Dr. George Albery

ALBERY

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 9/3/2020 at 09:25:28

18 November 1943 - The Anamosa Journal

Monticello Veterinary Shot Today
Dr. Albery Found By Policeman at Office Building
As The Journal went to press this noon it is reported that Grace Albery died at Monticello hospital.

The following story will appear in today's Monticello Express.

Dr. George Albery 62, was murdered at 4:30 this morning by his sister, Grace Albery. He apparently died within a few minutes after he was shot in the right temple. The tragedy occurred in his office on North Cedar street.

Grace Albery apparently walked north of Cedar street 100 feet and turned the 38 caliber revolver on herself. The bullet entered the right side of her head but did not kill her. She was taken to the John McDonald hospital in an unconscious condition and is alive as we go to press.

Night Marshal William Aldrich discovered the body of Dr. Albery in the doorway of his office at 5 a.m. this morning. Aldrich makes a practice of circling the post office building when he turns the street lights on each morning. He noticed what he thought was a bundle of clothing in front of Albery's office. Upon investigation, he found that it was Albery's body, lying face down in the doorway. He was on his knees, and his head lay on the door sill. He was dead when Aldrich took hold of him.

Aldrich then went to the community building and telephoned Dr. Carl DeShaw. He then came back to the Albery office and discovered that the body of Grace Albery was stretched out on the walk about 100 feet north of where he found the body of Dr. Albery.

Grace was still alive and snoring loudly as a result of severe bleeding from her nose. She was also bleeding from an ear. She was fully dressed although she had no coat or hat on. She lay in a pool of blood.

Dr. DeShaw called the Goettsch ambulance, and Miss Albery was taken to the McDonald hospital, where she was given emergency treatment.

Dr. DeShaw had called Coroner Frank Harrington of Wyoming. When he arrived, he decided that no inquest would be held until the condition of Grace Albery was determined. The coroner, Dr. DeShaw and a reporter from the Express, investigated the premises in the Albery building. It was apparent that no one had slept in the building except Dr. Albery.

A search was then made of the Grace Albery home on North Gil street. Lights were on in the kitchen and also in an upstairs hall. The oil heater was burning, and an opened box of 38 caliber shells lay on the table. It was apparent that Grace Albery had loaded a nickel-plated 38 caliber gun at home and then walked to the Albery office where she murdered her brother.

It looked as though Albery had come to the door and unlocked it as the keys in a container lay under Albery's head in the doorway of the office. Albery must have staggered about the office after being hit, for there was blood splattered on the floor of the his bedroom, on the back of a chair in the office and bloody handmarks were on a nearby table, on an arm of a chair and on the door frame of the office entrance. A sizeable pool of blood was in the doorway where his body lay.

No suicide notes were found in the Grace Albery home. Her pocketbook lay on the dining table with a small amount of change in it, and five $50 war bonds were in an envelope nearby. There were also some small bottles marked "poison" on a nearby table where the keys to the house where found.

Both Dr. Albery and his sister were single. Albery, who was a veterinarian in Monticello, had been married twice and divorced each time. We understand that both of his former wives are still living. His parents are dead, and Grace Albery is the only surviving member of the family.

Albery is alleged to have been drinking heavily during the last three weeks. Previous to that time, he had let liquor alone for several years. He had had a cousin looking after his office calls recently, but she left last week Friday for Cedar Rapids.