Murder of Officer Jacob Neibert Unfnished

Around 2:30 am on June 13, 1896, 53-year-old officer Jacob Neibert was on duty in Muscatine, Iowa. On Burlington Rd Officer Neibert would come across two tramps. Around 6 shots would ring out in the night. Three shots would happen and then in a few minutes three more. gunshots were not uncommon enough to go check it out until H.J. Smith and his wife heard moans of help. 

H.J. would go out and ask "What's the trouble"? Officer Neibert would scream out "Jim! Oh, Jim! Come Help Me!" This was when they would find the police officer suffering from gunshot wounds. H.J. would run across the street to him.

He told of how two trams he tried to arrest had done it. He would give a description, but it was hard for him to speak as he continued to get weaker and weaker. H.J. would stand Officer Neibert up and try to walk him to his house. However, before they would make it there he would collapse to the ground. They would bring pillows and blankets to make him comfortable while waiting for help. The 15-year-old Smith's son would go and fetch a doctor. 

It was too late to save him. Other neighbors would come out to see the commotion. Soon after the Dr. got there Officer Neibert would take his last breath.

The nearby box car was investigated. This was where he was shot. there were five bullet holes in the boxcar. It seemed as if they were caused by two different caliber weapons. There was a lot of blood and evidence of a struggle inside. Officer Neigbert's club and gun both showed that it was used. 

It was apparent that one of the tramps had been injured. There was a significant amount of blood that led away from the scene that wasn't from Officer Neibert. The blood was traced all the way to the sash and door factory. A black soft felt hat was found at the scene likely belonging to one of the tramps. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Muscatine

Officer Down Memorial Page

Iowa Cops

The Muscatine Journal June 16, 1896

Suspucious death of James Clark Nicoll,

In 1871 James and Amelia Nicoll would come over to America from Scotland. The couple had 7 children in total 2 of which were born in Iowa where they settled. He would then establish the first baker in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was located on the north side of Broadway across from Ogden Hotel. The family would live above the bakery. By 1884 the business would thrive allowing them to build one at 130 West Broadway, where he moved his home and business.

Around 8 pm on March 16, 1885, 52-year-old James would leave his home. at 10 the next day James body was found in a ditch that led to Indian Creek on Tenth Ave by a man passing by. He was frozen in the 15 inches of water. His hand and one shoulder were the only things seen above the ice. He was weirdly enough not wearing his hat, shoes, or stockings. It was unknown how or why he had died, but it was suspicious. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Find a Grave

Murder of John "Henry" Bernard Nurre and attemped murder of Elizabeth Nurre

small typo on image it's 1814 not 1914

In 1890, 76-year-old John "Henry" Nurre and his third wife 57-year-old Elizabeth. The couple had been married for 20 years and lived in rural Clinton County near Brown’s Station, Iowa. The area that the couple were living in was mostly Catholic including them. They would seldom miss any meetings at the church.

Henry was also one of the richest men in their area of the state and was highly esteemed by many. He had more real estate mortgages in Jackson County than anyone else. For the last 4 years, he was a member of the Board of Supervisors of Clinton County. It was estimated that he was worth $250,000.

On March 12, 1890, Henry and Elizabeth did not show up to the 13-hour church meeting. This was concerning, however, it wasn't until they didn't show up to the Thursday meeting people got worried. Elizabeth's son-in-law Theo Hullman, and the Priest were worried because the two never showed up to the meeting. This was unusual for them. The two would go home and investigate to see why the two didn't show up.

When they went inside the house they would go into either the kitchen and find Henry dead near the table. He was in a large pool of blood and had a large gash on the back of his head and another which hit his jugular vein in his neck.

Elizabeth was found unconscious in their bedroom in the attic above the kitchen. She had been attacked with a hammer and she had nine deep scalp wounds. She would stay unconscious for several more weeks before regaining consciousness. However, she could not provide any information on what had happened.

