The bodies of Mrs. Asta Eicher and her three children Grete, Harry, and Anabel were found in an abandoned garage in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. Mrs. Eicher and her children left Park Ridge June 28, and until the discovery of the bodies a few days ago, nothing had been heard of them.

It was only after an investigation by the police, that the gruesome murder was uncovered, the murderer arrested, and a confession secured.

Mrs. Eicher, a widow, was born in Copenhagen in 1880, she lived at her home at 312 Cedar Street, Park Ridge, for a number of years. Her husband was born in Switzerland, but had lived a number of years in Denmark, where he married Asta. They had lived here in the United States for about twenty-five years.

Early in the summer Mrs. Eicher started to correspond with one Harry F. Powers of Quiet Dell, Virginia, whom she knew as Cornelius Pierson. They had become 2acquainted through a matrimonial agency in Detriot. Some time later, Powers visited her home in Park Ridge.

Powers promised to marry Mrs. Eicher, and because of this she visited him in Virginia.

On the twenty-third of August, Powers returned alone to Park Ridge, where he proceeded to move Mrs. Eicher's furniture out into the garage. He told the neighbors that the children had left for Europe, and that he and Mrs. Eicher were to be married. He claimed to have power of attorney to sell the house and furniture. The mayor of Park Ridge, Mr. McKee, did not like Power's appearance and had him arrested, but the police thought there was no reason to hold him, so he was released at once. The following day they went to Mrs. Eicher's house and found several valuable things missing. They also found part of the correspondence between Powers and Mrs. Eicher. Now the police realized something was wrong.

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Powers had disappeared and the police immediately wired Clarksburg, Virginia, which town had been mentioned in the correspondence as their future home. Here it was found that Powers had used an alias, and that the license plates on his car were stolen.

In a few hours, the police of Clarksburg discovered that the wanted man, Cornelius Pierson, was none other than Harry F. Powers. The trail pointed to Quiet Dell, where Powers lived with his legal wife.

Powers was arrested, but denied knowing Mrs. Eicher and the children, but during the questioning the police investigated, searched the house and garage. In a basement under the garage the mutilated bodies of Asta and her children were found. Powers had used a hammer to murder his victims.

For sometime Powers denied everything, but later confessed everything.

This brutal murder of four Danes from our settlement, has naturally startled the Danes everywhere.