The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-08-22
HlMTRAMCK MAN
BLOWS SONS HEAD
OFF WITH GUN
chickering's Of the Howcroft Family
Finally Result in Murder,
~ Father Staying Young
t&,s est Son.
Murderer Arrested By Deputies in
Nephew's Home a Few Hours
After the Crime.

The chickering's OF the Howcroft
family OF Hamtramck have finally re-
suited In murder, the father. Mark.
ST., having killed his youngest son,
Mark, Jr. % years old, by blowing
the top OF his head or with shotgun,
about 10 o'clock Sunday night. The
murderer fed from the homestead,
the scene OF the shooting, armed with
two loaded revolvers, saying he
planned to do away with himself. He
didn't carry out the threat, however,
and was caught by Deputy Sherin
William Martz a couple of hours after
the tragedy in the home OF George
Howcroft. a nephew, In Norris, few
miles from the place where the muir
der occurred. Martz and the other
deputies, including Chief Deputy Ed
Stein, who were with him, brought
the murderer to the Wayne county
jail and locked him up.
To the deputies Howcroft declared
that he shot HIS son because the lat
ter was abusing his wife. He admit
ted, however, that he and Mark had
been quarreling over the division OF
sho NAOPo Oh tiiC hOhCotNehN' N'AN@ -
the father declared. had been drink
ing during the day.
The Howcroft farm Is on the Center
Line road, little north OF Forest
Lawn cemetery The house has been
occupied for some time by the muir
derer, and OF late his two sons, Marx,
Jr., and Jack with their wives. have
also lived there. The sons wives and
Jack" were witnesses of the tragedy.
Jack" struggled with his father az
ter the shooting to get possession OF
the gun and succeeded In wrestling IL
from the murderer. Then the old
man fell over the corpse OF Mark, Jr.,
and cried:
whatever in the world got into me
to do this?'
Arising a moment later, he armed
himself with the two revolvers wnich
he kept In his room, took what money
he had, and departed with the threat
to end his own life.
News OF the tragedy soon reached,
Sheriff CASTOR and he sent Deputies
Martx and Stein and others out In
automobiles In an effort to round up
the murderer. The officers made
search OF the Howcroft homestead,
but failed TO get any trace OF him.
Finally II was reported to them that
he might have gone to the nephew's
farm in Norris At the nephew's
place the officers we're informed that
the old man had started of for the
county Jail to give himself up. Deputy
Martz was dubious about the state
ment and proceeded to the rear OF the
house. where he found the slayer just
getting into buggy. Howcroft sur
rendered willingly.
There has been much trouble In
the Howcroft family for some time
over money matters. Last fall
father caused the arrest Of son,
Samuel. on the charge OF stealing
700, which disappeared from the Gel
lar of the homestead. where the
father had concealed 1t. Samuel was
acquitted by a jury In the circuit
court alter II transpired that most
of the missing money was In a bank,
but no explanation was given for Its
presence there.
The wife OF the murderer commit
ted suicide a couple OF years ago, and
II was said at the time that the
ouarreling in the family prompted
her to the act
The family now cosists of the IA
Their and five sons, Jack" Samuel,
William, Herbert and George, and
six daughters, Mrs. Eliza Girbel. Mrs.
Polly Bellinger, Mrs. Anna Osborn,
Mrs. Sarah Pickert, Mrs. Harriet
Bliss and Mrs. Vina Young.
Coroner Burgess. who has been the
Howcroft family physician for some
years, thinks the murderer's mind has
been unbalanced of late. The chill
dren say the father has threatened on
seceral occasions to shoot them.
Coroner Rothacher, who reached the
house efore Coroner Burgess. decided
no inquest or post-mortem necessary.