Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1920-04-29

terrogated by the authorltles.
The authorities are not very opti-
miatic of successful developments
thru the use of bloodhounds because
OF the large number of people that
has tramped around the farm house.
barns and farm yard and because the
trails are almost four. days OLD
Rains since last Thursday weakening
z the scent, also contribute to the dit-
hculties of tracing the murderous
:fiends with bloodhounds. Every Ell
fort Ia being made to locate the own
or of the double barreled shotgun
found in a shallow slough one mile
from the Wolfe farm, Sunday.
4 The authorities are Of the opinion
that 1t was this kun which, fred at
close range, so terribly mangled the
heads and bodies of seven of the
eight victims that died of gunshot
wounds; The gun is only slightly
rusted which leads the authorities to
, believe that 1t. had been In the water
but a short time. All but two of the
victims died from shots fired from
behind at very close range. One was
,ehot. from the front and other other
was killed by smashing blow from
a hatohet. All of the deaths we're in
stantaneous. The inquest held Sum
!. day showads thes verdict Of the; cor
.oner's jury was violent death at,the
Z handsiofsupknown parties.
IA number of investigations result.
ing from clues discovered in the con-
tinuous examination of the farm
house, cowshed, other buildings and
farm yard, have been conducted By
the authorities, but in every instance
they failed to materialize into any
thing definite, Scores Of people have
been questioned In hopes of estab-
fishing the identity of the murderers
but to no avail.
The motive for the crimes has not
been clearly established. A quarrel
between the. members OF the dead
family and the nlurderers over per.
sonal affairs has been seriously con-
sidered, but because of the universal
esteem and respect In which the
5 Wolfe family was held by the neigh
bors, nothing tangible has been dis
covered to sustain this theory.
IL trouble had been the .motive,
and there seems to be compelling in
fuence In regard to this as the real
reason for the revolving crimes, the
murderers fed without removing
single article, or attempting to open
the safe in the bedroom, the safe t
was rumored around the country side
always contained a large sum Of
money. 1t is small and light enough
for two men to remove it, yet it was
not touched, the authorities believe.
The theory that Mr.. Wolfe had
first murdered the family and hired
boy and then killed himself was Civ.
en- serious consideration but after
the examination Of the dead mans.
body, it was seen. this was imp possible.
Mr.. Wolfe died from a huge gunshot
wound In his side. Death was in
Simultaneous. NO gun or shells we're
found In the cowshed, where the
father and two small daughters were
found. It was impossible for Mr.,
Wolfe to- kill himself with shotgnn
fire and remove the gun before death.
The manner In which the murders
were committed, accepted by the Az
sthorities after q complete and ex-..
shaustive investigation and sexamina-.
tion Is as follows:
The family Of seven and the hired
boy had completed their monday
meal Thursd az. The father had gone
to the corral to take care Of the
stock. II is possible that two Of the
young children accompanied the
/ fathe although they might have es-5
capped from the house when the MUIR
derers hrst started their deadly exc.
sCut1On. s5I y
''s5s There were two murd rderers, one Sofs
them entered the kitchen with shots
gun ana With the muzzle of the gun
placed within b few inches Of their
Victims heads, killed Mrs. NE,
Bertha. Lydia and: the hired boy,
Martha, the three year old child, was
killed with q smashing blow from
the hatchet. the father hearing the
screamss from the corral The ssac-s
sond man nred from long rang geS an,d ,d.gS
4 S5llohndsds Wolfe in5 the hbac ssconds
g sS INTO Volt TN 6od a &.