Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-17
LYNcHlNe OF A DENTIST.
Mysterious Disappearance of Or. Sid
ney Goodmanson-May Have Been

Iynched.
Tacoma, Wash, Jan. 1.-THE where
abouts of DR.. Sidney Goodmanson, den
fist, and whether he is dead or alive
are matters which a number of people
in this state, Illinois, Nebraska and
South Dakota are endeavoring to as
certain. Papers printed at Pender,
Neb., and Princeton, Ill.,, recently pub
| ished extended reports to the effect
that Goodmanson had been lynched in
| this state for the murder of his second
| Wife
| These publications are based on let
| tiers received from this state which have
some details of the reported lynching,
| but failed to state just where or when
| the event took place. So far as known
no such lynching has occurred in
Washington and it could not have hap
pened without Instantly causing SEN
sation, unless 1t occurred in the back
woods OF Oskangon or Douglas coun-
ties, so or so miles away from railroads
and telegraph lines. Even then 1t would
quickly have been known unless special
efforts We're made to keep the facts &C.
cret There is believed to be reason for
thinking that the report was sent to
Nebraska or Illinois by Goodmanson
himself, or some friend, whose purpose
was the covering up OF his future move
ments
Goodmanson has been an interesting
character for several years from the
fact that he was tried at Fender, Neb.,
and acquitted on the charge of murder
ing his first wife. who was Miss Laura
Ioder, leader in church work at Tis-
kilwa. Ill. Her parents were wealthy
and she brought her husband consider
able property. They moved to Fender
Neb, where Goodmanson practiced dem
tistry. He did a thriving business and
they soon built a fine house, in which
they had moved. Then Mrs. Goodman
son died suddenly one day. According
to the published reports she expired af-
ter visiting the office of her husband.
where she complained of be-
ing i'll and was given some
thing to drink. She became un
conscious and died before leaving the
office. Her body was sent home to Tis-
kilwa for burial. About a week after
the funeral suspicious We're aroused be-
cause of her sudden taking off. After
some correspondence between the resi-
dents of Fender and relatives at lis
kilwa it was decided to exhume the body
and send the stomach to Chicago for
analysis. Chemists there found that the
stomach contained poison In a sufficient
quantity to cause death
DR.. Goodmanson was arrested and
charged with murder and tried at Pen
der. A strong question of doubt of his
guilt was raised. resulting in his ac-
quittal. Soon after Goodmanson moved
to this state and is said TO have engaged
in practice in a small country town in
one of the backwoods counties Moth
ing else was heard of him until letters
arrived at Fender and Tiskilwa, giving
information about his supposed lynch
ing.
The story this time was to the effect
that his second wife had died suddenly
Under circumstances somewhat similar
to the death of the first Mrs. Goodman
son. Published reports say that the
manner of his first wifes death was
known in the community where he
lived and that when his second wife
died neighbors promptly concluded he
was guilty and made short work of him.
No possible motive for the circulation
Of such a story by others can be found,
leading to the conclusion that DR.. Good
manson must have some knowledge of
why 1t was started.
kilograms received from Fender state
that the editor Of paper at Ponca,
Neb., recently saw Goodmanson at
Webster. s. D. kilograms sent to Web
ster resulted in the reply that Goodman
son does not live there and so far as
known has never practiced in that state
This, information deepens the mystery,
and both relatives and acquaintance
are as yet unable to either locate him
or tell whether he is dead or alive.