The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1917-03-28
Redwood Farmer
Kills Family and
Then Hangs Self
VIM. Kleeman Kills Wife And
Four Children; Then Com
mits Suicide by Hanging
DISCOVERED SUNDAY
Miss Snyder Discovers Tragedy
Sunday Afternoon; Deed
Done Hours Before

William Kleeman, a young
farmer near Clements, went sud-
denly insane last Saturday night
and murdered his sleeping wife
and thei1. four children, then
killed himself by hanging. The
tragedy in the Kleeman home
was first discovered by Miss
Ruth Snyder, a school teacher
boarding there, upon her return
to the house Sunday after spend
ing the weekend at her home at
Mankato. The bodies of the six
victims were brought to Red
wood Falls Monday night and
are at present at the 0. w. Grapp
undertaking parlors.
While it is impossible for any
one to tell exactly how the de-
mented man went about the
deed, the evidence, as found by
Miss Snyder and the others who
arrived on the scene shortly af-
ter she gave the alarm, indicate
that the killing was done late
Saturday night or earlysSunday
morning, while Mrs. Kleeman
and the children were still sleep
ing, they apparently having not
awakened to any knowledge of
what was happening.
Miss Snyder's first discovery,
upon entering the house, was
the body of Mr.. Kleeman, hang
ing in the kitchen. With unus-
ual GOODNESS and courage, Miss
Snyder cut the rope and made
every effort to revive the dead
man, but without effect. She
then discovered the bodies Of
Mrs. Kleeman and the children,
| in their beds in the adjoining
room, and notified the neighbors
by telephone. 1t was some time
before help could reach the home
because of bad road conditions,
and during this time, Miss Sny-
der was alone in the house.
Mr.. Kleeman was partly
dressed, having on his shirt and
trousers but no shoes and stock
ings. His weapon was a heavy
axe and each of his. family had
apparently been killed by a sin
gle blow Upon the head. His own
body was suspended by a rope
hung from a pole which was
Ilaid across a stovepipe hole be-
tween the kitchen and the cham
Der above. A chair on which he
had stood, had been pushed away
after he had adjusted the rope
about his neck.
Mrs. Kleeman was formerly
Miss Maude Petrie, the only
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Petrie of Paxton township. The
-four children were Gladys, near
ly six years old, Lois, four years,
Gordon age two, and Aileen, a
baby of about six weeks. Mrs.
Kleeman was a most devoted
mother, as we'll as a loyal wife
and daughter and no domestic
trouble can possibly be cited as
the cause of Mr.. Kleeman's deed.
The rumor that financial affairs
was the cause Of worry and de-
mentia has also been silenced,
by relatives who state that the
family had no cause for anxiety
over money matters. In the ap-
parent absence of any motive it
is only charitable to accept the
only plausible theory-the act
being the action of mentally
deranged person.
Funeral service for Mrs. Klee-
man and the two youngest lchil-
dren will be held Thursday after
noon at the Church Of Holy
Communion of which Mrs. Klee-
man has been a communicate
since her girlhood. Mr.. Klee-
man was 9 member of the Luth-
eran Church, and funeral an
nouncements for him and the
two oldest children will be made
later, being under the direction
of his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Au-
gust Kleeman.
| The parents of both these