It's believed that the attack happened on the evening of March 11th. Henry was sitting in the sitting room responding to a letter from his son. The letter was received on the 10th and the letter Henry was writing was dated the 11th. It seemed Henry was nearly finished with the letter when he was killed.

The murderer or murderers tried to clean up the pool of blood. There were clothes stained with the blood found on the teakettle. They then dragged Henry into the kitchen. It's unknown why they had done this, but maybe they were thinking of destroying the scene and never got to do it for some reason.

Elizabeth must have witnessed the murder as it seemed that she had run to their bedroom in the attic. She had tried to barricade the door, but they had broken it open with a poker. They would then attack her with the poker and then the hammer when they found it. The room was left a mess with the bestead broken to pieces, the bedding scattered and blood covered almost everything in the room. It was a miracle that she survived.

In another bedroom, a safe was found. It was unknown if the killer or killers were able to get it open, but the dial had been broken off. In the same room, there was a little satchel that Henry was known to carry money and papers. One of Elizabeth's skirts was lying over it and it wasn't seen by the killers. Inside was $1,105 and some papers indicating he was planning to go to Preston that night. Likely after he was done writing his letter and eating dinner.

Theo stated that it was not normal for Henry to have that much cash on him at once and usually only carried around $100 to $150. However, he himself had recently paid him the $1,000 on Sunday so it must have been that money in his satchel.

SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases

Find a Grave

UNIDENTIFIED:June 11, 1952 Tama County, Iowa Baby John Doe

 On June 11, 1952, road construction was happening along the route of U.S. Highway 30, about four miles west of Tama, Iowa. A construction worker discovered a box 350 feet east of the Raven Creek bridge on the south side of the roadway. The box was a Wilson Packing Company box marked “chili.” and was wrapped with a cord.

The worker would open the box to find something horrifying. Inside the box were two packages wrapped with newspapers and tea towels. Inside the packages was the horrifying sight of the body of a baby boy. The other package was the afterbirth. It was found that the baby had blunt force trauma to the head and the baby was alive for 2 and a half to 3 hours.

They were the April 17 and May 8 issues of The Marshalltown Times-Republican. The newspapers had no mailing address attached, but two “stars” were discovered in the newspapers. This indicated they had been delivered on a Marshalltown city route. One tea towel had the embroidery of a lamb in one corner and the other had the numeral 49 in black.

John Doe was a white male newborn. He was fully developed. He weighed 8 lbs and had blonde hair.

SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases

UNIDENTIFIED: November 24, 1910 South Fork Township, Iowa John Doe

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

Murder of Nels Pedersen Lourving

At 11 p.m. on July 29, 1933, 51-year-old Nels Louvring left his filling station at Dixie Oil Co. or also known as Nels Louvring Filing Station. He would arrive at his family's home on 315 Water St. in Fayette, Iowa. When he left his garage he was shot. The bullet would hit him on the left side right above his waste and exited his shoulder. He would then stagger through the yard towards the kitchen door where he collapsed.

His wife and stepdaughter's family would find him collapsed at the kitchen door. When he collapsed he dropped the cigar box of cash and receipts and his keys. He was dead by the time the family got to him. 

A .38 caliber gun was used, and from the angle of the shot the killer had to of been kneeling or laying down when he shot. Meaning that they waited to ambush Nels to kill him. It doesn't seem like robbery was the crime as the killer did not try to take the cash box from Nels right after shooting him. 

Bloodhounds were used and they brought officers to the Volga River, but that brought nothing up. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

UNIDENTIFIED: September 5, 1922 Kearney, Missouri John Doe

On September 5, 1922, a man had robbed a post office in Kearney Missouri. He had been shot by the city marshall Frank Milbourn. his identity is unknown and he had broken into several buildings in town. 

He was a white male and was around 20-years-old. His hat had an Iowa town mark and a picture of a woman and child photographed in Clinton, Illinois. 

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wikipedia

Find a Grave

Missouri Digital Heritage: Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1970

UNIDENTIFIED: Jan 1, 1924 Des Moines, Iowa John Doe

On January 1, 1924, the burned/charred remains of a man were found in Des Moines, Iowa. His cause of death is not stated and there is little information in this case. 

