pres
ents for the children and parents in
the bureau drawer in the room where
the murder occurred. The parents
were to be remembered by one OF the
little girls, Pearl. Among the gifts
she had secreted away was side
board cloth, accompanied by a Christ.
mas card, on which was written:
From Pearl to mother. Love me
forever"
Among the presents stored away for
the children was doll for little
Helen, the baby of the family. The
doll was sent from Sincoe, Ont, from
Helen's grandmother. the mother OF
the murdered man.
During the morning the wife Of Ro
maine Gilbert, of Pennington, an uncle
of Kniffen, called at the KnifYen fam
lily home. She was not allowed to &C
inside, Patrolman Harris, the officer
in charge, telling her he had orders
to keep everybody out. She ls an &C,
quaintance OF Harris wife and she
went from the Kniffen home to the
residence of Patrolman Harris, block
or so away from the Kniffen house.
Mrs. Gilbert said friend of the
Kniffen family telephoned her hus-
band of the tragedy, and that she
came to Detroit to see IL she could
do anything to help Mrs. Kniffen and
the children. She said she had seen
Mrs. Kniffen only once and knew moth
ing Of her mental condition. The body
of Kniffen will be sent to Simcoe for
burial, Mrs. Gilbert said.
Clarence Gilbert, brother of Ro-
maine, Is employed by the Hupmobile
company, Detroit. Romano Is a con-
ductor on the Pennington interurban
line OF the ID. u. r.
The tragedy created but little ex-
element in the neighborhood. IL is
newly settled community and few
neighbors seem to know one anoth-
er.