Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-07-31
SON Who KILLED
MOTHER A SUICIDE
CRESTON UNDERTAKEN ES'
CAPES FROM GUARDS AND
HANGS HIMSELF

taker sentenced TO lie lmprlSOn-
ment for the murder of his mother,
committed suicide at $3.50 a. m. on
Wednesday by hanging himself with
his belt and a piece of barbed wire,
under a highway bridge two miles
northeast of Kellerton.
Emerson was being taken from
Des Moines back to Mt. Ayr, after
one of his bondsmen, William Wal
lace of Greenfield, had repudiated
his portion of the $4,000 appeal
bond. He was in charge of Will
Mcfarland, who was his guard thru
out the trial at Mt. Ayr, Deputy
Sheriff Ed Hayner of Union county
and another man.
Mr.. and Mrs. Emerson were in
Des Moines visiting at the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lon Pollock, Els
Twenty-eighth street, pending a de-
eision on his appeal to the supreme
court of Iowa.
The guards were taking Emerson
to Mt. Ayr in an automobile.
When they were near Kellerton,
the car broke down, and upon
reaching that town at 5 o'clock a
stop was made for repairs.
1t was during this stop in town
that Emerson managed to escape
from his guards. He fled from
town and ran through the country.
The alarm was given and the chase
was taken up by Kellerton people
and farmers from the surrounding
territory.
Word was received that Frank
Allen, living twomiles northeast of
Kellerton had seen a man disap-
pear under a highway bridge near
his farm and the pursuers hurried
to the scene.
There they found Emerson's life
les body dangling from one of the
beams of the bridge.
The convicted man had hanged
himself but few minutes before the
party reached the scene, as Mr.. AL
len had seen him disappear under
the bridge but 10 or Is minutes be-
fore he was found dead, and the
body was still warm when found
He had used his belt for a rope.
The belt in turn was suspended
from a piece of barbed wire which
he had fastened to it and attached
to the bridge.
In order to commit suicide in this
place it was necessary for Emerson
to raise his feet off the ground,
and to remain in doubled-up,
cramped position.
Deputy Sheriff Rayner and VIM.
Mcfarland say that Emerson gave
no previous intimation of his in
tentions to plan an escape or to
end his life.
He remained silent on the trip
from Des Moines and said nothing
touching on the question of his
guilt or innocence of the murder of
his mother
While the guards were repairing
the car, Emerson would walk
around and by degrees he increased
the distance between himself and
the men. Suddenly he dashed
away behind some houses and the
officers gave chase.
He was located within half an
hour after he made his escape. The
body was found about $3.50 o'clock.
The Ringgold county authori-
ties were at once notified of the sui
eide. DR.. Samuel Bailey of Mt.
Ayr, the Ringgold county coroner
summoned a jury to hold an in
quest.
The inquest was commenced at
the scene of the suicide at the Frank
Allen Bridge, northeast of town,
and after the salient facts had been
gone over there, the coroner and
his Jury, adjourned to the Ivan
Crew undertaking parlors, where
the inquest was finished at 1880
o'clock.
A simple verdict that the deceas-
ed came to his death by suicide by
hanging" was returned by the jur-
ors.
TIL body was taken to the Crew
undertaking parlors in Kellerton
where the arrival of Mrs. Emerson
from Des Moines was awaited. Au-
thorities had been unable to locate
her, but il was reported that she
had started with friends in an au-
tomobile from Des Moines during
the night.
An exciting chase followed Emer-
sons escape from the authorities in
Kellerton. Deputy Sheriff Rayner
sent to Creston for bloodhounds to
take up the chase. but the pursuit
ended with the finding of the body
shortly after the order had been
telephoned to Creston.
William Wallace of Greenfield re-
pudiated his share of Emerson's APP
peal bond because he feared the ''no-
toriety" derived through the case.
The convicted man was therefore
arrested in Des Moines about ten
o'clock Tuesday night. He was ac-
companied to the Polk county Jail by
his wife and from there was taken by
the authorities In auto for Mount
Ayr They left Des Moines about