Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-15

the messenger did not become inform
ed Of the double tragedy until after
his arrival half hour later. Pre-
vious to the arrival of the coroner Mr.
Carey and Mr.. Caldwell, both of whom
reside on Madison street, q half mile
west of the Peterson home, recognized
the girl as being Lena Peterson. They
recalled having seen her and her
brother, Thomas, pass their homes
early In the evening on their way to
church, which 1t was their custom to
attend every Sunday evening. This
recognition at once established the
identity of the boy.
Search for Murderers.
Detectives yesterday morning fol-
lowed tracks which corresponded to
those impressed upon the loamy soil
Of the roadbed across a field of loose.
sandy soil. The footprints differed in
their size and character. Those Of one
of the men were large. long and fiat.
The others those of man who wore n
neat No. shoe. The heels We're of
the rounded .V'' fashion and were evi-
IDENTIFY those Of man much younger
and of less avoirdupois than his COM
panion.
The imprint of mems shoes was fol-
lowed westward to a point forty or
fifty feet. Here they passed thru an
opening in the wire fence and pro-
ceeding south led the detectives to the
summit of high knoll. At a point
perhaps 200 feet distant from the fence
the men had stopped and evidently
held conference. The pause was in.
dicated by the manner in which the
ground for an area of two or three feet
in circumference had been packed down
and made smooth. Thence the trail
separted. One, that Of the larger man,
led away to the south, bearing slightly
east. One hundred yards distant 1t
skirted the edge of a stuble field, and
bearing to the right and slightly to-
ward the west, passed generally south
ward in the direction of a fence eX-
tending east and west and perhaps two
hundred yards south. The footprints
bore toward small field of plowed
ground, and at one point they entered
toward the ground. The fact that the
soil was soft seemed to have impressed
the maker Of the tracks with sug-
gestion that it would be dangerous to
cross the field, and changing his course
Ilc UOLc away W liiC li6hS, 6oiHG AZ
the general direction of the road to
Highland Park college.
The footprints of the other man di-
verged sharply from those of his COM
panion after leaving the point of origi-
nal separation on the knoll. They were
easily followed in the sandy soil, but
because of its extreme dryness they
were not so well defined as could have
been desired. These tracks were di-
rected almost due south, bearing Slight
ly to the west. The maker of these
tracks also avoided a plowed field in
front of him, and made a slight detour
TO get around it. They led to the fence
st point perhaps $50 yards west of
where the other man had passed from
the field to the roadway. In the open
road the tracks were lost, but it is be-
lleved the men met, and making their
way to a road still farther south, en-
tered the city via Union Park and the
Northwestern railway tracks.
Evidence Of Struggle.
Evidences of terrific struggle were
visible for radius of twenty feet about
the spot where the first assault was
made. Thomas seemed to realize the
base motive of the attack, and fought
for his sisters honor with despera-
ton and splendid heroism which only
ceath extinguished. The girl was mean
while making a brave fight for life with
a. y