Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-05-11

OF age. When eighteen years of age
he was convicted OF check forging in
South Dakota, and sent to prison In
that state for year. Previous to
this time he served time in the in
dusrial school at Eldora, Iowa. For
some time previous to the Staying
OF VIM. G. Matusch. Schuler had been
keeping company with Mrs. Matusch's
younger sister, who was employed In
the hotel at Postville. Some time dur
ing the winter months she gave up
her work in Postville, and came to
the home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Matusch.
Schuler made frequent visits and
early In January he came to stay
indefinitely. On March 9Th, 1921, Schu-
Ter was united in marriage with Mrs.
Matusch's sister. During all the weeks
that -Schuler lived at the Matusch
home he would not as much as help
Mr.. Matusch with the chores about
the place, and refusing to work, it
lis believed that Mr.. Matusch, in all
probability, asked him to leave the
place. In addition to accepting the
OF the Matusch family with
out giving anything in return, he be-
came involved financially in one way
and another, until Mr.. Matusch re-
fused longer to shield him and get
him out OF the trouble. Schuler made
a number of attmepts to get money
from his father, and 9 few days be-
fore the shooting occurred he tele-
graphed his father for money. The
father wired him to 30 to work and
save his money. On Sunday, March
Goth, Schuler and ,Matusch appeared
to have had some disagreement over
money matters. On that day Schuler
refused to eat his meals with the
family, but rather remained about the
farm buildings. Mr.. Matusch spent the
afternoon at q neighbor's and return
ed home during the early evening.
During that Sunday evening, while Mr..
Matusch was doing the evening chores,
Schuler came into the hause and ask
ed the women folks for the shot gun,
telling them that he and .Bill' MEAN
ing Mr.. Matusch) were going to shoot
weasels near the barn. In few
the women heard two shots
fired, and few minutes later Schuler
came back to the house. AT this time
he told the women that he and Mr..
Matusch were going to Manchester
to see about a telegram which he
expected from his father. In about a
half hour Schuler again came into
the house. 1t was after his second
visit to the house that he told the
women what he had done. He stated
that Matusch attacked him with a
pitch fork, and that he killed him in
self-defense. After killing Mr.. Matus-
ch in the barn yard back Of the corn
crib. he then opened loor on the
west end OF the double corn crib, and
ragged the life-less form Of his
brother-in-law from the yard into
the crib and then closed the doors,
leaving the body on the dirt floor
for cats and rats to feed upon. After
telling the women in the house what
he had done, he cautioned them all
not to telephone for officers, lest they
meet similar fate. The family re-
NAMED in the house over Sunday
night, and on Monday morning he or
dered Mrs. Matusch and daughter and
his own wife to accompany him to
where they transacted
some business and then drove to West
Union. via Strawberry Point. At West
Union the car had to be abandoned,
and he hired another car to take them
to Postville. At Postville the party
spent most OF the day leaving there
in the afternoon over the Rock Is
land, all travelling together until Dom
nan Junction was reached, where Mrs.
Matusch and the daughter changed
cars for Edgewood. Schuler and his
wife then went to Waterloo. AS soon
as Mrs. Matusch reached Edgewood
she told what had taken place on their
farm on the previous Sunday and Of
ficers hurried to the scene Of the
tragedy. There in double corn crib
on the ground lay the lifeless form
of Mr.. Matusch, with terrible gun
shot wound In the face. Mrs. Matusch
when first interviewed by the officers
handed over a written statement of
Schuler's stating that he killed Mr..
Matusch in self-defense. For whole
week Schuler and his wife lived at
a hotel in Waterloo, within two blocks
OF the police station. From Waterloo
they went to st. Paul and then back
to Albert Lea, Minnesota, where his
arrest took place. He was brought to
Manchester by Sheriff Pride and
placed in the cell in the county Jail.
Robbery Seems to Have Been Motive
for Killing
Officers are satisfied that Schuler
took the life Of his brother-in-law
for the purpose Of getting what money
he carried on his person. amounting
to approximately $500 1t is an es-
tablished fact that Schuler is dope
fiend, and that at times he would be
driven to desperate ends to obtain
the drug. Being without funds prac-
tically all of the time, and craving
for dope" it is believed that he be-
came enraged at his brother-in-law
when the latter refused to give him