Detroit, Dec. 19. --
Frank Kniffen, aged 35, a street car conductor, formerly of Simcoe,
Ontario, was murdered with an axe in his home, 375 Leray avenue, early
this morning, under circumstances of peculiar atrocity.
His wife, Nellie
Kniffen, aged 35, also of Simcoe, Ont., has been arrested and her four
children are with her in the police cell.
This
morning, at 5:30, Mr[s]. Kniffen went to a neighbor's and told them that
her husband had died. The neighbors called the police. When Coroner
Robtacher went to the Kniffen home; he found that the man had six ugly
wounds in his head, any one of which would have caused death. He had
apparently been dead about an hour. The body lay in the bed and the bed
clothing was bloody. Mrs. Kniffen's story was that she heard groans come
from her husband about three o'clock in the morning, but did not explain
why she did not summon aid.
The
corner looked about the premises and found an axe covered with blood; also
foot prints were found leading to and from the woodshed were the axe was
usually kept. The prints [of] the woman's shoes. The woman stoutly denied
the crime. It was at first thought that she was crazy, but an examination
by Dr. Gorenflo indicated that she was sane.
The
first to the scene of the tragedy was Albert Wendt, nearest neighbor. His
story of his first visit to the house follows :
"I
went in and said 'Where is Frank?' Mrs. Kniffen appeared very cool. She
did not break down, and said 'He's in here, all battered up.' She led me
to the bed, where I found Frank Kniffen with his head split open from
front to back."
