Morgan, Michael died 1902

MORGAN

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 5/8/2014 at 21:29:07

Compiled from two articles in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Mon. & Tue., 27 & 28 April 1903.

A floater was found at the mouth of the harbor by two passersby this morning. They obtained a skiff and retrieved the body and Coroner Hoar was notified, who removed the remains to the undertaking parlors of Hoar & Murphy.

An examination of the remains revealed it to be a male of about 5 ft. 9 in. and was heavily set. Found in the pockets were a telegram, a key and 27 cents. Other than the telegram there was nothing else found to identify the dead man. There were no marks of violence that could be found on the body.

The telegram read:

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, 22 Nov. 1902.

Michael Morgan: Chas. Allen here, Capt. Lane left for Oregon Sunday.

The name Morgan is well known here as it is thought he is the man who worked at the Dubuque House about last November and has not been seen since. At that time the relatives thought he was foully dealt with or had drowned. Some who knew him thought he may have suicided do to a bad investment. If this is Morgan he has relatives in the city but none as yet can be found.

Mr. Wagner and a man who worked at the boarding house were called to view the corpse, and though it was badly decomposed, identified it as that of Morgan. This was confirmed when the key that was found on the corpse was found to unlock the trunk of Morgan.

The dead body of Michael Morgan was shipped from the undertaking parlors of Hoar & Murphy to New Albin, Iowa.

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Added by S. Ferrall 03/10/2015:

The badly decomposed remains of a man found in the ice harbor at Dubuque disclosed the fact that they were those of Michael Morgan, who came to that city from Allamakee county. On November 7 he disappeared. When last seen he had considerable money which he had just received, but only twenty-seven cents were found in his clothes. When last seen he was walking toward the river with two strangers and it is believed they murdered him.

~Buffalo Center Tribune, May 8, 1903 (Iowa News column)