Iowa
Old Press
Jackson Sentinel
Maquoketa, Jackson co. 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.
[transcribed by K.W., October 2013]