He was a white adult male pre-40-years-old. He had long black hair. The lower part of a pair of hip boots was found on the body. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Unidentified Wiki

Doe Network

INFANTICIDE: November 12, 1953 Des Moines, Iowa Baby Doe

On November 12, 1953, the body of an infant was found in the Des Moines River in Des Moines, Iowa. His head was struck and then he was thrown in. His race could not be determined. His body was cremated at the time and there's a low possibility of identification.

SOURCES:
NamUs

END OF WATCH : Patrolman Pitt McClellan Doxsie

On October 26, 1897, 34-year-old Patrolman Pitt McClellan Doxsie was patrolling on horseback in the downtown area of Independence, Iowa. He would stumble upon a burglary in progress. He would get into a gunfight with the two thieves. He would be shot and killed, his body would be discovered in an alley.

His case will remain unsolved. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Officer Down Memorial Page

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

MISSING: Derald Arthur Luse

Sometime in 1930 19-year-old Derald Luse was last seen in Sioux City, Iowa. There is little information in this case.

Derald is a white male and was 19-years-old at the time. He is 6 ft and 180 lbs. He has brown hair and brown eyes. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

National Missing Person Directory

Murder of Thecla M. Gerken

 

In 1919 23-year-old Thecla Gerken who was a school teacher from Woonsocket, South Dakota, and was staying at the home of Dr. H.H. Hagedorn at 1017 Jones St. She was friends with H.H Hagedorn's wife and was taking her vacation here. On the night of June 27, 1919, Thecla and another girl, Mable Houlihan, who she also knew went on a walk.

The girls would say their goodbyes as they neared 8th st. Mable would walk towards her home on 9th st. and Thecla would cross the intersection of 9th and Jones st. diagonally. Mable was almost to the alley when she heard Thelca scream "Mabel, come back!" which was followed by a gunshot. 

Mable would rush to her friend. She said there were people on the street who pointed towards her friend who was now laying on the ground. She had blood coming from her mouth and had been shot in the chest.

All that was known was that Thecla had been shot by a young man. She was seen talking to the young man and the witness claimed they heard her say "George, why did you do that?" They were too far away to hear anything else of the conversation. He had shot her with a .38 caliber gun and fled down an alleyway. One article stated that someone chased after him, but could not catch up to him and lost him. 

Thecla was new to town and only knew very few people let alone have enemies. The two girls did meet a couple of young men the day before and set a date for that day but did not show up to it. It's unknown if her killer was one of these men. 

It's suspected that the man who Thecla was talking to for a brief moment before her death was a poorly dressed man that she and Mable had passed by earlier. Police believe it could have been possible that it was a woman disguised as a man. The man or woman was never found and Mabel's case will remain unsolved. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Murder of Earl Fuller Jr.

Photo of Joseph Altringer

At 7:30 p.m. on October 4, 1930, 12-year-old Earl Fuller Jr. left his home in Dubuque, Iowa. He went to go play football with friends in an area near the "bottoms" along the Mississippi River. The scrimmage was done at 9:30 and some of the boys witnessed Earl going off with a man afterward.

Soon his parents became worried when Earl didn't come home before 10 p.m. They would search for him. His body would be found the next day in the bottoms in a clump of willows. He had been strangled to death It was believed that he had been sexually assaulted too as he had no clothes on him. 

They would then interview several people for the murder, but they would come across one suspect soon a 22-year-old Joseph Altringer. They would interview him for 15 hours and admit to the murder. Two of Earl's friends would confirm that Joseph was the man they saw him leave with.

Joseph would enter a plea of guilty and Judge P.J. Nelson gave him his sentencing. He would be sentenced to death. Joseph did not seem to accept his sentencing. His lawyer tried to plea on his behalf stating he was still so young, but this fell upon deaf ears.

Joseph would be hanged on November 6, 1931.


