Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-07-18
ME GLENNOOD CRIME
Particulars of Fred fourhelm's
Strange and Terrible Crime
Near Glenwood.
ills Thought He Was Driven In.
sane From Jealousy..Pe-
culiar Actions.
cutHis Horses Throat and Pinned
Marriage Certificate to
a Tree.
Special to Times-Republican.

Glenwood, July 1S.--Owing to the
story, the details of yesterdays ira
gedy are largely surmised. Fred
Fourhelm, the supposed murderer, is
a tenant farmer and the place where
the tragedy took place is twelve miles
south of here. 1t is supposed that
he murdered his wife, his 6year-old
step son, cut the throat of his favorite
horse, piled his wagon and buggy
against the house. which he set on
fire, and then blew out his brains with
a shotgun.
1t is thought that jealousy, insane
and totally groundless. prompted the
butchery Mrs. Fourhelm had been
previously married and had a son by
her former husband. Fourhelm was
jealous of this boy. and the child was
the innocent cause of violent quar-
rels.
Tuesday the family went to Tabor, n
nearby town, to do some trading, Re
turning they stopped at the home of
William Travis, the father of Mrs.
Fourhelm, where they had supper AT
z o'clock in the evening they proceeded
homeward, q distance of mile and
half.
A sudden quarrel must have resulted.
ms they We're at peace when they left
the Travis home. Between and 10
o'clock neighbors observed fire in the
Fourhelm home, Il story and half
structure, and ii was destroyed before
they arrived. A search of the ruins dis
closed the charred bodies of the woman
and child, both having been shot to
death. Just outside was the body of
Fourhelm. a jagged hole in his head
and a shotgun in his hands. telling
the story of his death. Near by was
the body of one of his horses. which
had also been sacrificed to Fourhelm's
murderous fury. What peculiar work
ing of his diseased mind led him to
spare the other horse is a subject of
pure conjecture.
In the low fork of tree near the
house lay the old rusty razor with
which the horse had been slain. Fast
ened to the tree was the certificate of
marriage that announced the date and
place where Fourhelm and his wife had
plighted their troth and vowed to love,
honor and cherish each other. The
conspicuous posting of this document
told plainly the motive actuating the
triple murder.
The couple were married at Glen
wood, Oct. g. 1900, by III. a. Toller, a
Justice of the peace. The woman's
maiden name was Dollie Travis and her
first husband, from whom she was di
vorced, was named Demoss. 1t is said
that Fourhelm feared Demoss would
return and claim the boy and perhaps
the woman. This thought preyed upon
his mind until he became a maniac.
He frequently threatened to murder
the child and his persecution to the
boy served to estrange his wife more
and more from him.
Quarrels We're so frequent that even
while trading in the neighboring
towns, or visiting with friends. Four
helm would bitterly attack his wife
and boy, charging the former with in
fidelity and both of them with con-
spiracy.
CORONER'S VERDICT.
Coroner Whitnall impannelled jury
TO investigate the deaths of Mr.. and
Mrs. Fred Fourhem and their child,
which found that Fourhelm. driven in
sane by heat and jealousy and quarreis
with his wifes relatives, decapitated his
wife and her son by former husband.
with an axe. cut the throat of his faith
full horse with razor. burned tn" resi-
dence and then shot himself, after hang
ing his marriage certificate on the
fence.