The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-09-23
Murder and Arrest,

oked murder, and the arrest of the guilty !
arties. A year and half ago, in Febru-
nv, 1872, two emigrant wagons left DaV-
IMPORT, going westward, and the destina-
ion of both was Avoca, Pottawattamie
county, Iowa, the avowed intention OF the
occupants being to settle down there and
remain. One wagon was occupied ana
,vned bv man named August Schumann,
peddler. who lived out on the Dubuque
road. about mile from the city. The
other wagon was occupied by Henry lo-
renzen and his wife, and a man named
Hans Freese. When they reached Iowa
Citv. Iorenzen telegraphed back to his
SON. aged about 10, to come on and ION
them. They waited there until the young
man arrived, and then they Travelled on
together again. They pursued their way
out through Cedar, johnson, aud Powe-
sbiek counties, and none but the most
Friendly relations existed between them.
One day Schumann, Freese and young
Lorenzen were walking along at the SIDE
of the formers wagon-old Lorenzen and
his wife being quite distance behind
Yonng I,orenzen was carrying loaded
shot gun. He stepped behind Schumann
picked up club in the road, struck Schu
mann on the head with it, and stunned
him-and then placed the muzzle OF thu
gun close behind his victim 5 ear, and pu
the charge into his head The body wa
robbed of several hundred dollars
t money, loaded into one OF the wagons
t carried till they came to Skunk river
hole cut in the ice and the body thrown IN
Several weeks after, the body was found
an inquest held, but the body could not b
{ identified and no clue to the murderer
t could be found The Lorenzens went on
Il "a Desmoines. where they sold the Sehu
} mann team, and then returned to Daver
h mort where they have lived since, an
is where they have lived for the last eightee
of mr. twenty wears. The father is torty-hy
;, years old. He has gained his living wit
IS teaming. with his own horses, diggin
ID wells, and-stealing, the police say. II
e son has had the name of hard one Il
two or three years, He has been IN II
poGce court several times for trial La
al winter he stabbed a man at Buffalo, low
de while fighting with him. The family h
IT been bad lot, and probably was eonnect
II II with horse thieves, murderers, etc.
Schumann, the murdered man, W
not about forty years of age, and had lived
or Davenport about twelve years. His
cupation was that of a peddler. Tie a
Inc his wife lived unhappily, and were divorc
rk three years ago-and she married wort
mechanic and is now living in Davenpc
r u, He was a quiet man-no wrong doing
ever charged upon him.
The way the murderers were found
!. was this The man Hans Freese,
uo' was of the party committing the murd
and one John bunker, who, at the time
f,r the murder kept saloon and board
., house in Desmoines, have been confined
of the Davenport Jail for some time for he
,I, stealing, both bound in heavy sums for
,or,, pearance at the October term OF the
,ose trict Court. Bunker was principal in
-. business-Freese, a simple minded Eel
,nld Of TWENTY-FIVE years, was assistant and
tho the examination turned States eylde
font and told all about Dunker's operatl
VIC Three weeks ago bunker commenceds st
owr inc notes. in German, to Freese, every
oom Of which went into the Sheriff 5 hands
6re fore Freese saw Them. They were n
aims ing more than attempts 20 brighten tr
into a change of his testimony. Very
Gently, in one of the notes, bunker thu
ened to tell about the murder at 81
river if Freese didn't change his testim
e. This SO frightened Freese that he sent
a Justice and told the whole story, anc
and Lorenzen's were arrested and locked
ltur- 1t is believed that the Lorenzeus told
men ker of it when they stopped at his h
n. and sold the team. IF the whole
enter would continue to tell on each other
sman crimes could they not reveal? 1t Is
Hall, hoped that the whole truth may come