Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-21
SEEK MURDER CLUE
No Motive Known for the Kill
ing of Six Persons.
BUTCHEREb IN THEIR BEDS
AK Used by Murderer Found Be-
side the Door.
HEAD OF ONE FAMILY HELD
Relatives and Neighbors Do Not Be-
lieve Him Guilty-Not a
Case of Robbery.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Col, September
stantiate robbery as a motive for the
murder of Mrs. Alice Burnham. her
daughter Alice, aged six years, and her
son John. aged three years, and Mr..
and Mrs. Henry F. Wayne and their
three-year-old baby, found dead in
their homes here yesterday. authori-
ties here hold the theory that the crime
was committed by some enemy of one,
if not both. of the families.
The two families, who lived in ad-
joining houses. were murdered with an
AK while they were asleep in their
beds. Indications pointing to the crime
having been committed Sunday night.
\. J. Burnham. husband of one of the
murdered women. who was held by
the police. is a consumptive, and off,
Gals at the hospital where he has been
working say he is not physically strong
enough to WELD an ak as was done by
the murdered.
AK Stood by Door.
The ak with which the deed was done
was found yesterday by Mrs. j. r.
Evans, who lives next door to the
Waynes. at AZ Hanson place, and from
whom, it was borrowed last week. 1t
was standing outside the Wayne door
covered with blood Mrs. Evans thought
the family had been killing chickens and
thought nothing Of the incident until the
discovery of the bodies today.
Mrs. Jane Ruth of 931 South Sierra
Madre street. sister of the murdered Mrs.
Bnrnham, went to the latter's house, at
321 West Dale street. in the rear of the
Mayne home. to do some sewing, &C
companied by Miss Anna Merritt of $50
Pine street. The front door was locked
and the two women gained entrance by
the rear door. On entering the front
room they found the body of Mrs. Burn
ham lying in bed. Beside her, one on
each side, were the bodies of her two
children with their heads similarly cut
open with an ak. The covers had evil
IDENTIFY been carefully replaced by the one
who did the deed. Not an article in the
little home had been disturbed.
Rushing to the street, the woman gave
the alarm, and neighbors f1ocked to the
scene Of the tragedy. Instinctively
dozen persons ran to the Wayne home
where no signs of life had been seen since
Sunday afternoon. The rear door was
found unfastered. and in the bed in the
front room the scene witnessed in the
Burnham home was almost exactly du-
picated.
In Sleeping Position.
Covered in the bed, as though in nat
ural sleep, were the bodies of Mr. and
Mrs. Wayne and between them the body
of their year-old babe. all with the skulls
crushed by blows of an AK.
The bodies were cold, and it is surmised
that they were all killed Sunday night,
al which time the members of both fam
lilies were seen alive for the last time, so
far as can be learned.
Telephone messages were sent to the
police station, and Coroner Jackson and
the sheriff went to the scene and had the
bodies removed to an undertakers. Not
even a footprint was visible on the floor
of either house, and not person could
be found who had seen man about the
premises since Sunday afternoon. On that
day Several members of the two families
called at the grocery store of Grant Col
Inns, on West Dale street.
The Burnham homo stands on the cor
ner of Dale street and Harrison place,
and the two houses next to it on Dale
street are vacant. Near the Wayne home
is that of j. R. Evans, who loaned Mrs.
Wayne an AK last week. This blood
stained implement furnishes the only clue
for the police.
A. J. Burnham. husband of one of the
murdered women and father of the two
children, who has been arrested will be
npld as a witness. He Is a COOK at the
Modern Woodmen Sanatorium He is a
member of Colorado Springs Camp, No.
7226 of Modern Woodmen lie is a ma
tive of Michigan. He was last seen at
his home Sunday afternoon. when he paid
visit To his family. He is said to have
left there about > o'clock. He has been
working at the sanatorium about two
years. He has always borne a good rep
utation. according TO his neiehbors.
Always Lived Happily.
Mrs. Emma T.. Hill of o. South Sierra
Madre street. Burnhams mother-in-!aw,
said:
'Blirnham has always been the best
father and husband i'll the world and II,
and my daughter never had amy trouble
J do not believe that 10 had anything to
do with such a crime. They have always