Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-03-27
Looks Like Foul Play.
SOMETHING OF THE MYSTERY WHICH
SURROUNDS THE DEATH OF OLD MAN
HOWE

SOMETHING OF THE MYSTERY WHICH
SURROUNDS THE DEATH OF OLD MAN
HOWE.
The fact that rumors of alleged foul
play surrounding the death Of an old
man by the name Of Howe, in Greeley
township, have found their way into
state papers, emboldens us TO recite the
circumstances so far as they can be as
certained.
Howe, father and son, lived together
and alone, In small house about one
hundred rods south of the center school
house in Greeley township, The old
man has been almost helpless for many
months. At times he complained Bit
terly of the treatment received at the
hands of his soE Charles, and in conse-
quence was removed TO the county farm
in November or December, last year.
When received there he was in an
abominably filthy condition, and bore
what was evidently the bruises of hard
knocks upon his person. But here he
would not substantiate by oath what
he had formally said as TO the treat,
ment by his son, and after u time was
returned to his home. But little Is
known of the life the father and son
lead in their almost solitary and cheer
less hoHe. That the old man was q
care and encumbrance was known, as
well as.that increasing infirmities made
his demise a probability. On Monday,
March 10th, in the afternoon, Charlie
summoned neighbor and said that his
father was dying The neighbor has.
tened to the home, and within few
minutes saw the old gentleman breathe
his last. Later In the evening Arthur
Stoneman, Nate Turner, Rufus How,
land, Fred Reynolds and Barney Dictz
were at the Howe home and among
them performed the last duties to the
dead. II was while thus engaged that
the first suspicious were aroused rs 10
the mystery of the affair. They OBJ,
served scar upon the nose and hand
kerchief was bound about the head. In
their ministrations they were continue
ally attended by the son, and invented
the opp ortunity to remove the band
age without exciting his suspicious OF
their object. When he was by pretenSo
attracted elsewhere the bandage was
, removed and there was found TO BIO 90
wound on the forehead about an inch
| ytln thnnuh thnv nrn npnbln h, ,R1r
whether the skull was fractured or not.
Looking about the room they found u
; monkey wrench without handle. This
was applied and found to tit the wound
with remarkable exactness. The wrench
was much worn, with rounded edges,
having evidently been much used for
the purposes Of hammer, and would
as the investigators reasoned, make
such wound as that upon the dead
mans forehead. Rumors of these facts
became quite public and young Howe
was apprised of the suspicious relative
to his fathers death. He said in the
way of explanation that on the day pre-.
vious the old gentleman had fallen from
Il chair to the floor and sustained the
wound upon the forehead, while in an.
other instance he said that the fall was
against the stove. The parties were
unable to harmonize either of the state.
ments with the apparent circumstances,
80 that the contradictory explanations
only confirmed the suspicious.
The funeral was held at the Dietz
school house, Wednesday, the 18th inst,
Rev. VIM. Mercer conducting the ser.
vices, and the remains were inferred in
the Nelson cemetery, about one mile
over the Guthrie county line.
Those who observed said that young
Howe was uneasy during the entire
obsequies and evidenced remarkable
desire to expedite matters. Returning
to his home he found tackled upon the
door notice that he must leave the
county within stated period though
it Is impossibeto learn the allotment Of
time for his tarrying. He showed the
notice to some Of the neighbors and in
one case where he tried TO borrow shot
gun said that with the gun, a revolver
and corn knife, with which two latter
ornaments he was equipped, he would
be hard man to take. Although he
did not occupy tho home any night af
ter the funeral he stayed around the
neighborhood settling up bushes mat
tiers, which consumed his entire belong,
ings, until last Friday, when he depart
ed unannounced. II is presumed that
he has gone to the home of his daugh,
ter in Des Moines.
We have only related the facts in this
deplorable affair as represented to us
by reliable authority. The facts lead
TO the conclusion that the cause Of
justice and the one against whom sus,
picion points would have been best
served by thorough official investiga
ton. That such proceeding was not
had is probably due to the fact those
who were at that time knowing to tho
facts, individually feared the vengeance
of Howe in case the investigation prov
ed unsuccessful. The temper of the
neighborhoOd is such, however, that
young Howe would better not fly in the
face of destiny by again appearing in
his old haunts.
POULTRY WANTED