People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1893 — MURDERED HIS FAMILY. [ARTICLE]

MURDERED HIS FAMILY.

William Nonemaaher, of Antigo, Win., Through Fear of Starvation Kill* Hi* Wife and Three Children and Attempt* ttaieide. Being Horribly Injured. Antigo, Wia., Aug. L—William Nonemacher, a farmer living 9 miles south- . east of Antigo, killed his wife and three | children about 10 o’clock Saturday night I and then made an unsuccessful attempt |to take his own life. The deed was not i discovered until Sunday afternoon at 5 o’clock and the news reached here Monday morning. Sunday afternoon two sons of Fred . Nonemacher, a brother of William, , went over to their uncle’s. They could not find anyone about the house, but on going inside found the two boys of William Nonemacher dving, covered with blood, on the bed. Frightened at the sight, they ran home aa fast as they could and told their father of their discovery. He summoned some of the neighbors and went over to his brother’s. When they opened the door of the farmhouse a horrible stillness hovered • over all. In the bedroom Mrs, None? ■ macher was found lyipg on her left side with a gaping wound in her temple. Beside the bed in its cradle , lay the baby, its little skull crushed in. In the next room lay the two Joseph, 6 years of age, and William, 4 years. Both of the children had terrible wounds in their heads, which had evidently been Inflicted with an ax. William Nonemacher, the father, was nowhere to be found at first. Finally, after a long search, the party in passing the pig sty heard a noise and looking in saw Nonemacher lying on the board floor unable to move. As his back appeared to be broken he was lifted up and brought to the house where he was placed on the kitchen floor. When asked how his family were murdered, he promptly replied he did it to save them from starving. He said the crops were poor and he was afraid of starving. His wife’s parents were in Quebec, where they had come all the way from Germany, and wanted money and he had none to send. Ila had intended to kill his family Friday night, but he changed his plans to Saturday night. After the family were asleep, about 10 o’clock, he went out and got an ax and returned to do the deed He said he killed his wife first by three swinging blows on the left -temple. He then went into the next room and killed Joseph and Willie. He struck both boys on the head twice. Returning to the room where his wife lay he picked up his year-old baby, held her in one arm and struck her on the top of the head. He then went to the barn, climbed on to the roof and jumped 20 feet to the floor of the pig stye, sustaining injuries to the spine and paralyzing bis lower extremities. Nonemacher told the story of the awful tragedy calmly and without the slightest sign of sorrow or regret. For all the feeling shown he might have been describing the killing of a pig. He has always been known as a kindly, quiet man, but was subject to fits of despondency. An inquest was held and Nonemacher was brought here and placed in jail. It is very doubtful if he recovers from his injuries. Rhinelander, Wis.. Aug. I.—-Jeal-ousy snuffed out two lives Sunday night People passing the residence of Mrs. G. W. Smith during the evening heard several shots fired. They investigated and found Smith and his wife lying in pools of blood, the latter dead and pie man still alive but horribly wounded. He cannot recover. To a number of persons he said that lie intended to kill his wife and himself He said that he had proof that she was untrue to him, and his only regret other than that he had not died instantly was that he could not have killed the man who caused the trouble before he shot his wife.