Part 1, The Liska.

In June of 1912, an entire household was brutally slain in the small town of the Liska, Iowa.

No one was ever brought to justice for the crime, and evidence now suggests that it was in fact

just one of a large number of families murdered by the same killer. Who was the man from the train? So, The church service had ended at about 9.30 p.m. and as the small group slowly made its way

back through the centre of town towards their home, they had attracted no small amount of attention

from the people they encountered.

It was a warm and pleasant evening, and whilst the adults maintained a slow and leisurely pace,

the older children giggled and laughed aloud as they chased after their younger siblings.

In addition to his own four children, Josiah Moore's wife, Sarah, had arranged for two of the younger daughters from the neighbouring Stillinger

household to spend the night at their address.

It was a three block walk from the Presbyterian Church back to their house, and neither Josiah nor Sarah were in any rush.

After all, allowing the children to tire themselves out might make their bedtime a less

laboured affair.

As the party had passed by the town marshal, Hank Horton, they stopped momentarily

to exchange pleasantries. Some of Vellka's other residents had demonstrated a tendency to

mock the man for taking his duties a little too seriously, but Desire had always been

reassured by the diligent and confident manner with which Horton went about his business. more residents. Sarah gently ushered the children into the kitchen for a serving of milk

and cookies before settling them down for the evening, whilst her husband made his way over to

the wood pile to fetch fuel for the fire.

After loading up with an armful of logs, Josiah paused briefly, using his foot to nudge

the axe that was lying on the floor there a little further under the pile in order to conceal it from anybody who might subsequently be walking by.

It was the smallest and most insignificant of acts, one that he had repeated almost every evening since he and his family had lived at the address.

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