SOURCES:
Legal Executions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri
The Daily Times October 6, 1930
Quad-City Times October 13, 1930
The Daily Times October 13, 1930
The Des Moines Register October 20, 1930
The Des Moines Register November 5, 1930
The Gazette November 9, 1930

Brutal Unsolved Murder of Annie Wiese

On August 26, 1893, 20-year-old Anna "Annie" Wiese was over at Aurthur Hill's home in the Vienna Township, where they both lived. The two were friends and she left the home around 10 p.m. and walked home in the bright moonlight. Someone was hiding in the shadows and took their chance to attack her. 

The person or persons who attacked her both clubbed her around the head, stabbed her several times in the breast in back, and slit her throat almost decapitating her. She fought back and was able to grab a tuft of hair from her assailant. Her screams were heard by her employer's family who lived nearby.

He and his son ran out to save whoever was screaming. When they got to the area she had stopped screaming, but she made a groan and it helped them find her. Unfortunately, she was dead by the time they found her. The killer had fled by the time they reached her.

There were a few suspects in this case. Those include her former boyfriend, her would-be boyfriend, and a woman who despised her. 

They soon arrested the young man that was seeing her. He was working as a farmhand in Pocahontas county, and there was resistance from the community he was living. He went through and they soon released him. 

Emily Bennet was a neighbor who despised Annie and believed that she was trying to seduce her husband Cyrus and son Arthur. It was known she hated her. She was taken to trial but was acquitted of the crime. It's believed that if the science for solving the crime was better that Emily would have been convicted. 

SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases

Find A Grave
Sioux City Journal

Murder of Reverend George C. Haddock

In 1882 a law was passed in Iowa called the "Clark Law" making Liquor illegal. The frontier city of Sioux did not take kindly to the law as they ignored it. It also turned the town from being rough straight to a lawless frontier. The town had over 75 saloons, several breweries, and gambling houses.

Many were against the law, but some were for it especially after two murders had happened in drinking establishments. There were some who wanted changes to where Sioux City would follow the law. One of these people was 56-year-old Reverend George C. Haddock.

On August 3, 1886, the Reverend was going about noting the things about liquor. That morning he was seen noting the unloading of beer from one of the brewery wagons. Fred Lerch was standing in front of his business further up the street and screamed at the Reverend that he would cut his d-d head off if he came near there.

Shortly after 10 p.m. a shot was heard on 3rd and Waters street. Reverend George Haddock had been shot and killed. The person shot him from 25 feet away. It was no secret in why he was murdered he even told someone he expected death. He was more than likely killed for his fight against liquor.

John Arensdorf was a suspect that went to trial twice. First with a hung jury and second with a not guilty. Despite there having been witnesses that night that saw John kill the Reverend. It was said that John had gone to a bar after the trial with the jurors.

Soon after the Reverend's death liquor was completely banned fron Sioux City and the businesses were moved to South Sioux City in Nebraska. But five years later Clark Law was repealed allowing liquor to be legal again.

SOURCES:
Iowa Cold Cases 

Sioux City Journal 

Sioux City History

INFANTICIDE: March 30, 1881 Camden, Iowa Newborn Girl

In Camden, Iowa, a woman had a package sent to the county treasurer, John Addison Pierson in Centerville, Iowa. The package was pasteboard. The package arrived on March 30, 1881, by train and at the time John Addison Pierson went to see if there was any official mail for the county and if there was anything for him. He paid for the package not knowing what was inside.

He brought the mail to his office. He opened the package and what was inside was horrifying. There was a newborn baby girl wrapped in an old skirt. It was obvious that the infant was murdered. There was concentrated lye or acid poured down her throat and splattered on one side of her face and body.

There were suspicions about who the mother was, but nothing was proved. It's unknown why the infant was killed because it seems likely the baby was sent to get a proper and paid for the funeral.

I could not find any sources that said this case was solved. According to Iowa Unsolved Murders, it was not solved.

SOURCES:

Iowa Unsolved Murders 

Centerville Times

Centerville Times