Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-30
Prominent Charlton Banker is Mys.
teriously Missing.
IT is BELIEVED Re is DEAD
Theory Advanced That He Fell or
Walked From Lake Steamer While
Enroute From Chicago to Racine -
A Well Known Citizen.


many friends of C. E. Penick, cashier
of the Charlton bank of this place,
were shocked and grieved on Friday
to hear Of his sudden death or disap.
pearance while enroute from Chicago
to Racine, Wisconsin Mr.. Penick left
here a few days ago for Chicago with
some cattle, and from there he started
by boat for Racine, Wis, with his car.
penter, 0. A. Hoglund, to purchase the
finishing lumber for his new house in
process of erection in Spring Lake adj
dition. He was on the boat when it
left Chicago, but in the morning when
it landed at Racine he could not be
found. His hat and purse were found
on the boat, and it is supposed that
he had gotten up in the night and gone
too near the rail and fell off into the
lake. Mr.. Penick was born and raised
in Charlton and was about thirty-five
years of age and leaves a wife and
two children. He had held positions
of trust and responsibility of various
kinds in Charlton. He was for four
years assistant postmaster under w.
E. Lewis during Cleveland's first time,
had served in the city council and was
now filling his second term on the
board of directors of the Independent
school district. He was held in high
regard by all who knew him and his
disappearance will be mourned by
many.
A Chicago Account.
Chicago, July 27.-Dynamite was
cast into the lake at Racine last even,
ing in hope of raising the body of c.
E. Penick, the Charlton Qa.) banker,
who is supposed to have committed
suicide by jumping off the steamer
Virginia at an early hour yesterday
morning. Quantities of fish were
killed and forced to the surface, but
the body of the supposed suicide could
not be found.
Penick boarded the Virginia in com.
pany with O. A. Hoglund and P. e.
Brown, both of whom were from his
home town in Iowa. When the steam
er reached Milwaukee Penick was
missed, and his companions were told
that man had jumped overheard in
the night. Investigation revealed
that Penick was no longer on the ship.
but that his hat and coat remained in
his stateroom.
FdtIS 10 rino motive.
No reason could be advanced either
in Charlton or by the two men who ac,
companied Penick on the boat why the
man should desire to die. He had
been in the best Of spirits, and had
come east in company with Mr.. Hough-
land who is an architect, to buy the
interior trimmings for a residence
that he was erecting in Charlton. So
far as is known, the mans domestic
relations were pleasant. He has a
wife and two children in the Iowa
town.
,Penick was cashier Of the private
banking firm of Manning & Penick. of
which house his father was one of the
partners. A telegram from Charlton
last evening stated that there was no
known shortage in his accounts and
that the members of the firm ridiculed
such an idea. Penioks wife and chill
dren were grief-stricken and could ad.
vance no reason why the man could
wish to die. The theory was advanc.
ed tnat Penick may have fallen off the
boat or have clambered over the rail-
ing while in his sleep.
Search for the Body.
When Penick's two companions
reached Milwaukee and were told that
a man had jumped from the boat as it
was off Racine they Immediately start,
ed for the Wisconsin town to begin
search for the body. A liberal reward
was offered for any one who could
bring the body to the surface, and
soon half hundred men and BOYS
were exploding dynamite in the water.
"If the body is here we will spare
no effort to find it, said Mr.. Houeh.
land. Il know Of no possible motive
for suicide, but. till We learn other.
wise, we are forced to fear that Mr..
Penick fell or jumped from the boat
during the night. He was in a most
cheerful frame of mind when he re.
tired
Mr.. Brown also declared that Penick
was in good spirits and had been talk
ing enthusiastically about the new
house he was building. If he had f,
nancial or other trouble he kept it to
himself.