The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-05-15

While there Mr.. Emerson closed a
door leading into the large room of
the morgue and called the other
men. They accompanied them to-
thirty feet or more, and discovered
the body OF Mrs. Emerson. The
drop from the second floor to the
basement where the elevator rested
was about twenty feet.
Cornoner James Mckee, DR., was
Immediately notified and empannel-
led jury consisting of c. J. Carter,
Gerald H wk Ell. and Stephen
Fouchek and an Investigation was
begun at once. After making some
Investigation the jury adjourned un7
til 2:30 o'clock this afternoon.
Was it murder, suicide or acci-
dent? There are some ugly facts
and circumstances in connection
with Mrs Emerson's death which the
Advertiser-G in the light of
the talk that is going around and in
it impossible to ignore.
DR.. j. w. Coakley and Dr. Orlo
Coakley, who examined the body and
the premises, state flatly that Mrs.
Emerson was murdered and beyond
question there are circumstances
that bear out their belief. That it
was an accident is the hope of the
many friends of the family, but it
cannot be denied that the hope is
not strongly entertained.
DR.. Coakley's examination showed
that the skull had been fractured on
both the right and left sides and at
the back; both legs were broken be-
tween the knees and the ankles and
there was bad bruise on one of
her shoulders.
The incomplete Investigations of
the coroner's jury disclosed the fact
that in the small picture framing
Mrs. Emerson had undoubtedly fall
len or been thrown, there were
stains on the floor that looked like
blood stains and that had apparent
ly been wiped off. These stains ap-
peASed at a distance Of eight feet or
more from the elevator shaft and
apparently something had been
vator opeping: A damp damp, and b, blood d
search in barrel under lot OF
waste paper. A heavy piece Of steel
with bloodstains on it was also dis
covered later. 1t is these things
that strengthen the fear that the
case is one Of murder and also the
fact that it would seem to be impos-
sble for fall to produce such in
JUI1eS DIS MIS-. SOu udu
ed. 1t is conceivable that the in
juries about the head might have
been the result of the fall or that
the breaking of the legs might have
been the result, but it is hard to be-
lieve that both injuries could nave
been sustained. In addition to the
other circumstances there is the fact
that on the walls of the elevator
shaft, five feet, perhaps above where
the body struck the floor there are
blood stains and there is no reas-
enable explanation Of them except
thai Mrs. G1nerson was bleeding be-
fore the descent OF the elevator shaft
started.
Mrs. Emerson was one of the best
known women in this section. She
was great lodge worker and was
active in most of the organizations
of this kind in this city. She was
kind hearted and sympathetic and
whenever anyone with whom she
was acquainted was sick or in
trouble she was the first to resDond
and always gave help and sympathy
in large measure. Her late husband
was one of the leading business men
and politicians of this part Of the
country and his death occurred in
January. There is one child. Roy,
who had been associated with his
father in business and who has been
conducting the business for the past
faw months