Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-03
FOUR ARE SLAIN
IN A FARM HOME
Father, Daughter and Two
Sons Found Dead by
Schoolboys.
MURDERED Is THE BELIEF
Authorities Suspect One Victim Kill.
ed the Others and Then COM
mitted Suicide.
MURDERED is THE BELIEF

Appleton, Wis, Feb. 3.-A quadruple
murder mystery was given the au-
thorities to solve by the finding of
four bodies yesterday afternoon at the
farm home of Lewis Mailahn, at Bing-
hamton, 15 miles northwest of this
city. The throats of three victims
had been cut, while the fourth victim
had been shot in the head. The dead:
LEWIS MAILAHN, aged &c years;
shot in head.
WILLIAM MAILAHN, aged q
years.
DORA MAILAHN, aged 16 years.
JOHN MAILAHN, aged years.
F. ]. Rooney, district attorney, be-
lieves it was a case of triple murder
and suicide.
BOY FINDS THE BODIES.
The bodies were discovered by
George Mailahn, aged Is years, when
he returned from the district school,
which is two miles from his home.
The boy found his sister lifeless on
the kitchen floor. He informed his
brother, Walter, aged IA, who accom-
panied him from school and another
| brother, Edward, aged "a, who had
| brought the two home on a sled on
which he had been hauling wood dur.
ing the day.
The oldest brother Immediately no
titled the district attorney, who left
for the Mailahn home with the sheriff
Lewis Mailahn's body was found IL
the barn, and those Of John and Viii
liam were discovered In the smoke
house.
BELIEVE SON WAS SLAYER.
The opinion of those who visited
the home as soon as report Of th'
finding of the bodies was made, is tina
William Mailahn was responsible TO
the four deaths.
William Mailahn, according to tn
neighbors. had been acting strangely
The supposition is that he murdere,
his father, sister and brother and thel
took his own life. He had been angr,
at his father since last fall and ha
been absent from home until last Sur
day.
A fancied grievance over favors e1
;tended to other members of the fan
lily is thought to have inspired tn
deed.
Presumably the three who wer
slain were attacked while performin
their accustomed duties about tn
farm. The district attorney feels sa
isfied that William Mailahn was tn
slayer.
Mrs Mailahn died several years ag
William was a favorite with h
mother, it is said, and had not lived
accord with his family since her deaf
ACT OF INSANE YOUTH.
Latest developments today show
yond question, the authorities sa
that the tragedy was committed
William Mainland, while insane. Le'
is Mainland, the father, 65, seems
have been the first one killed. Dor
16, was found lying on couch in Il
parlor, her throat slashed, the de-
e presumably having been committt
d while she was asleep. The body
E. John, S, was found in a smoke hous
William then went into the kitch,
and slashed his own throat with
s. razor.
'r NEIGHBORS RECALL REMARKS.
Neighbors today express the opini
that William undoubtedly was insar
Il He made a remark Wednesday, {
cording to neighbors, that if he cou
get his father and Oldest brother O
of the way, the rest would be easy.
IL FIVE DIE OF TUBERCULOSIS.
, During recent years five membe
&c of the family died from tuberculoi
of the lungs, and all the victims
" the tragedy were afflicted with t
same disease. Neighbors say Villa
ie some time ago declared the fam
u was dying piecemeal, that he thong
u it would be well they should all
together, and that he would get q
IL bolic acid and kill the whole buncl
III II is believed he brooded over the C
dition of the family until he becaI
insane.