Zollinger, Jeremiah Rummel 1829-1895

ZOLLINGER, RANDALL

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 5/15/2005 at 19:26:39

The Newton Record, Friday, March 1, 1895, Page 1, Column 1
Obituary

Zollinger, Jeremiah Rummel

Jeremiah Rummel Zollinger was born at Hagerstown, Md., Dec. 7, 1829. He was married to Elizabeth Randall, who survives him, May 10, 1853. To them were born three children, two of whom, Gulielma and Edward M., are living.

Mr. and Mrs. Zollinger moved from their Pennsylvania home to Mount Morris, Illinois, in 1855. Two years later they moved to this city, where they have since resided.

Mr. Zollinger enlisted in 1862 in Co. K., 28th Iowa and served his country three years, how swell, is expressed tersely in the words of a comrade - "none better." He enlisted as a private, promoted to orderly sergeant and was made lieutenant for meritorious services. He took part in thirteen battles, eight of which are classed among the "hundred heaviest battles of the Civil War," namely Port Gibson, Siege of Vicksburg, Siege of Jackson, where he received a scalp wound, Sabine Cross Roads, Winchester, under Sheridan, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek.

He was a brave soldier, never flinching mid storm of shot and shell, or shirking from duty however onerous or arduous.

After the war, for ten consecutive years, he was in the sheriff's office of this county, two terms as deputy and three terms as sheriff. Since then, associated with his son, he has been in the grocery business. As sheriff, he was zealous in the discharge of his duty; as a businessman successful; as a citizen he has been active and prominent in city and county affairs; as a man he has been honored and esteemed. Perhaps no man in Jasper County was acquainted with more people in the county than was Mr. Zollinger, and the number of his friends is legion.

He was a man of great physical and moral courage, knew not the name of fear, immovable in what he thought was right; loyal to his country, true to his duty, true to his friends and affectionate in his family, where his noblest qualities were best exemplified and his great worth best known. The great weight of sorrow, which as thus suddenly fell upon the heart in his stricken home, finds a responsive chord of the tenderest sympathy in every other heart in this community. One of nature's noblemen has gone from among us.

Mr. Zollinger had been for a number of years, and was at the time of his death, a member of the Congregational Church. The funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the house, and were attended by a large concourse of people, many friends and comrades from all parts of the county being there. Among them were the following members of Mr. Zollinger's company: H. C. Houck, M. V. Sanders, H. S. Efnor, E. B. Moffitt, H. L. Moffitt, John Gibford, D. L. Gibford, Lloyd Jones, David Harris, John C. Wilson, Lee French, Col. John Meyer and M. A. McCord. Capt. Phillips, of Brooklyn, and a close personal friend of the deceased, was also present. The G.A.R. and W.R. C. had charge of the funeral. The Masons, to which order Mr. Zollinger belonged, were present in a body. Services were conducted by Rev. C. C. Harrah, assisted by Rev. J. Evans Ryan, after which the body was laid to rest in Newton Cemetery.

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The Newton Record, Friday, March 1, 1895, Page 1, Column 1
A Foul Murder
Mysterious Death of J. R. Zollinger

J. R. Zollinger came to his death in an unknown manner last Saturday night about ten or fifteen minutes before ten o'clock, while on his way home from is grocery store and when within a few rods of his own gate.

The last day Mr. Zollinger passed upon earth had been a busy day with him, and he was tired when he started for home. He so expressed himself to a number of friends in the store, John L. Mathews and others. Mr. J. T. Hurt met him at the corner of the alley by Hunter & Wagner's, when he was on his way home, carrying his ledger, as has been his custom each night for many years. This was between twenty and twenty-five minutes after nine o'clock, and was the last seen of Mr. Zollinger until he reached home a few minutes before ten o'clock, in a dazed condition from a terrible wound on his head. His daughter met him at the door, and noticing his appearance said: "Why, pa, are you sick?" Receiving no reply, she and her mother helped him to a seat and commenced to relieve him of his outer garments. On removing his cap, they saw the wound. They asked him if he had fallen and mentioned sending for a doctor. He said that they needn't go for a doctor, that he was not hurt, and added a moment later, "Somebody struck me." He then became unconscious remaining so until his death twenty minutes after twelve o'clock.

The women folks sent for assistance, Mr. C. M. Hinsdale, a near neighbor, hurrying over, and his son went for the doctor. Other neighbors and medical assistance were soon their, but all efforts were unavailing. The blow had been a hard one, inflicting a wound from two and half to three inches long, an inch to the left of the center of the top of the head and an inch and a half from the top of the forehead. It was cut to the skull. The cause of death was hemorrhage of the brain.

What caused the wound cannot be definitely stated. The majority of the people assigned it to a cause unknown. That it was a blow from a club seems beyond question. Both Dr. Gorrell and Dr. Hunter say the wound was so made. A man could not fall while walking, or even running, and inflict a wound of that character. The officers of the law, and most people who have examined the scene carefully, believe Mr. Zollinger was struck with a club when about 14 rods south of his gate, the murderer hiding behind an electric light pole while waiting for his victim. The accepted theory is that the intent was robbery, but that the robber or robbers became scared and ran after striking one blow, and Mr. Zollinger not falling but probably making an offensive move toward him or them. No dirt was on his clothes, which showed he did not fall, nor did he drop his book but held it until he got into the house. His money, about $26, was not taken.

No blood was found until about six or eight rods toward the gate from the supposed scene of the blow. This is accounted for by the heavy Scotch cap that he wore, holding the blood. First a few drops on the sidewalk the bloody mark of a hand on the fence panel, where he probably took hold for support. From that to the gate blood could be plainly traced, on the stone steps up into the yard, and on the walk to the house, where he sturdily and bravely made his way. From the amount of blood on the lower stone step, it is believed he stopped there a few minutes to rest. Two clubs were found in the street, one a stick of hickory cordwood about a large as a man' wrist, the other a good heavy cane made from a box elder stick.

The above are the facts as known, stories, rumors and theories without number are afloat. Two of these, on account of the credence given them by a number of citizens, should be mentioned. One is that Mr. Zollinger was not murdered, but came to his death by accident. That a sudden dizziness or faintness overcame him and he fell against the fence or electric light pole. This theory, however, is flatly contradicted by the character of the wound, which the doctors say was made by a blow of great force. And the mark of the instrument by which the wound was made extends clear across the top of his cap. Its location, also, is against that belief.

The other theory, that he was murdered by someone out of revenge, is also improbable, for if the intent was to murder, the villain would have kept his dastardly work until Mr. Zollinger fell.

There can be little doubt - in fact no doubt exists among those who are best informed - that a cruel, foul murder, resulting from an attempt at robbery, has been committed, and the murderer is still at large.

This is not a pleasant thought, we would rather believe Mr. Zollinger met his death accidentally, but the facts, circumstances and all evidence point to an infamous crime. No effort or expense should be spared to bring the criminals to quick and speedy justice. The friends of the murdered man, our businessmen, for the good name of our city; the city and county authorities, all should unite in clearing up this mystery.

Squire Mitchell, acting as Coroner, with J. S. Agnew, Frank Wilson and John Manning as jury, and S. H. Galusha as clerk, started the inquest on Sunday morning, viewing the ground, clothing, etc. They met Monday and Tuesday, and examined a number of witnesses, and then adjourned until next Tuesday, March 5th, in hopes of obtaining further evidence.

Originally submitted by Volunteer Transcriber