Family Murdered

STERNWEIS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 10/15/2013 at 07:58:53

Jackson Sentinel, Maquoketa, Iowa, September 4, 1913

FAMILY MURDERED

Dubuque- Henry Sternweis, wife and three children were murdered and then cremated in the ruins of their home, sixteen miles northwest of here, authorities believe, equaling in horror the wholesale murder at Villisca, just over a year ago.

All of the buildings on the farm were burned, except one and rags saturated with kerosene were found in this building. The bodies had been charred almost beyond recognition. Mrs. Sternweis and one of the children were found in the ruins of the house and the body of Sternweis was found in a granary nearby.

Near the house, eleven empty revolver cartridges were found, but the bodies recovered from the embers are so badly charred it is impossible to tell whether or not they were first murdered. Neighbors saw the fire burning for at least an hour and rushed to the scene in autos and on horseback, but were unable to extinguish the flames or enter the buildings to investigate. When the ruins were cooled the search was started and it was not until then the theory of murder was advanced. Authorities have not arrived at a clue to the perpetrators nor a reason for the crime.