Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-02
1A[ D[NSOA TRAGEDY
Further Particulars Of the Ter
rible Affair AZ the Henry
Warn Farm.
Little Doubt That Warn Was
Thoroughly Graz ed Over Do.
nestle Troubles.
Missing Son. Who Was Thought
TO Have Been Killed.
Found.
Special to Times-Republican.

IVOAOs taft
Special to Times Republican.
Denison, March 2.The Henry Warn
tragedy is the sole topic of conv ersation
here. Nothing that ever happened here
has so stirred this community. The
tragedy is without doubt the most ter
rible In the history of Crawford county.
Steps are being taken today to have the
burned carcasses af the horses, cattle,
hogs, etc, cleared away, and as soon as
the excitement has subided somewhat
1t is probable an inquest will be held.
1t develops today that Warn did not
kill his son as was surmtsed. but that
the son escaped and hid in q straw
stack, where he was found by the
searchers this morning.
IL is possible this morning to get a
clear and comprehensive account of the
crime, altho just why Warn committed
the awful deed viii probably never be
known. There is little doubt however,
that he was thoroughly crazed and not
accountable for hisscrime.
Following are the additional fact re-
garding the tragedy: 1t was near noon
when the neighbors were attracted by
the smoke of the burning buildings and
, FASTENED to the rescue. They beheld the
old man rushing from building to build
ing caryin a pail filled with cobs
soaked with Kerosene and setting fire
TO every thing as he went.
AS they approached the place Warn
saw them and began shouting that he
would kill them IL they came near. and
waving his revolver and shooting at
them. The would be rescuers ran for
their lives and the maddened man went
on with his work of destruction.
AT this time the house wac burning
tiercely and nothing could be done to
uuench the flames The neighbors
rushed to the barn to release the horses
and stock. They succeeded in releasing
about a dozen cows and then tried to
get the horses out Much 10 their sur
prise they found wagons backed up
against the doors to prevent the horses
from esea ping and were forced to knock
out the side of the barn, by which time
the fire was blazing 80 hot that they
were unable to rescue but one of the
tortured beasts. 1t became apparent
that nothing could be done to prevent
the holocaust
Every building was ablaze and with
the cunning of fieHd Warn had broken
she hydrant of his farm waterworks so
that no water was to be had
10 realize the extent to which the deed
was planned 1t Is only necessary to
etate that not only were wagons backed
up against the barn, but coils of wire
were stacked up against the hog house
10 make sure that the hogs would perish
with the rest.
Another freak of the crazy man, for
eulch he must have been. was to remove
srom the building all the clothing and
effects of his daughter, Bertha who
vas married on Monday Last to a young
man named Frederichs. Even her dog
was released from the house, while TIVE
other dogs We're left inside to die.
The scene of the fire Is terrible be-
yond the telling. In the cattle shed
or, rather, where once was the cattle
shed, there is now but a long line Of
1moking and distended bodies.
The bodies OF the horses rise from the
debris OF the barn and 1t was here
fallen between them. that the remain:
OF Henry Warn were found. He i.
and arms and top of the skull ar,
adheres to the blackened bones TIL
base of the skull. the ribs and the jaw
bone are all that tell for certaint.
that when the sun arose yesterda,
morning this was the abode of human
soul.
The property destroyed Includes
we'll built one and half story hous.
and all furniture, save that which be
longed to the daughter. Bertha. thu
barn and three head Of horses. waite
! tank, meat house, two corn cribs con
tanning 10000 bushels of corn, a gran
airy containing several hundred bustel
OF oats and wheat cattle sheds an
about seventeen head of cattle, the no
l1ouee and number of hogs. larg
etRck OF hay and another of straw. tn
henery and several dozen chickens, be
sides large amount of farm machin
cry.
The loss is estimated at from $4,000 7
$1,000
Henry Warn was a man between 8
and 60 years OF age. His wife died sew
eral years ago He was a German an
spoke little English. He had thre
children-Wiliam r., the son who
missing; Bertha. recently married t
Frederichs, and Mrs Nicholas Oldros
who lives with her husband on sectio
%. Hanover township.
He was fairly well to do as is show
by she large amount of property whic
lie destroyed by his own hand. He wa
not on good terms with all his neigh
bors and had warned some OF them nj
20 come near his place.
ORPHAN CHILDREN TURNED OUT
fs+
Kenwood School Hoard said to Hny
Denied school Privilege to Oh