Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-22
FOUND DEAD AND
FROZEN STIFF
Wealthy Farmer Who Lived
Near Spencer Discovered
Lifeless In the Snow
FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED
FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED
He Had Been Dead Several Days Be.
fore the Body Was Found-coroner
pronounces Death to Be Accidental.
But tho Neishbors Want an lnvesti.
CATION.
to Times-Republicar

Special to Times RepublicaE-
Spencer. Feb ga man named
Moore was found frozen TO death nine
miles southwest OF here in Lincoln
township. He was discovered lying fiat
on his back at full length, some eight
j. H. Andrew, drove out and pronounc-
ed the case to be accidental death. The
man has been living on the farm alone
and was seen last Tuesday afternoon
by a neighbor named Nelson, hauling
hay. The sons OF another neighbor,
Groth, passed the place Thursday. and
saw two horses wandering about In
the barn yard with their harness on.
but as he was known to be slack IN
his work. and this same of frequent oc-
currence, no notice was taken OF 1t.
However. on the following day. the
young men were again hauling grain
past the place and remarked the horses
In the same condition and surmised
that something might be wrong.
They concluded to look into the mat
ter when they returned. On returning
the older boy looked into the house.
seeing an overcoat and mittens lying
on the floor of the room. (only one
room of the house was occupied by
Moore), and at once felt sure OF some
thing wrong. He Immediately went
to Nelson's. man OF So to get his
help in making the search, while the
younger brother. boy OF II, pushed
on toward the barn and hay stack. he
walked thru the snow. which had fall
len all day Wednesday, TO a depth of
four to six inches. and had progressed
about twenty feet beyond the stack.
when he turned around and saw the
body, now-covered lying about eight
feet from load OF hay. within three
feet Of the path he had just traverse
some distance back. The lad was
thoroughly frightened at his discovery.
and followed up his brother. BY the
rural telephone the news flew fast and
soon a large number had collected.
Nelson told ,hs>m to leave the body in
tact, until th> arrival of the coroner.
who had been summoned, and who ar
rived late in the evening. The snow
had completely covered the body. ex-
cept as 1t had been brushed of by cat
tie. which had stepped on the face and
body, but SO solidly frozen was the
body, that not even the skin was torn.
There was no snow beneath the corpse.
showing that II had lair there before
the storm. In the clothing of the
corpse was found deposit slip of $3.50
on the Citizens National bank, OF
Spencer, and some other small change.
Two check books were found In the
house, showing stubs for checks Of
various sums of 800 and more indicat-
ing that the fellow had good bank ac-
count Moore owned the quarter ses-
tion on which he had lived for TWEEN
ty years, with the exception of two
or three years spent In business IN
Spencer. and had lived alone. A letter
was found in the house from his sister.
living at Garwtn. in which she adj
vised him TO sell his farm and not try
to live there alone. An undertaken
from Spencer went out but was unable
TO do anything until the body was
thawed out, which was done by steam
Ing. The undertaken and doctor
spent an entire day with the corpse.
not returning until late at night The
family of the deceased We're notifie1.
and they started Immediately for
Spencer. The man weighed about $50
pounds. The neighbors of the frozen
man are not at all satisfied with the
work, and think the matter
should be looked into more carefully,
which probably will be done. Many
suspect foul play.