Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-22
RICH MAN WIPES
AWAY HIS FAMILY
Evidence Indicates that Iowa
Farmer Murders Wife
and Children.
THEN SETS HOME ON FIRE
'Afterward Jumping Into the Flames to
End His Own Existence
Worth 100000.

Dubuque, Iowa, Aug. 22.-That a
quadruple murder and suicide were
committed at the home of Henry
Sternweis in Jefferson township at an
early hour Thursday morning is the
opinion Of the hundreds of persons
who visited the place Thursday, in the
number being included Coroner Voel-
ker, County Clerk Harrington and
newspaper men.
The dead are as follows:
HENRY STERNwEIS. so years old
MRS. HENRY STERNWEIS, his
wife, As years old.
ARTHUR, aged 9.
INA, aged 5.
SALENA, aged months.
II is believed that Mr.. Sternweis
murdered his wife and three children,
set fire to the residence and other
buildings on the farm and then COM
mitted suicide by hanging in the barn.
The fire at the Sternweis place was
first discovered by neighboring farm
ers about $3.50, Thursday morning.
They hurried TO the place and found
the residence, barns. corn cribs, etc,
practically destroyed at that time.
There was no evidence of the members
of the family about, so it was pre-
sumed from the very start that trag-
edy had been enacted.
Soon after his arrival on the scene
of the tragedy, Coroner Voelker went
TO the smouldering ruins of the barn.
There he found on top of the frame
work of hay loader, the remains of
what is believed TO be the body of the
head Of the household, Henry Stern.
weis.
The four bodies were placed on the
lawn and covered while scores OF
neighbors crowded around. Later the
remains we're brought to the under
taking parlors Of Mr.. Voelker in the
city where they will be held, pending
investigation by physicians, the in
quest and burial
Henry Sternweis was one of the
most prominent farmers of Jefferson
township. living on his 4OO-acre farm
five miles west Of Sherrills, two miles
south OF Balltown and fifteen miles
west of Dubuque He was born OF
that farm and inherited it from hi.
father who was one of the pioneer!
OF the county.
In his childhood Mr.. Sternweis hat
scarlet fever and as a result Of tina
disease lost his hearing so for the pas
forty or more years he had been deaf
though he had been one of the mos
prosperous farmers in that part of til
county.
About ten years ago he was Marie
10 Miss Henrietta Boehme, also wei
known in Dubuque. For few year
their married life is said to have bee
ideal, but during the later years il I
reported by neighbors that they ha
frequent wrangles. that the home lif
was far from a happy one.
4 MYSTERIOUS LETTER.
A letter had been mailed TO \
Klein. A second envelope was insid
and with II a note asking him. Klel'
10 deliver It personally" 10 Mr.. Seer
weis. The letter is presumed to hay
come from the sister who is allege
TO have caused the trouble betwee
the husband and wife, but what
contained Is nor kuCwu aua p5SUat!
never will be known unless tile siste
who wrote it tells its contests.
IT is the belief of Mr.. Klein an
others Of the farmers IN the ueigl
bcrhood that someth ng contained j
the letter in question prompted II
tragedy which has appalled, the who
northern part OF the county.
Mr. Steinweis is survived by foJ