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INSANE FARMER MURDERS FOUR; KILLS HIMSELFH. B. HANSON, TREMPEALEAU COUNTY, IN MANIACAL FRENZY, COMMITS AWFUL CRIME. !STABS CATTLE AND HORSES.Then Sets Fire to His Home, but Neighbors Drag His Body from Burning Building.ONLY ONE DAUGHTER ESCAPES.MOXDOYI, Wis., Feb. 22.—[Special.!—In a fit of insanity early this morning Henry B. Hanson, a farmer, aged aC years, living near Strum in Trempealeau county, killed his four children, one boy and three girls, ranging in age from 3 to 15 years, and then cut his own throat.The children killed were Hugh, aged14. Mabel, aged 12, Sadie, aged 10 andHanna, aged 7. All four were asleepat the time and it is not definitely known how they were put to death. It is thought that the frenzied farmer cut their throats as they lay sleeping.I A hammer head found in the ashes near the bones of the children lias given rise to the surmise that Hanson may have \ cudgeled out the brains of his children | with a hammer. jFires House and Barn.Before cutting his throat Hanson went into the barn and stabbed several I horses and cows, poured kerosene over I the building and its contents and fired j it. The house caught fire and the bodies | of the children were burned beyond recognition. Neighbors arrived in time jto pull Hanson’s body from the flames.Bushing to the rescue they found Hanson hanging out a window with his throat cut. They dragged him to a place of safety but lie died within a ; few minutes.j An inspection of the premises after the tragedy disclosed the fact that Hanson had filled the feed throughs in the barn with paris green.Hanson’s oldest daughter. Ella, a girl | about 20 years of age, was in Strum at the time of the tragedy, and through her absence escaped death at the hands of her crazed father.Was Once in Asylum.Hanson was a widower with five children. Twelve years ago he was confined in an insane asylum but was released, the authorities failing to discover any signs of insanity in him several years ago.
Newspaper Details
Watertown Leader
Watertown, Wisconsin, US
Fri, Feb 26, 1909
Page 3
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 09 Mar 2022
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