TERRIBLE TRAGEDY ENACTED NEAR DEKALB - Part 2

ZORNES, TEALE, YOUNG

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 11/20/2009 at 20:22:49

The authorities at Leon had been notified as soon as possible and Sheriff
Jesse Andrew started at once for the scene. County Attorney Geo. W. Baker,
and Ed H. Sharp, who replaces Mr. Baker as County Attorney January 1st, also
started for the ZORNES farm in the C.M. Keller automobile to make an
investigation of the crime. Sheriff Andrew arrived there about 10:30 o
clock and soon after arrested Ed Young at the threshing machine near the
ZORNES place. Sheriff Andrew deputized Billy Kirkpatrick and sent the
prisoner to Leon in his charge. The sheriff then began a search for Tom
Young and Hugh Teale. By using the telephone he soon learned that they were
at Kellerton. Charles Siple, the city marshal, of Kellerton, was ordered to
place them under arrest. He at once placed them in custody and held them
until the arrival of Sheriff Andrew, who took charge of the prisoners and
brought them to Leon on the night train.

Friday Doctors H.R. Layton and B.L. Eiker, of Leon, and Tallman, of Van Wert
conducted an autopsy upon the remains of the dead woman, finding that death
had resulted from the breaking of an arteryas a result of the blow upon the
head. Justice A.M. Pryor acting as coroner, empaneled a coroner's jury
composed of Phil Kopp, R.G. Layton and B.F. Smith with Mr. Kopp as foreman.
The jury began its work at the ZORNES place on Friday and adjourned to Leon
where after hearing the testimony before the court of Justice Pryor in the
preliminary hearing of Hugh Teale, returned the following verdict:

State of Iowa,
Decatur County.

An inquisition held in Long Creek Township in Decatur County at the
residence of LEVI ZORNES in said county and state on the ninth day of
December, A.D. 1910, and continued from day to day until the 13th of
December, 1910, before A.M. Pryor, a justice of the peace in and for said
county acting as coroner of the said county upon the body of Mrs. BERTHA
ZORNES there being and lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereunto
subscribed. The said jurors upon their oaths do say, find and return, that
she, the said Mrs. BERTHA ZORNES, came to her death in an untimely manner
and that the killing was feloniously done.

In testimony whereof the said jurors have hereunto signed their names this
13th day of December, A.D. 1910. -- R.G. Layton, Phillip F. Kopp, B.F.
Smith.

Clarence Teale, who had been taken before Justice Brammer, waived the
preliminary examination and was sent to jail without bond. Ed and Tom Young
waived the preliminary hearing before Justice Pryor, while Hugh Teale went
into the justice court for hearing. The preliminary hearing of Hugh Teale
started Monday and continued until Tuesday. A number of witnesses were
examined and much testimony brought out. At the conclusion of the
preliminary hearing Justice Pryor announced that he would render his
decision at 10 o'clock on the morning of Thursday, December 15th.

Ed Young, one of the men under arrest, has served a part of a penitentiary
sentence given him for the killing of Harry Allen in the same neighborhood
some years ago.

From the notes taken of the inquest it is found that the report of the
Autopsy made by the physicians above named found the dead woman to be about
38 years of age, and measuring 5 feet and seven inches in height and
weighing probably 140 pounds. The hair was dark brown, also the eyes.

It was found that a gash, the result of the blow measuring 3 3/4 inches was
on the left side of the skull, also a reddened and bruised condition of both
the upper and lower lids of the left eye. Echymosis was present beginning
at the base of the skull and extending downward over the back to the middle
of the left thigh and to the middle of the right leg. No recent marks of
violence was discovered on the arms, hands, chest, abdomen, thighs, left leg
or foot. The right leg showed a bruised condition between the knee and
ankle. Upon removing the sutures from the gash on the head the wound gaped
open and showed a clean cut through the scalp. The scalp was then reflected
backward and forward exposing the entire top of the skull and revealing a
bruised condition of the muscles and tissue in the region of the temple.
Examination revealed a fracture beginning at the internal angle of the left
eye, near the nose and extending upwards and backwards for six inches.
Another fracture beginning near the outer angle of the left eye and
extending upwards and backwards for a distance of 4 1/2 inches was also
found. Also a fracture one inch long connecting the fractures.
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The funeral of Mrs. ZORNES was held Saturday, interment being made in the
Funktown Cemetery.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
November 19, 2009
iggy29@grm.net