Hulda Fischer(1890-1975)

FISCHER

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 12/3/2008 at 07:57:23

Jackson Sentinel
February 27, 1975

Mrs. Fischer Apparent Homicide Victim
By H. James Potter News Editor

An autopsy, completed Wednesday morning, Feb. 26, has led members of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) to classify the death of Mrs. Hulda Fischer, 84 of 418 North Fifth St. in Maquoketa as an apparent homicide.

Seven BCI agents, members of the Maquoketa police department and the Jackson County Sheriff’s department are involved in an investigation of the death.

Mrs. Fischer’s death was discovered at approximately 7:50 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the attractive one-story home in which she had lived by herself for the past nine years and for seven years before that with her husband, John L. Fischer.

Multiple Wounds

Jackson County Medical Examiner, Dr. J. A. Broman, was called to the scene to certify stab wounds in the chest and abdomen. The last known communication with her, as of this time, was when Mrs. Fischer visited in the next door Hattie Petersen home last Monday afternoon.

BCI

Tim McDonald, special agent for the BCI out of Davenport and the man heading up the investigation, has declined to enumerate other details at this time.

A usually reliable source stated that evidence indicated homicide rather than suicide or an accident.

In a statement early Wednesday morning, McDonald said that “all possibilities are open homicide, suicide or accident.” But the autopsy, which was performed by members of the BCI’s laboratory investigative team, apparently confirmed that death was by homicide.

A task force has been established by the members of the various law enforcement agencies involved and at present it is being headquartered in the Maquoketa city council chambers.

Assisting at the scene of the murder Tuesday night were Maquoketa chief of police Buddy Olson, assistant chief Ronald Evans, Sgt. Robert Andersen, officers Mark Brooks and Dennis Howell, Deputy Sheriff James Streets and Trooper Ken Kramer. Officers Andersen and Brooks were the first to respond to the call.

BCI agents arrived at the scene at about 9 p.m. and members of the laboratory team arrived several hours later.

Discovery By Neighbor

A neighbor, Mrs. Hattie Petersen, widow of Asmus Petersen, was responsible for the discovery of the body.

She and Mrs. Fischer had been close friends and had visited back and forth in one another’s homes since both moved to their present homes in 1958.

Mrs. Petersen said that she saw Mrs. Fischer on Monday, Feb. 24, when the deceased woman visited in her home at 420 North Fifth St.

Tuesday evening, Feb. 25, Mrs. Petersen received a telephone call from Mrs. Nolan (Leah) Zugschwerdt, 405 W. Quarry, who was concerned about Mrs. Fischer.

Mrs. Zugschwerdt had planned to drive Mrs. Fischer to an Order of Eastern Star meeting. She received no response when she stopped at the home and went on to the meeting. Upon her arrival she discovered that Mrs. Fischer had not arrived. She became concerned and contacted Mrs. Petersen.

Mrs. Petersen went next door and found the front rooms of the house in darkness. After ringing the doorbell repeatedly she became concerned.

“I noticed that the drapes were not pulled and I could see clear through the house. Hulda always closes the drapes at night,” Mrs. Petersen explained.

She then returned home and called the Masonic Temple to check on Mrs. Fischer and learned that she had not arrived.

Mrs. Zugschwerdt asked if there was a way to check inside the house which Mrs. Petersen agreed to do.

“I have often done this. Hulda is hard of hearing and sometimes people will call me to ask her to call them,” Mrs. Petersen related.

Nephew Summoned

She said that she called her nephew, Ronald Keller, owner-operator of the Antique Room, which is located just around the corner on Grove Street, to the west from the Petersen home.

“Ronnie has a key to Hulda’s house and sort of took care of both of us. In fact he probably helped her more because he knew I was a farm girl and could pretty well take care of myself,” Mrs. Petersen stated.

When Keller arrived he noticed tracks in the snow leading from the rear entrance of the home at its northwest side and suggested that she had already left.

Mrs. Petersen waited outside to avoid tracking snow onto the carpet while Keller investigated.

He shouted out Mrs. Fischer’s name several times without response.

While she was waiting, Mrs. Petersen opened a basement door and saw what seemed to be Mrs. Fischer’s leg.

“She was all spread out on the floor. I yelled to Ronnie ‘I think I’ve found her.’, Mrs. Petersen said.

Keller then rushed to his home, which is above the antique store, to summon his assistant, Tom Goodwin. Goodwin had medical training while serving in the armed forces and they said they felt he could assist, assuming she had fallen or had fainted and needed medical aid.

It was upon their return that they discovered that Mrs. Fischer had a butcher knife imbedded in her chest and that she was dead. The knife was a typical type with a riveted wooden handle.

Police were summoned and Mrs. Petersen remained at the home until they arrived.

Mrs. Hulda Fischer is the widow of the late John Fischer, long time proprietor of Fischer Tractor Repair and prior to that was a repairman for the Glahn Brothers Implement firm.

Chicago Native

She was born April 4, 1890 in Chicago.

The Fischers had their home and business on Western Avenue at the premises now occupied by Stickley Electric, Inc. They sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. Gale Stickley and moved to the home at 418 North Fifth Street where Mrs. Fischer resided at the time of her death.

Mr. and Mrs. Fischer have two sons, Art of San Diego and LeRoy of Oildale, California. Both are married and have children. Both are married and have children. Mrs. LeRoy Fischer is also a native of Maquoketa. She is the former Mildred Reynolds, sister of Charles O. Reynolds of Maquoketa, Mrs. Harlen (Margaret) Evers of Maquoketa and Roger Reynolds of Brainerd, Minnesota.

Both sons and their wives, Mr. and Mrs. Art Fischer and Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Fischer, are expected to arrive by air Thursday from California.

Following the autopsy the body was taken to the Haylock O’Hara Funeral Home. As of Wednesday noon tentative arrangements were for a funeral service to be held on Saturday. Details regarding visitation were to be arranged following the arrival of the nearest relatives.

Good Health

Mrs. Fischer, although nearly 85, was in wonderful health, according to her close neighbor, Mrs. Hattie Petersen.

Mrs. Petersen related that Mrs. Fischer drove her own car on many daytime errands but did not drive at night, and would not have driven in any case Tuesday evening as the entrance to her garage had been drifted shut with snow.

The Fischer moved to 418 North Fifth Street in July of 1958 and Mrs. Petersen who was widowed in 1958 moved to her home at 420 North Fifth in October of the same year.