STEPHENS

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Monday, August 29, 2011 at 07:50:12 :

Marin Journal
Thursday, May 25, 1905
Page 1

Horrible Tragedy Wednesday Morning
Whole Family of Seven Persons Killed
Edwin B. Stephens Shoots His Wife and Five Children and Kills Himself

Edwin B. Stephens shot and killed his wife, their five children and himself at their home near the Mount View Hotel, over the hill south of San Rafael, and a mile or so from Ross Station, yesterday morning at 5:15. After killing the family Stephens rushed out on the road and fired two shots at Lindon Butterfield, a milkman who was passing. After this Stephens ran to the gate of Phillip Schafer where he sent a bullet through his breast and another through his head. It is believed that poverty and ill health had rendered the man insane.

The children killed ranged from 13 years to 14 months. They were: Josephine, age 13 and a student at the public school in this city, Maud age 8 years, Herbert age 5, Edwin age 4 and Phoss? Age 14 months. The whole family were killed as they slept for there were no evidences of any struggle. Several neighbors however say that at 5 o’clock in the morning a loud scream followed a shot. The scream is believed to have come from the child sleeping with the mother. The neighbors know practically nothing of the family except that they were refined people who were forced to try to make a living by raising pigeons and chickens, owing to the husband’s ill health. They formerly resided at San Anselmo where they camped out. The husband is said to have been an expert bookkeeper and was once employed by Dunham, Kerrigan & Co. in San Francisco. He was 38 years old.

Coroner Sawyer, Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Agnew hurried to the scene and the bodies were removed to the morgue.

Josephine and the little boy were not quite dead but both had bullets through their brains. The were taken in Brown’s express wagon to the Emergency Hospital but the youngest child died on the way in. The other died in the afternoon.