The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-04-30
MURDER CLEW COVERED
Family OF Eight Slain; Baby
Escapes Death
BLOODY DEED REVEALED
Neishbors Find erewsome Scene
On Entering North Dakota 9
Farm Home
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch

Turtle Lake, N. D., April 26.-Mc-
Lean county officials. who are inves-
tigating the murder of Mr.. and Mrs.
Jacob Wolf, their five children and a
chore boy, on the Wolf farm near
here, said today that they still were
without tangible clues either as to
the identity Of the murderer, or mo-
tives that prompted the terrible crime
discovered Saturday afternoon.
j. b. Williams, states attorney, said
that the sale IN the Wolf hdine was
opened last night, and nearly $500 In
money, and several hundred dollars
III certificates Of deposit were found
intact. Examination OF the Wolf
nome has disclosed that nothing has
been disturbed.
mr.. Wolf and his family had the
reputation of being congenial neigh
DUrS, and SO far as we can determine,
they were without enemies" said Mr..
Williams today.
Verdict of Jury.
The coroners jury That examined
several witnesses yesterday, and
which was taken over the scene OF
the eight grueSome murders returned
a verdict finding that the victims
were murdered by parties unknown.
Only bloody pair OF overalls, dis
covered in the cellar, and a Shot gun,
found in a slough mile from the
Wolf home, have been obtained by
officials SO far IN their search Tor evil
dence that might lead TO the identi-
nr
1.-TWO men seen walking from the
district OF the Wolf farm on Thurs
day afternoon, about the time the
murders are believed to nave occur
red, were questioned Sunday" said
States Attorney Williams today. He
said they were clearly innocent OF
the crime.
What An Examination Revealed.
The examination conducted by the
coroner's jury disclosed that all but
one Of the victims was slain with a
shot gun, and that all but one had
been shot from behind, while the
eighth victim was slain with hat
Chef.
Jacob Wolf, aged forty one, the ia
ther, was shot at close range through
the right side from behind, and he
had also once been shot at long range
in the back.
Mrs. Wolf, aged thirty-five, was
shot in the back at close range, a big
hole being torn in her body.
Head Blown Away. ..
Bertha Wolf, aged thirteen, was
shot in the face at close range, al
most the entire head being blown off
The girl had also been slashed with
the Ratchet, the fiendist murderer
unfolding the blade of the Ratchet
several inches.
Marie Wolf, aged ten, was shot in
the back of the head, the shot being
at such close range that her hair was
singed by the fire.
Edna Wolf, aged eight, was shot in
the back OF the head at close range,
tearing terrible hole.
Lydia Wolf, aged six, was shot back
of the left ear, and blow from the
Ratchet cut deeply into the base of
the skull.
Martha Wolf, aged three, was slain
with the Ratchet, being hit broadside
by the weapon.
chore Boy Killed.
Jake Hofer, the chore boy, was shot
in the, back Of the neck; the windpipe
and jugular vein being severed.
Today only an eight months old
baby, Emma, remains alive. She was
found in a front room of the home, in
a crib, and is suffering only from a
severe cold as a result of her forty
eight hour period of exposure with
out attention.
According to the officials, five of
the victims were murdered in the kit
chen of the Wolf home, the father
probably was slain in the yard, be-
tween the barn and the residence,
while two of the girls were slain while
attempting to escape the murderer ar
murderers by seeking refuge in the
cowbarn where their bodies and that
of their father were found concealed
under a pile of hay.
Officials To Scene.
Bismarck, N. D., April 26.-Attor-
ney General William LANCER today
dispatched men to Turtle Lake to aid
county officials in their investigation
of the Wolf family murder.
Bloodhounds Are Used,
Turtle Lake, N. D., April 26.-
Bloodhounds from the state penlten-
tiary today are tracing the wide
prairies around Turtle Lake in the
hopes of picking up the trail of the
murderers. Because the bodies were
not discovered until after Saturday
noon, forty eight hours after the
crimes were committed, the authori-
ties are confronted with many OBJ
stacles. They are not very optimistic
of successful Developments through
the use of .bIoodhounds because of
the large number of persons who
have tramped around the farm house,
barns and farm yard.
The motive for the most revolving
crime ever committed in the north
west has not been established. A
quarrel between members of the dead
family and the murderer over per-
sonal affairs has been considered, but
because of the general esteem and
respect in which the Wolf family have
been held by the neighbors, nothing
tangible has developed to sustain this
fhanrv