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Giard Murders 1891

HAHN, OTTO

Posted By: S. Ferrall (email)
Date: 6/19/2004 at 18:25:01

Frenzied by Rejection -- A Discarded Suiter Endeavors to Annihilate a Family.

Giard, Iowa, Oct. 22 -- Half crazed over a love affair, Henry Hahn did some bloody work three miles southwest of this place this afternoon. For several years young Hahn had been paying attention to Miss Fanny Otto, a pretty girl of 18 years, and recently he asked the young lady's father for her hand. Mr. Otto refused on the ground that Hahn could not take care of a wife, and hinted that he was not quite blue blooded enough to marry into his family. This
angered Hahn and he went away with a threat on his lips to murder the whole Otto family. This afternoon he showed up at the Otto farmhouse with a seven-shooter revolver and a big knife. He evidently intended to begin on the girl, as he first asked for her. He was told she was not at home, although concealed in an upper room, and he was requested to get off the place. At this he turned on Mr. Otto, the girl's father, and shot him through the heart killing him instantly. He then quickly fired two shots at Mrs. Otto, neither of which took effect. Young Henry Otto, hearing the noise ran in from the barn, and as he came within range Hahn began shooting at him. the fourth shot passed through young Otto's right lung inflicting a fatal wound. Hahn then ran into the house and tried to get at the girl whom he heard screaming upstairs. This he failed to do, owing to bolted doors, and he ran out and tried to escape. He eluded capture for an hour or two, but this evening the Marshal of Elkader, Iowa, wired that he had him safely in jail there.

-source:
Arizona Republican; October 23, 1891

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