CROSBY, Emma c1861-1887

CROSBY, WARREN, PROUTY, PIERCE, HARRIS, WILLIAMS

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 11/17/2013 at 23:25:17

#1:

The funeral services of William O. Crosby and his wife were held from the house Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the pastors of the Methodist and Universalist Churches of Cedar Falls, officiating and the remains were interred side by side in the new cemetery near that place.

Source: Waterloo Courier, Wednesday, January 19, 1887.
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#2:

MURDER AND SUICIDE

WILLIAM O. CROSBY, OF CEDAR FALLS, KILLS HIS WIFE AND THEN ENDS HIS OWN EXISTENCE

One of the most fearful tragedies that has ever occurred in Blackhawk County was enacted at Cedar Falls shortly before noon last Friday. William O. Crosby, one of the sons of the late J.Q.A. Crosby, deliberately shot his wife and then put two bullets into his head and sank unconscious and dying by the murdered woman. The particulars of the affair are about as follows:

Mr. and Mrs. Crosby lived in the old Crosby house, corner of Clay and Twelfth Streets and, on Friday morning, Mr. Crosby went up to his mother's residence, where he kept his money, and taking some went down town, paid all his debts and taking receipts put them in the safe at his mother's. He then went to his home and paid the servant girl the money that was due her and went into the sitting room where his wife was. The sitting room and parlor are in the main part of the house and separated by an arch way and the sitting room is similarly separated from the dining room.

Mrs. Crosby was sitting by the cook stove with her feet on the fender, and as he entered, was engaged working out a puzzle. Coming up behind her, he drew a 38 calibre Bull Dog revolver and fired two shots, the first taking effect just behind her left ear and the other near one eye. He then placed the revolver to his own head and fired. The shot entered to the right of the right eye but failed to penetrate the skull and coming out near the center of his forehead went into the wall. But this time the servant girl hearing the shots, rushed into the room. He was crouching on the floor and as she entered, he fired another shot which entered the lower part of his right ear and inflicted the fatal wound.

Horror stricken at the tragedy, the girl ran to the neighbors and gave the alarm. When help arrived Crosby was found to be unconscious though he gasped occasionally and it was about half an hour before he breathed his last.

The testimony developed the fact that Crosby was unquestionably insane when he committed the deed. It seems that for some time he has complained occasionally of severe pains in his head. He had also said that he might kill himself. On the day before the tragedy he told a man who was cutting down some trees in front of his house, that be was going out to the farm for the last time. Thursday evening he and his wife visited at his mother's and he appeared to be unusually light-hearted.

Later in the evening, however, he went down town and on his return, was very morose and untalkative and on Friday morning parties who met him on his way down town state that he would not recognize them.

William O. Crosby was about 26 years old. He was the eldest of the five children of J. Q. A. Crosby, who it will be remembered died about three years ago.

Some two years since he was married to Miss Emma Warren, a daughter of Mrs. Joel Prouty by a former marriage, and sister of Mrs. N. H. Harris. It is reported that their married life was not a very happy one. They leave no children. The terrible affair completely overcame Mrs. Pierce, Mr. Crosby's mother, while everyone seemed aghast at the fearful tragedy.

J. Q. A. Crosby, the father of William, was one of the richest men in Cedar Falls and when he died his estate was estimated at several hundred thousand dollars. Of this sum it was supposed that William's share was about $35,000.

Source: Waterloo Courier, Wednesday, January 19, 1887, Waterloo, Iowa.
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#3:

Crosby was a man about twenty-six years old and his wife was nearly the same age. They were married about two years ago but had no children. Mrs. Crosby is a niece of Capt. H. E Williams of this city. The funeral occurred at Cedar Falls Monday.

Source: Iowa State Reporter, January 20, 1887
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NOTES:
Burial was at Fairview Cemetery, in Cedar Falls.

NOTE: Portions of the above material have been redacted because of its "gory" content.

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(Credit: S Bell)