Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1886 — DIED IN THE EMBERS. [ARTICLE]

DIED IN THE EMBERS.

Seven Persons Burned to Death in JTheir Home, Near Greenbush, Wis, •v , r [Pljmouth (Wis.) special.] Before the citizens of Greenbnsh bad awakened to a realization of (the calamity this morning the rein riant dt the old Ehle hostelry lay iu a smoldering fire. The house had burned like a paper box, and beneath the thin sheet of ashes and charred timbers in the basement were the remains of «even p ople. This fact soon"circulated through the neighborhood, attracting people to the scene from miles around. There was nobody to account for the tragedy or explain its origin except the hired man. who was the only member of the household to escape. He was regarded in the community ns a vicious character, and when he related that he knew nothing about the holocaust, more .than that he was awakened by the smoke and contrived to make his way into the yard from his room m the second «tory, crime was suspected, and he was placed under surveillance as the probable perpetrator. The smoking mins were hurriedly searched by the crowd, and about noon what were supposed to be the remains of all the victims had been recovered. The dead were: Abraham Ehle, aged 80; James Ehle, aged 42; Ellen Ehle. aged 40; Mrs. Kinney, a guest; three children of James and Ellen Ehle. The remains were almost impossible of identification, being mere cinders of bodies and calcined bones. What are supposed to be the remains of Mrs! Ehle and her children were found in an intricate maRS, as if they had died hnddled together. Those of Mr. Elhe, the younger, were discovered in a position indicating that he had fallen in another room. Fragments of Mrs. Kinney and the elder Ehle were found as they would have naturally fallen in their beds. There is a wide diversity of theory and belief as to whether the fire concealed a crime. Many are inclined to regard v the finding of the bodies as related sufficient evidence that the fire was accidental and so swift that the inmates were unable to escape from it. It is thought that Mrs. Kinney and old man Ehle were suffocated, but that they might have been assassinated in bed nobody attempts to deny. Mr. Rhle, too, might have made his way to an adjoining room in the endeavor to escape, leaving his wife and children to perish, but it is more likely that they would have clung to him closely instead of grouping together inactively in the smoke. The relative positions of the remains are made to justify the suspicion of foul play by those who are demanding an inquiry. It is possible that the seven people were killed, the premises soaked with kerosene, and then set fire. That the house should have burned as quick as it did without the application of some infiammable liquid would be as Vnysterions as is at present the death of its occupants. Two motives for crime are advanced. Ehle is supposed to have kept considerable money in the house, and the hired man is said to have for some time entertained a deep feeling of hatred against him, because of some abuse, real or fancied.' The Ehles were pioneers of the county and were highly respected. Mrs. Ehle was the daughter of J. W. Taylor, of Sheboygan, The two eldest children • had only returned home from boarding-school Saturday.