Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-23
Bodies Of Mrs.. konmichau
And Daughter Found
ImmuTed IN Concrete in Base
meni--0ther Daughter Held.
Is In nospItaI.-cIslms She Carried
Out Wishes Of Her Mother.

st. Louis, April 22.--The bodies of
Mrs. Ernestine Komnichau and her
daughter Zelma We're found, shortly
before noon, today. buried in the base
rnent Of building at 2412 South Broad
way Marie Komnichau, another
daughter, was arrested at the City
hospital, shortly after noon. pending
| investigation in connection with the
! mystery.
| Both bodies We're immured in con-
crete.
The sister Marie was taken to the
City hospital. two weeks ago. after she
had broken her leg in a fall down
stairs. A week before that time neigh
bors noticed the absence of her moth
or and sister and inquired about them.
Marie replied that her sister Zelma
! had died and that the mother had TAX
en- the body to Illinois for burial.
The finding of the bodies resulted
from the visit of the owner of the
building, Albert Stuher. to the prem
ises. He noticed Il peculiar odor and
telephoned to police headquarters. An
investigation resulted in the finding of
grave and the bodies
Marie Komnichau, who is 40 years
old, told a reporter at the City hos
rital, this afternoon, her story of the
deaths and burial of her mother and
sister She explained that with her
mother and sister she had conducted
q notion store in the front room of the
house at No. 24l2 South Broadway for
nearly 20 years.
My mother and sister were afraid
n iad in, afa chx
| said. They were afraid their bodies
| would be stolen, and also afraid that
| they would be buried alive. That was
| the only reason l did not have their
| bodies attended to in the usual way.
MY mother died nine months before
my sister did. l don't remember the ex-
act date, but sister died. Feb. 10. and
figured back at that time so | know there
was nine months difference. My sister
died of heart trouble and from taking too
many headache powders. My mother died
of old age. Before my mother died she
made sister and me promise that We
would not take her body out of the house
so the undertakers could get her. We had
no doctor for her-there has not been a
doctor in our house for 10 years. and
doctor could have done mother no good
| Il put her body in showcase, which
We took from the notion store, and pour
ed plaster of paris around the glass and
| cracks to keep the air out. We kept the
showcase containing the body up stairs
| in rear room. No one knew, for none
of the neighbors had paid any attention
to mother and they did not inquire about
| her.
when sister died I knew that people
would ask about her. and that IL neigh
bors found out was keeping her body
| they would ask about mother too So
told the neighbors that mother had
died and that Zelma had taken her to
Illinois for burial.
Then l took both bodies into the base
ment. l laid them on the basement floor
and poured plaster Of paris and cement
over Them
Marie said that she needed help In re-
moving the body Of her mother from the
showcase. and called In a German wo-
man who was passing the store. and
whom she had never seen before s.l31a1nt
''she was clumsy" continued Marie.
and was no help. told her she need
not mind about staying. I never, saw
her again, and do not know whether
she ever told anyone t
Marie said that one man, Ok Allmeroth.
living on Lami street between Third and
Broadway. knew of the deaths.
HE is very religious man." said Ma
RE. He has called on US now and then
for long while. He said prayers over
mothers body and over sisters body
don't think he knew the bodies were
buried in the basement. for / don't re-
member ever telling him.
Marie asked the police not to allow the
bodies OF her mother and sister to be re-
moved from the house.