Count de Schzach

DE SCHZACH, SZAAK, SCHEILE

Posted By: Lynn McCleary (email)
Date: 7/11/2014 at 08:33:28

Muscatine Journal, May 30,1942, page 7

Love Tragedy Is Believed Cause of Count's Death
Authorities today theorized that a tragic love story had been culminated with the death of Count de Schzach, about 50, whose body was found lying amid a profusion of flowers on his wife's grave in Durant, la, cemetery early today. It was believed that he had died of his own hand, as a bottle of poison was found nearby. Little was known here of the Count, except that his wife, the former Florence Schiele, 26, of Durant, whom he married in Iowa City four years ago had hung herself at Long View, Tex., in February of this year.

The body was taken to Durant for burial. Count de Schzach had been staying at a Davenport hotel for the past several days, it was reported and it is believed that he went to the cemetery for a final visit to his wife's grave sometime Friday night. Memorial Day early visitors to the cemetery discovered the body. Among the flowers which adorned the grave were two pictures of his mate whom he joined in death only about three months after her tragic end. The tragedy occurred in the Muscatine county section of the cemetery, and Sheriff Fred B. Nesper and Coroner Dr. C. P. Phillips were summoned to the scene to make an investigation.

Muscatine Journal, June 3,1942, page 3 Continue Queries Into Suicide of Count De Szaack

State agents of the Iowa bureau of criminal investigation, working with Sheriff Fred B. Nesper, today, were continuing an inquiry into circumstances surrounding the suicide death of Count Odon de Szaack in a Durant cemetery Memorial Day.

There were no new developments in the case which attracted attention because the victim, a former Hungarian nobleman, left the contents of a suitcase found in his hotel room to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nothing further has been done concerning disposition of the body which remains at the Griffith Funeral home in Wilton.
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Count Odin de Szaak about 50, of Austria, committed suicide May 30, 1942, Memorial Day. His body was found on the grave of his wife in the Durant Cemetery. He had employed poison to extinguish his life. An artist the count had recently been living in Texas. His wife, the former Florence Schiele, of Durant, had hanged herself last February at Longview, Texas, where they, lived. He had arrived in Davenport on May 29, and came by taxi to Durant where he dismissed the driver at the cemetery gate.

Lying beside his body were two pictures of his wife, two bouquets of flowers and a glass container for the carbolic acid, which was in a small vial. The Durant people knew very little about the count seeing him only rarely. He did not attend his wife's funeral in February.

A note was left for the FBI directing them to his personal belongings at the Blackhawk Hotel, in Davenport. The black leather suitcase, which was turned over to the FBI and sheriff Fred Nesper, contained only clothing and other personal belongings.

Coroner C. P. Phillips of Muscatine ruled it a suicide and no inquest was held. The note left stated "I came up her to her grave where we meet again and join together." My heavy work held me back from us, to do it before but I am now very tired and turned white from weariness.

He wanted to be buried near his wife and that was the reason he came to Durant. An additional request that the red pillow carrying the de Szaack family coat of arms found in his room be placed under his head in the casket.

He had registered incognito under the name of W. W. DeVancy of Cullison, Kansas. Reputedly he had made several taxi trips to his wife's grave before he committed the final act.

He had $10.00 on deposit at the hotel and there were several $1.00 bills and some silver found in his pockets.

Sheriff Fred Nesper was trying to contact a Longview attorney whom the count had wanted notified of his death. The attorney held a $300.00 burial policy to pay on the funeral expense. He was buried in a pauper's grave near Wilton. Muscatine county paid the funeral expenses.