The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-21
BODIES F0UNO
BURIED IN WELL
Girl and Mother, Who Disappear
ed Year Ago, Were
Murdered.
DREAM LEADS TO DISCOVERY
Neighbor Has Vision in Sleep,
and investigation Is
Made.

T%ecunlseh. Neb., August 20.--Never
before III IT'S history has TINS quiet liz
tie town been stirred by sucn excite
nent as followed the revelation o.
double murder in the finding at the
bottom OF an old iilled-in We'll, of the
decomposed bodies OF Mrs. h. L. Hesse
and her sixteen-year-old daughter.
Verne McAlaster. a neighbours dream
was instrumental in uncovering the
tragedy.
Evidence indicated that the skull OF
the mother had been crushed by 4
blow on the back OF the head. on
the body of the daughter was a very
heavy stone. evidently hurled on her
after she was thrown in. Pinionina
down the mothers body were bricks
tied together with wire.
The pair had evidently been slain a
year ago.
The police are seeking the husband,
T.. Z. Hesse. 1t was Hesse, 1t is al
legged. who filled up the well. His
house burned down the following
night. that OF July 90. 1910, after
which there was much talk of incen-
diarism. Mrs. Hesse and daughter
were never seen afterward.
The verdict OF the coroner's jury
was that the pair came to death at
Hesse's hands from a cause unknown,
Hesse was q bird sc foreman for the
r. & NJ. Railroad, and had lived in
Tecumseh for about three years. The
family consisted of his wife and her
sixteen-year-old daughter by q for
mcr marriage. Wauneta Verne McNIas-
ter. who usually went by the name OF
Verne Hesse. Neighbors say that the
Hesse family quarreled, although the
husband was said to be a quiet, indus
trious man. of good habits, who stood
we'll with his fellow-railroad men. He
was about forty-ive years old.
Both Hesse and his wife had been
previously married and Zach had been
divorced.
Home Mysterfously Burned.
In July, last year, came the mys-
terious fire which destroyed Hesse's
house, on First Street. and soon st was
discovered that Mrs. Hesse and daugh-
ter were missing. Hesse remained hero
off and on for several months, and as
there was little at that time Of n sus-
picious nature. nothing was directed
against him at that time. except some
whispered talk in the community.
People limited that the house had been
set on fire and that the insurance was
several hundred dollars more than the
house and contents were worth.
One OF those who persistently be-
iieved there were suspicious features
was James Clutter. a %neighbor, whom
Hcssc employed to haul dirt to help
I'LL the we'll. Hesse took dirt from
around the house to partly fill the we'll
and then had Clutter haul ten loads.
But Hesse, 1t Is said, kept the we'll
covered with boards all the time and
never let Clutter look inside.
Clutter dumped the dirt In the yard
n Hesse himself threw It into the
we'll until the hole was completely
filled. To some Of the neighbors.
Hesse said the we'll was too near the
house, that there was too much wa
ter in Il. and that the water was not
pure.
Hesse. 1T is alleged, told Clutter his
wife had gone away. and that he
didn't know whether she would ever
come back. He told Clutter she had
gone to Omaha 10 take treatment
for her throat while to others he aid
her eyes were being treated Within
n few days, 1t is said, he a J. other
conflicting stories, saying his wife was
in Iowa, then in Denver and then in
Pueblo.
The stepdaughter. Verne McMaster,
who was an operator for the Bell Tele-
phone Company. said nothing about
GGitt!ng.' work, but went home one
night and was not seen afterward. Her
father said q few days later that she
had gone away with her mother.
Hesse was around town for some
time. collected his fire insurance and
carefully closed up all his business,
saying he was going 10 move to Col
orado for the beneht of his wife's
health. she having gone there already.
He quit the employ Of the Burlington
Railroad, and received some good tes-
timonial from them. He said ne was
going west TO enter similar employ
ment.
Last October Hesse left Tecumseh,
after arranging with Isaac Clark, a
n~eighboT. for the sale OF his lot. Hesse
said he vas goins 10 Colorado. He
bade goodby to many friends, and said
he regretted TO go. One railroad mai
heard from him at Seattle, Wash, last
June. Several cards purporting to be
from the stepdaughter. Verne, were
received by neighbor girls, Pearl and
Hazel Stevens.
These cards were sent from Trinida
and Denver. one OF them said: Mother
is feeling much better. and we like 1,
fine out here" Another one. Sent from
Denver, stated; Mamma and me,
papa IN Denver and we are going back
20 Trinidad together"
Dream Reveals Bodies.
In addition to their other SUSPICION.