New Britain herald., 1921-06-27
m IN BORNED HUMt
 BELIEVED MURDERED
Two Families Wiped Out in Ken-
 lucky Mystery

 red bodies of eleven persons, believed to have been murdered were found yesterday in the smoking ruins of a farmhouse six miles north of May held. Every member of two families had perished. Nearly everybody was burned beyond recognition.
 Screams of women and gunshots were heard by neighbors at midnight, when the fire started. This informa tion. coupled with the improba ability of eleven persons being trapped in one room with windows and doors open. convinced officers they met with foul play.
 The Dead
 Lawrence. Ernest, 35 years old
 Lawrence. Mrs. Laura, his wife.
 Lawrence. Fred. son. 5.
 Lawrence, Ralph, son, II months.
 Drew, Otis, 26.
 Drew. Ola. g. his wife.
 Drew. Harry. son. ,.
 Lawrence, Ethly. daughter, 4.
 Drew, Otis Jr., sol.
 Four-month-old baby of Drew's.
 Drew. Delma, IA, nephew of Drew.
 Drew and Lawrence were brother in-laws, having married sisters. They frequently spent the night at each others home. The two sisters were deeply affectionate.
 At 10 o'clock neighbors heard vio- lin and guitar music in the farmhouse. At midnight the cries of women and children and shots were heard. Neigh bors found the three-room log house in flames and it was impossible to enter the building.
 The first persons to appear on the nnfuhhnrE Scaling a tree near the burning house. they peered down through the caved-in roof and saw eleven bodies scattered over the floor.
 A strange feature in connection with the fire was that parts of clothing were clinging to the charred bodies of the two men, and 1t is supposed that they had not gone to bed.
 The theory has been advanced that sudden insanity on the part of some member of the household prompted the act. Another theory is that the victims were drugged and the house set afire. Sheriff Mccain intimated. however. that arrests might be made, which discouraged both of these stories. He said that neither of the families had any avowed enemies, so far as he had found.
  two dead women. reached the scene today from an adjoining county.
 Both windows and a door were open in the large room where the families were sleeping. and the fact that strong wind had been blowing all night is regarded as dissipating any theory that all eleven persons might have been suffocated.
 Signs of Foul Play
 Only parts of limbs, trunks and skulls were recovered, with one excep- tion. One of the women was not so badly burned. There were gashes in her side. A pistol with four empty cartridges and two exploded car tridges were found by the side of one of the men. An axe and an oil can also were found in the room where the families were sleping. A shotgun and rifle also were found, discharged.
 The coroner's jury met and re- turned the verdict:
 We believe there was foul play, but we do not know the cause"
 Sheriff Marion Mccain is confident the victims were drugged or clubbed to death or shot. He says he has an important clue but he will not divulge 1t.
 There is no doubt every person in the house was murdered" said Sheriff Mccain. "One of the babies dresses was drenched in blood which prevent cd tho clothing from burning. An axe was found in a bed with one of the women. A five galon oil can, usually kept in the kitchen, was found just inside the room where the eleven were sleeping"
 -Four shots had been fired by action of the hammer from pistol. The only plausible theory I have is that Law renee, who was struck a blow on the head several years ago and since had been addicted to occasional spells, became insane. He never had shown violence when he was delirious before. however.
 We still are running down every possible clue that might connect an outsider No enemies have been found though. IL Is impossible that none of eleven persons in this small house. with plenty of avenues to escape. would not have been awakened by the flames"