Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-27
Tragic Death of Sioux City
Woman Reveals a Lite Of
Privation
KEPT DAUGHTER IN COLLEGE
Woman Lived Poorly That Girl Might
Complete Education in Medical
school-sent $4,000 in Earnings in
Two Years--Dead Woman Known in
Many Iowa Cities.
nec,al to r1mes-Republican.

Special to I1meS-HepuDHCdH.
Sioux City, Dec. 27.-The tragic
death Of Mrs. Elizabeth Longenbach,
who was found burned to death in her
scantily, furnished apartments here, re-
veals life of hardship and privation
that her daughter might receive the
benefits of an education and better fit
herself for life work. The daughter,
Bertha G. Longenbach, is now in Bos-
ton taking a post graduate course IN
medicine. Thus far she has not been
notified Of the horrible fate Of her
mother
Mrs. Longenbach's charred body was
found In her room. The belief is that
while leaning over a little oil lamp
which was found on the floor, her hair
or clothing caught fire.
Mrs. Lagenbach, who was known
by several different names, made a
living at clairvoyance, herb healing
and canvassing, and she was well
known about town. She was known
here as Mrs. Estella Long and also
as Mrs. E. X. Lang. The belief is that
she was not we'll balanced mentally,
for she seemed to labor under the
hallucination that her hair was in
vested with vermin, and she had q
habit Of combing her hair often and
saturating it with a solution Of gaso-
line and other ingredients. While
= 3e, l>a1i hv the n.
lice. that her hair was ignited
It is regarded as unusual by those
who have investigated, that the woman
was not heard in her death struggle.
This could be accounted for If 1T We're
known that she had tainted at the mo-
ment her hair and clothing caught
fire.
Tho she lived amid surroundings
that would indicate poverty, Mrs. Lon
genbach earned considerable money at
the various pursuits which she fol-
lowed. Shortly before her death she
made the statement that during the
last two years she has sent $4,000 to
her daughter in Boston.
That the woman told the truth Is
demonstrated in the finding OF g.
package of express and other money
order receipts According to dates,
amounts ranging from SIS to $500 were
sent to the daughter frequently. There
were also found express receipts
showing that she had sent valuable
presents to the girl, such as silk
dresses. One package of silk sent last
year was valued at $50.
The daughter, Elizabeth c. Longen-
bach, is pretty, intelligent young
woman, is a graduate Of the Sioux
City Medical college, and during her
course Of studies she was a stem
ographer in DR.. Milton Dailey's office.
She left here for the east about three
years ago, to take a post graduate
course in medicine. The mother de-
prived herself of many necessities OF
life to educate and clothe the daugh-
ter.
Mrs. Longenbach not only provided
for the present as best she could, but
was careful to arrange matters so that
her daughter would not suffer should
she die. She carried about $4,000 in life
Insurance. One thousand dollars OF this
is in the Degree of Honor. The woman
was a member of Banner lodge, No. %,
OIL MlllLltsdpOllS. wv IllOuSoAA NOAA0A3
Of the insurance is in the Ladies of tho
Maccabees organization.
Her chosen line of work took her to
various towns in this section Of the
country, and in each place it is evil
dent from letters found that she went
under a different name. In Council
Bluffs she was known as Mrs. e. K.
Crawford: in Cedar Rapids she went
by the name of Lang, and in Lincoln,
Neb., she was known as Elizabeth
Long. In one place she assumed the
name OF E. K. Svendson.
Mrs I4ongenbach was last seen alive
Saturday by other tenants in the Boil
ton block, and it may be that the acct
dent which caused her horrible death
occurred two or three days before she
was found.