Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-26
Eden Township in Turmoil OF
Excitement Over Disappear
ance of Henry Kaiser
SEARCH or POSSE FAILS
Men, Headed by Sheriff, Boat Corn
Fields and Woods in Vain-kaiser
Supposedly Armed With Shot Gun
is tho Terror of Neighborhood--
Feared Will Kill Himself.

Supposed to be insane and heavily
armed, Henry Kaiser, living in the
extreme southern part of Eden town
ship, is in hiding in some of the corn
fields of the vicinity or has disap-
peared in the heavy timber which bor-
ders the creeks nearby or in the north
part of Jasper county. The %neighbor-
hood is in a turmoil of excitement, and
people fear for their lives. All Wed
nesday afternoon a posse, headed ny
Sheriff Hutson, which grew to number
thirty or forty men as the search PRO
crossed, beat the fields and woods for
the man, but did not find him.
The superstition is that Kaiser will
kill himself, If he has not already done
so, but the people of the nefghborhood
fear for their lives. So intense is the
excitement, and so acut is the fear
of the alleged maniac, that farmers,
when leaving their homes Wednesday,
took their wives and families with
them rather than leave the women UNI
HpTOleCISu III lOillC WhiAS AS -
their homes Wednesday night and
went to Baxter, three miles to tine
south, to stay until morning.
Leaves and Takes Weapons.
That Kaiser is insane, and perhaps
a raving maniac, he himself acknoWl-
edged before he disappeared, and his
brothers Fred, who lives with him,
and Charles OF Baxter, know from the
happenings Of night before last when.
fearing for their lives, they left their
brother alone in the home.
When they returned Wednesday
morning the house was empty, and a
10-gauge shot gun, n ammunition, a
razor, and q butcher knife were gone.
In the grove near the house a team be-
longing to the brothers was found
hitched, and the presumption is that
Henry Kaiser had taken it from the
stable after II o'clock, when the broth-
ers left the place. A search was made
about the home but the man could not
be found. Then the sllerif's office was
notified.
Posse Grows as Search Progresses.
Early in the afternoon Sheriff Hut
son reached Baxter and. organizing
a posse Of a few men,, who were will
ing to undertake the search. started
out. All the corn fields near the
Kaiser home We're searched. and as
the hunt progressed others Joined in
it, until by late in the afternoon fully
thirty-flve or forty men We're looking
for the trail. Far to the west, in tho
woods that runs along both sides of
small creeks, the searchers went. but
no trace or footprint of the n1a
wanted was found. When darkness
began to gather the aunt was given
up. Sheriff Hutson has been waiting
today for reports from the vicinity, but
up to this afternoon he had heard
nothing.
Know He Was Insane.
For some time, Mt least, Kaiser's
mental condition has been more or
less unstable, and the brothers say
that he has threatened to kill him.
self. Tuesday afternoon, in Baxter,
Kaiser approached the town marshal
and asked that he, be locked up, say
ing that he realized that he was not
in his right mind, and that he feared
that he would go insane and kill some
one. For some unlearned reason he
was not taken at his word. That
night the brothers, Fred and Charles,
stayed with him for some time. He
became violent, made many threats,
and finally became so dangerous that
the brothers left, fearing to stay
longer.
Kaiser a Powerful Man.
1t is because Of his great size and
strength, added to his Irresponsible
mental condition, that causes so much
fear in the neigfborhood. Kaiser
stands six feet in his stockings, and
weighs 220 pounds. His strength is
much nor than that Of the ordinary
man. He is about 30 years of age.
With his brother Fred he has. been
living on the farm on which he dis
appeared. 1t is said that he attempted
to commit suicide once before, but the
attempt failed.
The long list Of tragic occurrences
in the family is a, coincident to the
present condition Of Kaiser. His
father, Henry Kaiser, is said to have
committed suicide. His sister-in-law,
Mrs. Mary K. Kaiser, IS insane in the
Independence hospital, where she was
sent June IA, 1905, and another sister,
Mrs. A. C.. Aderholdt, died suddenly at
her home near State Center. Heart
disease was said to have been the
cause of this death.