Thanksgiving Day on November 24, 1910, a body was found in the brush along the highway on the Charles J. Murray farm in South Fork Township, Iowa. It was the body of a man whose remains were being feasted on by wild animals. Only a portion of his right leg was intact.
He was shot with a .22 caliber bullet in the right temple. At first, it was believed it was suicide because he was not robbed but other evidence proved otherwise. He had been dragged and hidden where his body was found and no weapon was found.
The man was well dressed with several items on himself including an Elgin watch. The man's description and his items were put out into the newspaper and a possible lead came. a Ms. Gearheart of nearby Hopkinton came forward stating she had given the man the prayerbook he had.
He had stopped at her home on Labor Day which was September 5th and the same day as the Woodman World annual picnic in Hopkinton. The man was wearing the clothes he was found in and would ask for something to eat and she gave him food. They spoke while he was there. She either did not remember his name or did not give it. She did remember him telling her that he was walking to Dubuque to visit a nephew and was married but did not have children. Before he left she gave him the prayer book.'
This lead how however did not lead to his identification or his murderer.
John Doe was wearing a soft brown felt hat, a black and gray striped suit of durable material, and good shoes. He had $15, a large jack knife, an empty notebook, a prayer book, an Elgin pocket watch case numbered 138033 and a movement numbered 1024613, two medals with one marked "Whitcomb", several handkerchiefs, and a watch chain charm.
SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases
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