Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-04-26

farmer who Immediately informed the
authorities.
When the members of the sheriffs
department arrived the stock of the
shotgun which had been detached
from the barrel was seen floating in
the slough and footprints indicated
that only one man approached the,
shore and hurled the gun into the
water. ~
Inquest Started.
The inquest over the eight dead
bodies was started when a number of
witnesses were placed on the stand by
Coroner Stucke. They told the story
of how the murders were dis
covered, the finding of the bodies Of
Mrs. Wolf, three Of the daughters and
the hired man in the cellar under. the
kitchen, the discovery of the three
bodies in. the nearby COW shed with,
hogs eating the flesh from the fathers
face and arm and the crying and
famished eight months old daughter.
the only survivor Of the tragedy. lying
in its cradle in the front bedroom,
~ Saw. Two Men.
+. One witness. John Brekken, farmer.
told how he had seen two suspicious
looking men walking rapidly away
from the direation Of the Wolf farm
towarf Turtle Lake shortly after noon
John Kraft, the nearest
/ neiEhbor to- the Wolf family, who was:
dered people alive. told how he had
discovered the bodies, shortly after /
o'clock Saturday afternoon. = I'll
y Shot at Short Range.
All but one Of sthe eight persons
found murdered here Saturday noon
were shot to- death with shotgun
fired at close range while the other
, was killed with a smashing blow on
the side Of the head with the broad
part, of a hatchet blade These were
the results of the examination con-
Quoted by the coroner's jury at the
inquest which was completed late
Sunday afternoon. All of the deaths
but one. were instantaneous.
Jacob Wolf, Al, father of the un-
the right side from behind. Three
ribs were shot away and he was
wounded in the back from shot fired
at long range. The former shot
caused a deep wound and tore away
most of the side of the body
Mrs. Wolf. 35, was shot in the back
at close range, the gunshot tearihE a
hole two inches in diameter. This
was the only mark on her body
Bertha, 13, was shot in the nose at
close range, the entire front Of her
face being ALMOST blown away. The
assassin theft buried the hatchet
across the mangled face, nearly sever
ing the head.
Maria. 10, was shot in the back Of
the head behind the left ear, the skin
and hair being badly burned from
the powder charge. NJ
Nina. g.. was shot in the back Of
the head atsclose range, the shot tear
ing huge cash across the tiny head.
Lidia, s. was shot back of the left
ear and the base Of the skull deeply
cut by a blow from the hatchct.
Hatchct Used.
The frontal bone of the head Of
Martha 8, was smashed in by blow
from the broad side of the hatchet.
Jake Hofer, 13. hired hand, was
shot through the back of the neck the
windpipe and throat were severed
and the jugular vein probably shot
away.
The eight months. old baby. Emma.
the only survivor OF the crime. is to-
day the owner Of well equipped
farm, free from encumbrances and
valued at over $4,000. For at least
two days. the murders having been
committed shortly after noon Thurs
day and the bodies not discovered un-
til Saturday afternoon, the baby
scantily attired. in a heatless room.
was slowly starving to death. Her
rescue by neighbors is all that pre-
vented the entire Wolf family Of eight
from being destroyed. A number Of
Investigations and searches were con.
Quoted by the authorities all day Sum
day in an attempt to apprehend the
person or. persons who committed the
crime, but without success.
Gun is Found. III
The finding of a double barrel shot
gnn in q slough one mile from the
Wolf farm Sunday afternoon is still
considered the most important clue
on which the authorities have to
work. The ownership Of the shotgun
which had only been In the water q
day or two is still undiscovered. The
authorities announced after an all
day Investigation OF the farm home,
barn and farmyard that Mrs. Wolf.
Hofer were probably murdered in the
kitchen OF their home and their
bodies then thrown down the cellar
liunder the kitchen. Mr.. Wolf Il was
probably killed In the barnyard as he
was rushing to- the defense sOf his
screaming wife and children, having
evidently been out to the corral to at
tend 70 the stock after eating htsSdt
liner Thursday noon. 81 s. N s.s Z "a "a
u Marie and Edna, the two daughters
found under Sthe pile Of hay In H the
| COW shed with their fathers partly
concealed body were probably Il shot
while running Into the shed to escape
the murder or murderer i. Mr. VOLTS
Ebpdy probably fell in the farm yard
Into the COW shed and buried under
the came pile Of hay isre the fiends
had placed the dead bodies Of his
ISyOung daughters. "a Nd ~ 4 tss