Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-08
LUTHER PloTNER, NATIVE OF
THIS CITY, KILLS SELF IN
SOUTH DAKOTA.
AFFINITY CASE IN COURT
COMES TO AN ABRUPT END
HE 10 Third Case Of Suicide - .
Direct Rebuilt Of the Trouble - Mrs.
pIotnsr, and Husband Of PIotner's
Affinity, Both End Lives BY Own
Hand.

The Associated Press dispatches of
recent weeks have carried more or less
|! information about a sensational South
Dakota case in which former Sheriff
Luther Plotner, Of Dawson county.
was charged with adultery with Mrs.
Kate Quinn. The last and probably
final chapter of the case was enacted
when Plotner ended his life by drinking
laudanum, making the third life to
be self sacrificed as a result Of the
affinity case
1t develops that Luther Plotner was
native Of this city, son of William
Plotner, now Of Mason City. Luther
Plotner lived here until he was about
Is years old, when his parents moved
to South Dakota The family will be
remembered here by many old-time
residents. Luther P]otner's body is to
be brought to this city Tuesday for
burial in Riverside, where his uncle
and aunt, MI and Mrs John Plotner.
and two cousins, are buried.
Story Of the Case.
A story of the sensational case is
told in a dispatch from Mitchell, S. D.,
as follows:
"A trail Of suicides has followed in
the wake Of the unlawful association OF
Luther Plotner and Mrs. Kate Quinn.
the Last one occurring when Plotner
ended his own life just as jury was
to determine his guilt or innocence on
the charge Of adultery in connection
with Mrs. Quinn. The evidence in the
case had been concluded at Woon-
socket, to which point the trial had
been taken on a change of venue. and
the only rebuttal against the strong
case that the state produced was the
statement Of Mrs. Quinn. who made
general denial Of the relations which
had been charged against them. About
o'clock in the evening Plotner had
disa ppeared from the hotel where he
was stopping and all efforts to fnd him
were unavailing The search was con-
tinued thru the day, and Just after
Judge Jones had dismissed the jury.
| the information was brought: in that
P1otner's body had been found a mile
north Of woonsocket. to which place he
| had wandered during the night after he
had taken a strong dose Of laudanum.
Quinn Ends Life.
1.-TWO years ago Plotner was the
sheriff Of Dawson county. and in that
capacity he was called by Mrs. Quinn
to subdue her husband. who had, made
| some trouble in their domestic affairs.
From that time on Plotner neglected
his own wife and children and took up
with the Quinn woman.
Tn August, 1909, Mrs. Quinn's hus-
band committed suicide after several
domestic quarrels which arose over the
attentions she was receiving from Plot
ner, and while he was sheriff Of the
county. Quinn's relatives came here
from Minneapolis on two different oc-
casions and endeavored to file charge
Of murder against Plotner for the kill
ing Of Quinn. The evidence, however.
was not sufficient and the warrant was
not issued. Witnesses saw; Quinn drink
| the carbolic acid in front OF his own
residence, but Plotner was in the house
at the same time. which gave rise to
| some suspicion that he was implicated
in the death OF the husband.
Plotnsr's Wife Ended Life.
'Plotner neglected the duties OF his
official position and followed the wo-
man to the Black Hills country, where
she was living on a claim, until he was
recalled by the county commissioners
to attend to his business. Last sllnnne r
at Rapid City. after having some trouble
with Mrs. Quinn, Plotner attempted to
commit suicide in a hotel. but was
saved. Returning to this city in Sep
tember the Illicit relations continued
with Mrs. Quinn until Mrs. Plotner re-
turned from the west. She endeavored
to break up the relations, but was un-
baSn Tod hS
her husband Of her own fnfidelity, Mrs
Plotner took her own life ten minutes
after the interview.
Public feeling ran so high here az
terward that Plotner and the Quinn
woman left this city the same night
and endeavored to escape. They were
traced to Omaha, arrested and brought
back to Mitchell, where they were met
by a crowd Of several hundred indig-
lnant citizens and for time they were
afraid for their own safety. After be-
ing bound over to the term Of circuit
court. Plotner and Mrs. Quinn got a
change Of venue of their case to San
born county. which ended with the
suicide Of Plotner.
Mrs. Quinn Unmovsd.
when Mrs. Quinn was apprised OF
the suicide Of Plotner she took the
situation in a stoical manner and gave
little or no evidence Of her feelings
after Plotner could not be found. The
case against her for adultery was con.
tinued until the next term Of court.
"Plotner has been leading a dissi-
pated life since September. While
waiting here Sunday to 90 to Woon.
socket he was arrested on the chargs
Of drunkenness and was mixed VI
in row with another dissolute WON.
an. The day Of the trial at Woon'
socket his case had to be postponed
twelve hours to give him an oppor
tunity to get into fit condition to ap
pear In court"
MRS. T. 3. MORGAN DEAD.