| Show MURDERER TRIES 11 0 DIET I Samuel Moser Who Shot His Wife and Three Children at Horton III Last Sunday Comes to Salt Lake and Attempts Suicide HereShoots Himself and Falls int9 River But Survives I Its nothing to mo what they do with me I am ready to dlo at anytime any-time I am only sorry that I did not kill myfolf as I Intended to do Thero IB nothing to live for now Those were the words of Samuel Mo ser of Horton Tazewcll county Ill as he aat In pollco headquarters yesterday yester-day Moger on Sunday last killed 1 his wife and three children on his fathers ranch near Horton lie then ned stopping one day at Kansas City another an-other day at Denver and arrived in this city Thursday morning taking rooms at the Harris house nearly opposite op-posite the pOBtofTkc Yesterday at daybreak Moser wet to the skin and with blood streaming from his head vas found on Second South street by Ofllcer Palmer who took him to the station He freely declared de-clared that he was the murderer and that he had attempted suicide as a consequence I sequence He said that he had gone Jordan at down to the bridge over the the Intersection of Second South and J Tenth West stood on the bridge shot himself and fell Into the water The i to wound however was sufficient only slightly skin him and he got out as quickly ashe could Dr Glesy was called who found that I Samuel 1roser tho wound was on the left side of tho head and that the shot had been a glancing one Inflicting but little Injury In-jury AN APPALLING TRAGEDY While the police were loth for a time to believe tho mans statements lookIng look-Ing upon them as the ravings of a mind diseased a search of his dripping drip-ping clothing recalcd the fact that he had told tho truth On his person was discovered a copy of the Chicago TlmosJIerald of the IGth inst in f which was contained a brief account of k the crime which was pictured l as the most appalling that had ever taken place JathcJilstocypC Tazewell county coun-ty There was also a letter to thapo lice and another addressed to the Pe orla Herald the nearest town to Ilor ton where a paper Is published In both of these the motive for the crime which has been shrouded mystery In I the town where It occurred is given Moser is a slightbuilt fellow of about 39 years of age lie says hI Is a farm or and l his statement is borne out by his tanned complexion and other evidence evi-dence that he has been engaged at outdoor work for some time He appears 3 ap-pears to be reasonably Intelligent yet has what might ho called an eerie way about him I S THE MURDERERS STORY He told his story to Tho Tribune as follows Yes I killed my wife one son of 7 years another of G yearn and the baby of the family aged S months last Sunday I Sun-day afternoon 1 was alone during a portion of the day my wife and children chil-dren having gone to the Omlsh church of i illrh her father Is i one of the preachers She came home about G oclock and went into the cellar I S followed her down and shot her Then 1 took my oldest boy inlo the bedroom S and shot him 1 called the next boy tone to-ne told him to go into the pantry I EL think It was whon I shot him also as he turned his back toward me I could fu not do It with him looking at me you know Last of all then came the babHere Here the murderer stopped a moment mo-ment and appeared to he unable to continue But he finally proceeded Then came the baby I took one ohot at her as she lay in the bed but I do not believe that I hit her the HrsL time so I fired twice more Then I knew that she was dead J I Then I went down Into the collar S where the body nf my wife was lying J and covered it up with a piece of old J carpet I threw some clothes over the 1L bodies oC the children leaving them l where they fell locked up the house d and l started away HIS FLIGHT TO SALT LAKEs LAKE-S I had between SCO and 70 with me I I do not know how much and 1 started Q p start-ed west I had no Idea where I would o land and did not care 1 knew that 1 r1l couldnt stay there as the crime would Y Boon be discovered 1 It reached here Thursday morning or J Last IIlght I went down to the river itt 1 stood on tho bridge shot myself in the etn head and fell In The cold water revived re-vived me and I crawled out When I lilt j found out that the wound was not fa J f1 tal I concluded to try again but could lS J t not find my pistol So I wandered rA 1 back UD town WHY HE KILLED THEM 1 t The idea l of my killing my wife and it 1 family was not a new one I had the pistol laid by for some time My wife J was Infatuated with the Omlah relglon and I could not believe in It I iriuil to get lur away She went for a time l fl l but they coaxed her back It was the Iii C minister who was always interfering I It was ho who made all the trouble S itt 1 and when 1 could stand it no longer I I I h killed my family If I could have taken the children away I would have S h done so but I did not want to leave alt thorn with my ulfo and the minister ijl I I I saw an account in the paper of 4Ap my work and it was then 1 concluded I I to kill myself It was impossible for 1 me and my wife to agree on the Omlsh doctrines therefore I thought to kill my family and myself rather than D 1 have = the children brought up to believe P as my wife did She could not content I herself outside of the community I c ft was unhappy within It That was the to cause of all the trouble i i ° Tile letter to the police directed that 1 his father 13 Mos r of ruoomington 1u4 III hb notified of his death It Is said S that tho older Moscr la I worth over 5100000 and Is an old resident of the tc town where the tragedy occurred tI LETTER TO NEWSPAPER Thc letter to the Peoria Herald Is ag 1 follows J Stor cc I do not want to make myself bat l ter as I am I know I deserve the rope but as a good l many people kngv m in r > 1 o J I Tazewcll county I tlInlc most people could make ouf what caused mo to bring such dark and mournful days to their especially friends If you do not feel to publish send it to my father fath-er tt Mosor Bloomlngton 111 Salt Lake City Utah May Friday IS 1DOO I see In the paper of my deeds and so I am ready to dlo It circles in my heart that perhaps you would like to know whore I amand what caused mo to do such a deed J I can die satisfied 1 I after I know that my family are In rest 1 To part I dfd not want and to I live as I did was satisfaction 10 me or family 01 did not see any chance or show of I I change unless agree to church order I wherobv I rather choose to die and take my family dlonjr If only so much had boon granted that I could went home with my family and had satisfaction satisfac-tion and pleasure I perhaps < coul have I boen contented but as it as my wife as It appeared to me was most of the time in sorrow and In the latter days of ours we had more or less trouble or disagreement and dear little boys begin I gin to notice it A short time ago we had tioublo and 11 appeared to me it hurt dear little oncsrbut before I would be ruled by my ° wife I choose to dye I with them What is this life worth If there Is no pleasure or enjoyment j COULD NOT ENJOY LIFE 1 If I could have went home or to say to my friends and enjoy myself and wife had not appeared with singers of I church or these religious matters r think I would be living umongst you today but as it was I had no good or enjoyment of wife and children and they had no good of myself i Whoever1 says It Is I all my fault why did you back slide 1 wish to say that Lord God my judge that man at Grld loy I and those who agreed with him arc nerhans some cause I have talked with Doctors Towers and experienced men but they t expressed themselves as not fooling ablo to step between family I affairs are the worst and badest or I hardest thing In this wourld Husbands I should respect their wives and know that they are the weak WIfes should do the same and should make a home bright and happy Deeds at Gridley cause or arc root of this evil I 1 would not minded hard work and had never more but T needed it Ion I I-on I could associate with my friends I did not want any more of church and to go to another church without my family I am a murderer of Ills from Horton Hor-ton Taewell Co Wire to my father Den Moser Tazcwell Co II that the body of there son Sam was foun 1 l I did not spos that they want to see me 1e any more FEARED SECOND ATTEMPT Moser in kept in the desk sergeants once the police being fearful that he will again attempt suicide unless he is closely watched He sat alone nearly all day long speaking ofty when spoken to Last evening he broke completely com-pletely down and crier like a child for over two hours until he finally fell Into a troubled sleep Chief Hilton wheel thc authorities at Horton the fact that Moor was being detained here hut had received no answer an-swer late last eve ifng |
