Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1896 — EGBERT KILLS FIVE PERSONS. [ARTICLE]

EGBERT KILLS FIVE PERSONS.

He Then Take* Hie Own Life— Hie Sister Dies from the Shock. Peter Egbert, a Rockville, Ind., carpenter, H!2 years old and unmarried, Saturday morning, without apparent cause or provocation, shot and instantly killed Mrs. Herman Haschke and two children, nest door He then reloaded his gun, and, going up town, saw Sheriff W. M. Mull and Deputy Sheriff Sweem in the National Bank stairway. Egbert put up his weapon and shot the sheriff in the back of the head, killing IrtfiT instantly. Deputy Sheriff Sweem was at the bottom of the stairs and was shot in the right side of the neck, being instantly killed. Egbert then made his escape to the fair grounds, just outside of town. A posse was immediately organised and started in pursuit. Fifty or more men, armed with shotguns, rifles and pistols, surrounded the grounds. Here, when'Egbert found escape impossible, he fired a charge of buckshot into his own head and expired Immediately. Miss Florence Egbert, the sister of the murderer, when she heard the details of the horrible affair and that her own brother was the central figure of the various tragedies became frantic and died immediately from the shock; She was in bed suffering with typhoid fever. Egbert was about 21 years old and unmarried. He was d great, reader and studied Shakspeare much. His companions say hs frequently remarked that if

he ever got into a tight place he would imitate Brutus’-example And "take his own j life. He seems to haye carried out, his idea. Sheriff Bull ft widely known in Grand Army, of circles and 'was a member of Commander Walker’s staff. During the war he was colonel of the 149th Indiana, and at times was an officer oTthe old 14th'and 115th. He was brave to a fault He was on his firs.t term as sheriff and had just received a nomination to a second term. Sweem was a member of the Rockville Light Artillery and a poor man, but fortunately had insurance of $3,500 in the benevolent He leaves a wife< and six little ones,