THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, May 25, 1933

George Bach, aged about 50, using a shotgun killed his neighbor, Alex Kuciezski, today about noon as the latter left his home to return to his work. The killing occurring at Favoretta, 10 miles south of here. After killing Kuciezski, Bach turned the gun upon himself taking his own life.

Sheriff H. R. Whitaker, who made an investigation, said that Bach had apparently been hidden behind a clump of bushes sometime before the killing waiting for his neighbor to leave his house where he was having his noon meal. Kuciezski had gone but a few feet from his home when Bach fired the first shot, the load striking Kuciezski in the right breast. Bach Sheriff Whitaker said, walked up to the fallen man and put another shotgun load into his victim. Then Bach started toward his own house a short distance away and, according to witnesses, knelt down in. the road, placed the muzzle of the shotgun under his lower jaw and pulled the trigger, the load of shot going out at the top of the head.

Both men have been residents of Flagler County for a number of years. Kuciezski had a small family while Bach apparently had no means of livelihood. However $24.50 was found on his person after killing himself. Bach had become a familiar figure here, attending each session of the circuit court and attempting to induce the various grand juries that his neighbors were attempting to poison him. The complaints were brought before the grand jury but no evidence was produced to show any attempt to poison had been made. Bach has been examined by doctors as to his insanity on two occasions, they declaring each time that he was sane.

THE DELAND SUN NEWS
DeLand, Florida
Friday May 26, 1933

BACH KILLS ALEX KUCZEWSKI
Farmer Slain as Wife and Child Look On

BUNNELL - The persecution complex paralleling that which led to the assassination of Mayor Anton Cermak several months ago in Miami by Guiseppi Zangara, Thursday morning led to an attempt on the life of a Bunnell women, the murder of Alex Kuczewski and two children and the suicide of the killer, George Bach.

The murder and suicide occurred on the Dixie Highway several miles south of here shortly before noon Thursday.
According to testimony, Bach, 60, a recluse living south of here had been laboring under the delusion that his neighbors were planning to forcibly intrude and feed poison to his flock of chickens. The illusion was aired before the county prosecuting attorney on several occasions and brought to the attention of the grand jury, the county commission, and Gov. Dave Sholtz. No evidence of poisoning was ever presented to investigators to substantiate the charges made by Bach.

Poor command of the English language made the recluse almost impossible to understand, increasing the impression that everyone was allied against him.

Several days ago, Bach prepared a list of six persons, neighbors whom he charged were attempting to poison him. Thursday morning he leaded his 12 gage single barrel shotgun and a 38 revolver and pocketing his list set out to take personal action to stop the “poisoning.”

The first name on this list was that of a woman residing near him. He stopped at the door of his intended victim and called for her. She started toward the front of the house but fled when Bach raised his shotgun. The man fired but the shot missed and she escaped.

Bach then went to the home of the second person named on his list, Alex Kuczewski, 50, a Polish farmer. The man made his appearance, standing in the doorway, with his wife and small children close beside him. The crazed killer fires as Kuczewski stepped from the door, the full charge took effect in the farmer’s head, and death was instantaneous.

Bach lowered his gun, looked dully at the crumpled figure of his victim and the woman and children stooping beside the body of the husband and father. He raised his gun again, pressed it against his own body and fired.

The killer was declared sane by several psychiatrists after an investigation some time ago and at that time doctors who examined Bach recorded that the delusion of poisoning which ceme under the classification of the persecution complex was the result of a stomach ailment similar to that which drove Zangara to murder in Miami.

Doctors also stated that improper diet and careless disregard for the simplest laws of health were poisoning Bach.