Thomas R. Pullen 1890-1952

PULLEN, DAVIS, BELL

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/28/2012 at 00:03:39

Couple Found Dead in North Sixth Home
Husband Shot, Wife is Beaten
Hammer, Shot Gun Weapons
Discovery of the violet deaths of an Estherville couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Pullen, 1601 North Sixth street, shattered the usual Sunday morning calm here yesterday.

Bodies of the Pullens were found in their home shortly before noon yesterday after Glenn Pullen, brother of Tom, and Glenn’s son, Robert, had called at the home and discovered no activity at the house. They called police and the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Pullen were found in the house a few minutes later. Mrs. Pullen was 56 and Mr. Pullen was 61.

Justice of the peace, M.H. Schloeman, acting Emmet county coroner, said this morning that he is satisfied in his own mind that Pullen beat his wife to death with a hammer and then shot himself to death with a shotgun.

The bodies were taken to Mason City yesterday where Dr. Harold Morgan, pathologist, made an investigation. Dr. Morgan’s findings indicated that the violence probably took place no earlier than Saturday [January 26, 1952] night.

Shortly after 11 a.m. yesterday Glenn and Robert Pullen reported to Police Officer Morton Evans, officer on duty, that they believe there was something wrong at the Tom Pullen home. They told police officers that the mail had not been taken from the mail box, there were no tracks around the house and that the Pullen car had not been moved. They found no activity around the house. They found the kitchen door unlocked and upon looking in saw a cloth gun case on the kitchen floor and a shotgun on the dining room floor.

Evans got in touch with Police Chief Glen Bolty and Bolty and Evans and the Pullens then went to the house.

They were met at the door by a menacing dog but upon gaining entrance they discovered the body of Mrs. Pullen in a downstairs bedroom. Upon this discovery Bolty notified Schloeman, acting coroner, County Attorney Daniel Sanderson and Patrolman Clarence Hackett. Previously Deputy Sheriff Walter Wittneben had been notified.

A short time later the body of Pullen was discovered in an upstairs closet.

Mrs. Pullen’s body was found lying on the floor of the bedroom beside the bed. Her skull was beaten in and a hammer was lying nearby.

A double-barrel shotgun was found in the closet with Pullen’s body and he had been shot in the head.

Considerable amount of blood was found in the downstairs rooms. From Dr. Morgan’s findings it was theorized that Pullen had tried to take his own life by slashing his throat with a pocket knife but that the cuts were not deep enough to be fatal. It isn’t known for certain whether or not he attempted to take his own life with a knife before he attacked his wife or afterwards, but it was thought it might have been before. The pocket knife with blades closed was found in the house.

After attacking his wife, it was believed from the Morgan investigation that he apparently got a gun, shooting himself once downstairs in the chin and mouth and then going upstairs and shooting himself again in the head.

According the an Associated Press dispatch, Glenn Pullen told authorities his sister-in-law had called him several days ago and told him her husband had been acting “queer.”

Acting Coroner Schloeman said there had been no clear motive established as of this morning.

Authorities found two dogs at the Pullen residence that had apparently been without food and water for some time. They fed and watered them.

The mail found in the mail box included newspapers from last Wednesday, but Dr. Morgan said the condition of the bodies --- that death probably could not have been before Saturday night.

The house was warm when patrol officers arrived.

From the way the bodies were clothed it indicated the violence probably took place at night. Mrs. Pullen was wearing a nightgown and robe and her husband was wearing winter underwear and bedroom slippers.

Pullen’s dog also had been injured, authorities noted while making their investigation at the residence yesterday. The left side of the dog’s face is badly swollen and one eye apparently is suffering from injury. This led authorities to speculate that the dog may have been involved in the violence leading to the deaths of the couple.

Mrs. Pullen is survived by a brother, Frank Davis of Harrisberg, S.D.; three sisters, Mrs. Cora Shadle of Newton, Mrs. Sidney E. Bemis of Spirit Lake and Mrs. L.J. Bennett of Estherville.

Surviving Mr. Pullen is a daughter, Mrs. Orville Bell of Spirit Lake; two granddaughters, a brother, Glen of Estherville; five nephews and nieces; and six grand nephews and nieces.

Funeral services for the relatives only will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Sternborg funeral home, the Rev. John DeLong officiating. Burial will be in Eastside cemetery. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, January 28, 1952)