Evening journal., 1910-09-21
KILL KILL MOTHER
And 3 CHILDREN
Bodies Are Found by the
Father at Home, Near
PhOenixViIIe
ROBBERY SUPPOSED
TO Be THE MOTIVE

WEST CHESTER, Pa. Sept 21.-I
Mrs. John Saus aud her two little
daughters we're murdered late yester-
day in their home at Byers, twelve
miles west OF Phoenixville. A few
feet from the ront door of the house,
behind a bush. son aged years.
was found unconscious. The boy died
while being taken to a hospital.
The murders were committed by
crushing the skulls Of the victims
with and axe. The bodies we're found
by the husband and father.
His entire family dead. Saus is
frantic with grief and the loss of his
reason is feared by the physicians
who are attending him.
The identity of the murderer and
where he has fled are questions which
District Attorney r. S. Gawthrop,
County Detective r. o. Jefferies and
a posse of local police are trying TO
solve. The dead are:
Mrs. John Suas, aged 30 years.
Mary Saus, aged years.
Emma Saus, aged 16 months
Charles Saus. aged 2 years.
The terrible discovery was made
when Saus returned to his home from
his days work In the mines of the
Acme Graphite Company. He had
been home TO his noon-day meal. and
had spent a pleasant hour with his
children AS he approached the house
this evening he wondered at the fail
ure of his Wife to have the lamps in
the kitchen lighted. and as he entered
"a eff ell in Is.I
him with alarm. No sign Of life was
about As he stepped into the rear
room Of his home he stumbled over
the corpse of his wife. and as his
startled gaze Travelled about the room
he discovered the bodies of his little
daughters.
The Mortified father staggered from
the room and began to call the name
Of his remaining child. Charles. Not
until the calls of the stricken father
were heard In the houses of neighbors,
a short distance away, did they sus-
pect that there was anything wrong
at the Saus home. When they reached
the Saus place they found the father,
still uttering the name of his son.
standing over the boys apparently
lifeless body beneath a bush The
child's head was split open, but.
sign of life being detected. he was
hurried to Phoenixville and died on
the way.
The news Of the tragedy quickly
spread and I'm a short time the little
house was surrounded by crowd OF
farmers and miners. who organized
themselves into searching parties
which are looking for traces OF two
men who boarded with the Saus fam
lily.
As a motive for the crime the au-
thorities call attention 20 the fact that
$45 and bank book, showing de.
posit OF $500 in a local bank, are
missing
Coroner W. A. Mckinley, who's,
home is but a few miles from Byers
was early on the scene. and after q
careful examination, stated that tn,
only clue Of any Importance thai
could be found pointed toward Charles
! Baker. a missing boarder and every
effort is being made TO trace Baker
who was last seen early yesterday
The theory Of the crime that is re-
ceived with favor that the murderer
intent upon robbing the house. and
believing that Saus had his months
salary. which he received Monday,
still IN the house. entered the place,
and Mrs. Saus resisting his demands
for money, was struck down with an
axe or heavy club, as were the little
girls. Little Charles. the theory is
further advanced. returning from
school, came upon the murderers at
their work and starting TO fee. was
pursued and overtaken I'm the yard
where he, too, was beaten to death,
His skull at the hospital here. where
he was pronounced dead. showed a
fracture an inch wide.