The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-11
SLIGHT CLUE To
AWFUL MURDER
Family Trouble Only Guide
in Searching for Muir
derer of Moores.

Villisca. June 11.-Almost no posi-.
tive clues may be said to have beer
brought to light as the result of the
work of the detectives in Sunday
nights murder case wherein Joseph
Moore and his family and two Wis.
itors. eight in all. met their death.
The theory upon which the author.
| tiles working now involves two men
relatives of the murdered family both
grudge against Moore and his wife az
the result of domestic tro'''''~- One
of these men, 1t is said. is known tc
have been in Villisca recently and II
is rumored the other has also been
here.
The bloodhounds which followed
the trail from the Moore home to the
river yesterday. losing 1t soon after.
wards. were again used today. The
detective working on the case. also
helped in the investigation of the
wholesale murder at Ellsworth. Kan
He found several points of similar
ity between the two cases one OF
these the kerosene lamp in each case
found burning in the room where the
crime was committed. and the bloody
finger prints Of the Ellsworth murder
ers have been preserved and have
been compared with those found in
the Moore home by experts.
The horses of neighbor in the
barn at the Moore home caused a
woman neighbor to notice that
men of the family appeared to be
about the house. The. city marshal
tonight was summoned and the doors
forced
Moore and his wife were first dis
covered lying in their bed in the
front room. Then came the finding
Of the bodies Of the two guests and
later their children in their rooms.
Moore was manager of a local imple-
ment concern and prominent in buis-
iness and social circles.
Country is Excited.
The most intense excitement pre-
walls here and people from all parts
of the country are f1ocking to Willis
ca. The local national guard COM
panies and scores Of armed citizens
are securing the territory adjacent to
Villisca in the hope Of hunting down
the murderer. Not one of the victims
was known Ito have had an enemy.
Only one Of the bodies showed any
indications of the least struggle. One
Of the stillings girls lay with an
arm thrown out as though she had
awakened and tried to ward off the
murders blow. Small cuts on her
sion. All the other bodies including
that of the other Stillinrz girl who
occupied the same bed with her sister
lay In natural positions Of slumber.
Bed covers had not been disarranged.
A lighter kerosene lamp was on the
floor in the middle Of the room oc-
cupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Moore.
Finger Prints Are Clue.
The only clue to the perpetrator of
the crime SO far discovered consists
of number of bloody finger prints in
different parts Of the house.
Some Of these blood stains were
found near the knob Of the front
door and indicate that the murderer
locked the house on leaving it. The
key has not been found. All the
finger prints are being carefully pre-
served and experts have been sum-
moned to take photoes of them.
All the outside doors were locked
and all the windows fastened except
two in the room occupied by the Still
lings girls. The window shades all
over the house were carefully drawn.
The bodies Of the victims have not
been disturbed and a close guard is
being maintained about the premises.
The Moore home is located in the
middle Of residences but none Of the
neighbors heard an outcry last night.
Bloodhounds will be put on the
trail Of the murders.