THE STATE OF IOWA
OCCURRENCES DURING THE PAST WEEK.
Connors Found Dead in his Cornfield.
The body of David Connors, a prominent farmer living near Lenox, was found by a party of searchers in one of his cornfields, the body showing that he’d met with foul play. Connors, who was a bachelor and in well-to-do circumstances, the mysteriously disappeared about a week ago and nothing could be learned of his whereabouts. For three days large parties of men have been scouring the county in all directions for him. There was a wound over his right eye and one in his shoulder, probably caused by gunshot. The coroner’s jury was impaneled, and a full investigation will be made. There’s nothing to show the robbery has been done. There is great excitement over the affair.
Jumped to his Death.
Owen Swift, residing with his nephew, Edward Mulloy, at Des Moines, while delirious from illness, escapes the vigilance of his attendants and leapt from a second story window to the street, fifteen feet below. He alighted upon his head and shoulders on the solid concrete pavement and received injuries from the effects of which he died in half an hour. He was 52 years of age and a widower.
Robbed by a Policeman.
F. S. Peterson, a Sioux City policeman, was arrested for holding up and robbing Roy Ruthven, a recent arrival in that city. Ruthven, who had just left a train, asked to be directed to a hotel. Under pretense of doing so Peterson and one Harry McKenna are alleged to have enticed Ruthven to a secluded spot and robbed him. Peterson has made a statement admitting his guilt.
An Elopement Tragedy.
M. E. Stinson of St. Louis and Miss Arta Moore, a former student at Iowa College, and whose home is in Pandora, lie dead at the Hotel Asher at Orange City. Miss Moore arrived from Grinnell Friday night and was met at the train by Mr. Stinson, who accompanied her to the hotel, where rooms were engaged. Saturday night the couple retired early and from all indications at Stinson arose some time later and shot the girl as she slept. He turned the pistol upon himself and blew out his brains. The young people are believed to have eloped. Stinson left a note addressed to his father, who resides in Fairfield, asking him to take charge of the remains.
Fatal Runaway at Redfield.
While Mesdames John and Edward Meacham and the little boy of Langfit were driving to Redfield their horse became unmanageable and ran away. The carriage struck a spring wagon and all three were thrown out. Mrs. John Meacham lived but thirty minutes and Mrs. Edward Meacham sustained a dislocated shoulder. The two-year-old boy escaped.
Killed His Brother.
Two sons of James Condon, living at Mineral Ridge, near Boone, were engaged in play when one of them threw a butcher knife at the other, inflicting a wound from which he died. The dead boy is 17 years old, and the boy who threw the knife is 15.
Had Both Legs Crushed.
A serious accident occurred a few miles north of Newill. Erwin Davis, while standing over a cylinder on a threshing machine, in some way slipped into the cylinder and both legs were crushed. It will be necessary for one to be amputated.
All Over the State.
Miss Francis Mitchell, aged 45, threw herself in front of a freight train at Epworth and was decapitated. She was temporarily insane.
A bold thief entered the barn of Thomas Downey near Fort Dodge, hitched up the team to a buggy and deliberately drove away. There is no clue.
Justice on bicycle stealers in Des Moines is quick and sure. A grand jury indicted J. W. Johnson for stealing a bicycle belonging to H. F. Sickles. He was immediately arraigned and at once sentenced to three years in the Fort Madison penitentiary.
E. H. Albee died at Fort Dodge, aged 79 years. Mr. Albee moved with his family from Ohio to Muscatine in 1845 and Fort Dodge in 1854. He has been in failing health for several years. His last days were tenderly looked after by his son-in-law, R. W. Crawford.
A report of the recent cases of smallpox near Linn Grove, Buena Vista county, was received by the state Board of Health. It states that smallpox broke out in a family by the name of Williams. Several persons were exposed and all were once vaccinated. All of them are covered excepting Homer Evans, on whom the vaccination did not work. Tom Williams, who is first seized with the disease, was reduced to living skeleton. The doctors in charge considered his case such a peculiar one that his photograph was taken and forwarded to the board. He is now almost recovered.
John Anderson, a Des Moines schoolhouse janitor, had no faith in banks and buried $360 into bold watches in the cellar. Some clever thief got the whole pile, leaving only the empty jar. There is no clue.
As a result of a long siege in the sweatbox, Francis A. McGivern, clerk, confessed to the theft of registered letters in the Dubuque post office Sunday. The letters contained nearly $500, of which only $103 was cash. He burned all but the money and spent that in gambling and drinking. He is in charge of a detective.
Mrs. M. M. Haydan, who had lived in Dubuque 62 years, died. She was one of the few left of the pioneers.
At Creston the grand jury sprung a sensation by bringing in an indictment against Aaron Bartholomew, his sister Sarah and his mother, charging them with fraudulently transferring property to others to defraud creditors. The Bartholomew’s are prominent people. Aaron is one of the foremost dairy farmers in the states. About a year ago he borrowed $10,000 from different people, his notes being signed by his sister as surety. After borrowing the money the sister suddenly transferred over property to her mother. Then Aaron failed.
Miss Ida Heisey, of Burlington, died suddenly of heart disease. She had reached home after a dancing party when she expired.
United States Commissioner Phil Francis, of Cedar Rapids, secretary of the first Iowa Cavalry Association, was buried at Lyons.
Dick Freeman, an employee of the Illinois Central at Waterloo, lost a gold watch several weeks ago. One morning he found it tied to the doorknob in front of his house.
C. H. Onthank, a farmer near Grinnell, is looking for Elmer E. Smith, who he had employed for the past three years, for the theft of two watches from his house one night this week.
