Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1904 — MURDERS IN A DREAM [ARTICLE]

MURDERS IN A DREAM

JOWA SLAYER ACTS OVER KILLING IN SLEEP. Wife Gives Testimony Damaging to Case of Charles Rocker in Trial at Rock Rapids—Clerk Tells How Minneapolis Poor Fund Was Looted, Just as Lady Macbeth, tormented in her sleep by a guilty conscience, revealed her crime, so did Charles Rocker reyeal to his wife the murder by him near Doon, lowa, June 30. 1900, -of August Schroeder. ' The thoughts lie could banish by day came to him at night and he rose in bed and acted out the murder before his wife, the widow of Schroeder, whose hand and money he gained by the murder. On the witness stand at his trial in Rock Rapids Mrs. Rocker- told the story, meanwhile . trembling with fright before her husband, who sat calmly in front of her. "All went well till April, 1903,” she said, “when Rocker wanted to throw my new-born babe into a well. Last September we quarreled because he nearly killed my son with a

monkey wrench. That night he was troubled in his sleep, muttering and groaning. Suddenly he sat tip in bed and struck me in the face and clutched at me. With his eyes tightly closed he said hoarsely: ‘August, you , I've got you now,'—l left the bed terribly frightened. Next day I asked him what he meant Then he told me how he killed my husband, who I thought had committed suicide. June 27, 1900, they were at Doon and Roeker brought chloroform and put it and morphine in whisky he gave August. When they got home August was taken sick,- then Rocker strangled him and hung his body in the barn, ■where I found it. After Rocker told me this he put a revolver at my head and said if 1 ever repeated it- be would surely kill me.” '

ROBS FUND FOR THE POOR. Minneapolis Official Excuses Action to Recover Cost of Position There was a sensational scene in Minneapolis in the trial of William Johnson, superintendent of poor in the Ames administration, when Charles H. Brown, his clerk, admitted on the witness stand the system by which the poor fund was looted. He described the methods—bywhich fraudulent orders to grocers for supplies supposed to go to poor families were cashed and the proceeds divided between himself and Johnson. Johnson, he said, had proposed the plan to him and had justified himself on the ground that he found it necessary to recoup himself for the money he had spent to get "the.. office bZ~superintendent of the poor and for the bond which he gave for Dr. Ames, which the latter forfeited by failing to appear for tri'. 1. TORNADO HITS M’PHERSON, KAN. Three Persons Are Injured and Six Residences Demolished. A tornado swept through McPherson. Kan., demolishing six residences and injuring three persons, one of them seriously. S. W. Rieff’s house, barn, windmill and outbuildings were destroyed, and a young man was badly bruised. The wind then demolished the residences of Mrs. S. R. Fisher. Archie Brown and Peter Sellberg. Two of Mr. Brown's daughters were hurt, a cook stove fulling on one of them and causing serious injuries. Beyond McPherson the tornado followed the path of an old water course. The storm passed four miles east of Salina, wrecking telephone and telegraph poles and farm property. It is believed that serious damage was done in the country north.

STRIVING FOR PENNANTS. Standing of Clubs in the Two Principal Leagues. The clubs of the National League now stand thus: W. L. W. L. New York... 6 1 Pittsburg .... 4 6 St. Louis.... 5 3 Chicago 3 5 Cincinnati ... G 4 Boston 3 5 Brooklyn .... 5 4 Philadelphia. . - G The table below shows how matters stand in the American League: W. L. * W. L. Boston 7 .1 New York_a» 4 4 Philadelphia.. 4 3 St. LouisYL?. 3 3 Chicago 5 4 Detroit 3 4 Cleveland ... 4 4 Washington.. . 0 7 Russians Report Japs Routed. A Japanese landing party was routed at the mouth of the Yalu river and 7,900 lost, according to a private telegram from Port Arthur to St. Petersburg. Russian sources report that 20,000 Japanese troops have landed at Kinchow. Bryan Expresses Disapproval. In a speech in Chicago Saturday evening William Jennings Bryan scored the New Ydrk platform as being evasive am| dishonest, and said none but “an artful dodger’’ could stand on it. Judge Parker was said by him to be untit. Title to Canal Passes. Clear title to Panama canal has been passed to the United States by signing of documents in Paris by representatives of the United States and the canal panyStore Destroyed by Fire. The general store of Sunthimer A Mast, nt Shipshewana, Ind., was con Burned by fire, entailing a loss of $1(1,000. The loss is partly covered by insurance. , Toronto Loaa Is $ 13,000,000. Ths loss by the recent tire in Toronto is growing. The total loss as estimated by insurance experts will reach at least $13,000,000. The losses of the insurance companies approximate $8,885,0(10. Strike Cripples Plant. Clerks and other office employes of the Bharon, Pa., plant of the American Steel Foundriea Company were notified that after May 1 their services would not be required. The strike of the molders has crippled the plant, necessitating an indefinite closing.