The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1912-12-13
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY IN MILTON.
Suicide of William KunkIe and Mary
Fielder Whose Bodies Were Found
in Woods on Clark Kidder Farm.

The finding of the dead bodies of
VIM. Kunkle and his wife's sister, Miss
Mary Fielder, lying in the woods on the
Clark Kidder farm near the river road
few miles east of town on Saturday
last brings to light startling tragedy
that has been the sensation of the
week. The general supposition is that
Kunkle deliberately dubbed the girl to
death and then blew out his brains.
That Kunkle evidently lay down be-
side her, removed one glove, and plac-
ing the shotgun in a position to reach
pulled both triggers at once, completely
blowing off the top of his head, is car
rled out by the position of his body
when found The blood spattered on
the woman and gave the first impress
sion that he had shot her, which was
later disproved when the body was pre-
pared for burial.
The two bodies lay in little clump
of timber about half mile from the
Kidder home and about the same dis
lance from Kunkle's home on the Aiken
farm. The girl, who was 20 years of
age, lay stretched out-on the ground,
just as she might have fallen when the
blows were struck. Beside her and to
the north, with his left hand partly
under her body, lay the corpse of the
man. His cap and a cotton glove he
had worn on his right hand were found
a few feet away.
Across his body, with the muzzle
pointed toward his head, lay double
barrelled, 12-gauge shotgun, with which
he ended his life. Both barrels of the
gun had been discharged, and in the
chambers were two empty shells.
The discharge of the gun tore off the
top of the mans scalp and scattered
his brains for several feet around him,
scattering on the woman's clothes. A
part of the skull was found about five
feet from his head.
District Attorney Dunwiddie is con-
WINGED the man killed the girl and then
ended his own life, and consequently
did not call a coroner's inquest. Both
he and Sheriff Ransom viewed the
bodies before they were removed from
the spot where found and agreed it
clear case of murder and suicide.
On last Wednesday, the day on which
the tragedy occurred, Miss Fielder and
he was driving to the milk factory, and
it is believed that the meeting in the
woods was arranged. He was last
might talk over with him the trouble
he had brought upon her. He was last
seen by his wife on Wednesday after
noon about half past l o'clock, when
he left the house, apparently to do the
work at the barn, and it was not known
until later that he had taken the gun
with him. The girl left home, sup
posedly to go to the home of Oder
Wen, where she had been working, as
sisting with the homework.
Relatives of the couple, on hearing
of their disappearance, at first be-
leved that the two had eloped, as
Kunkle and the girl had been seen to-
gether, and this belief was held until
Saturday, when searching party was
organized and the bodies were found
by Richard Kunkle, a brother of the
man.
William Kunkle was about % years
of age, born December %, 1889. He
was married April 4, 1903, to Bertha
Fielder, sister of the young woman
he is believed to have killed, and two
children were born to them, one of
whom, child about year old, is still
living.
The girl, Mary Fielder, was 20 years
of age, and was born in the town of
Fulton, where she had lived all her life
at the home of her parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. William Fielder
The remains were brought here for
interment in Fassett cemetery on Tues
day afternoon.