The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-23
BASEMENT TOMB OF
WOMAN AND DAUGHTER
Police Discover Two Decom-
posed Bodies Under
Concrete Slab.
FOLLOWED BY ARREST
Marie Kommichan, Remain
ing Member of Family,
Tells Weird Story.
FOLLOWED BY ARREST

ST. LOUIS. April 22.-The bodies of
Mrs Ernestine Kommichau, 70 years
old, and her daughter. Selma KommI-
chau, 90 years old, We're found under a
concrete slab in the basement OF the
kommichau home today. 4 younger
daughter, Marie Kommlchau, 10 years
old. who was arrested at the city hos
pital in connection with the finding OF
the bodies, told the police that her moth
er and sister had died from natural
causes and that she had buried them in
the basement because they had a preju-
dice against burial in a cemetery.
Marie declared that her mother had
died in May, 1912. and her sister in Feb
ruary, 1913. According to her story. her
| mothers body had been kept In the
house throughout the warm weather last
summer in a showcase, the cracks Of
which had been filled with plaster Of
paris. The bodies when found, were
dislntegrated 10 such an extent that
identified tion was difficult The graves
were decorated with two small cedar
trees. wire cross and a mussel shell.
Marie Kommichau was taken to
hospital with broken leg two weeks
ago. In her absence Mrs A. L. Stuhr,
who owned the house where the Kommi
chau woman lived, visited the house and
discovered a peculiar odor In the base
ment. She notified the police, who broke
off portion OF a peculiar looking con-
crete slab In an alcoye in the basement
and uncovered the bodies Of the two
women. Under the bodies was layer
Of quicklime.
Suspicious Aroused.
The suspicious Of neighbors had been
aroused previously by conflicting stories
told by Marie rega riding the disappear
ance OF her mother and sister To some
she told that her mother had died and
that her sister had taken the body back
TO Illinois and to others she said her
sister had died and her mother had ac-
| compan!ed the body to Illinois.
Marie Kommichau late today explained
| that her mother and sister had a horror
OF being buried alive and feared their
bodies would be stolen il Inferred in a
cemetery
MY mother made Selma and me prom
ise not to let the undertakers get her."
|
year we kept the body in the house. Ny
sister made the same request before she
died last February and I obeyed their
wishes"
Marie said her sister died OF heart
trouble and taking too many heada che
powders. and her mother from old age
Sheds Further Light.
Marie said that one man, Adams An
meroth, knew OF the deaths.
| "Ee is a very religious man." said
Marie. HE has called on us now and
| then for a long while. He said prayers
over mothers body and over sisters
body, l don't think he knew the bod
les were buried in the basement, for 1
don't remember ever telling him.
| Marie asked the police not to allow
the bodies OF her mother and sister to
be removed from the house
Mrs. Stuhr told today OF an estrange-
ment between Marie and Selma. the
dead sister
Last winter said Mrs. Stuhr, MA
re told me that she and her sister had
quarreled year ago and that as a re-
suit Marie had moved out OF the living
rooms and was staying altogether In the
store. The mother and sister were Iiv-
ing in the back rooms. The quarres
she had with her sister seemed to be
over money matters"