Postmaster Hedges

HEDGES, LEPERTAK

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 7/18/2024 at 09:37:31

The Wapello Republic, Columbus Junction, Iowa
Thursday, May 21, 1903
Page 1

The postoffice building at Kossuth, Iowa, was blown up last Thursday afternoon, shortly after four o'clock. Postmaster Hedges, who was in the building at the time, was instantly killed, his body being terrible mangled. A few days ago Postmaster Hedges, who was found lying in his store in an unconscious condition, told of a highwayman who robbed him of $126. The postmaster was the only witness of the affair, besides the miscreant, who escaped. Mr. Hedges, who had been sick since the robbery, was feeling better Thursday morning. He came down to his store and postoffice, which are in the same building, in the afternoon, as usual. He was sitting in the postoffice about 4 o'clock, talking with the pastor of the Presbyterian church, the Rev. C. Lepertak. Suddenly Hedges remarked to his friend: " I am, growing worse again; you had better go for Dr. Higbeem of Mediapolis." as Mr. Hedges had been subject to attacks similar to paralytic strokes since the robbery, the Rev. Lepertak hurried away to get the physician.

He had not proceeded fifty feet away from the building, when he heard two terrific explosions, one after the other, with but a short interval between them. One seemed to be from the front and the other from the rear of the building. He and the neighbors rushed to the building, a frame structure, which had taken fire almost immediately and was wrapped in flames. They could discern Hedges body pinned in the cellar under the debris, which had fallen back after the last explosion. The fire engine from Mediapolis was dispatched to the scene, and a vain effort was made to get at the body of the unfortunate man, who had been the only occupant of the building.

The cause of the explosion is a mystery. There were some cans of powder among the supplies in the store, about three quarters of the way back from the front of the building. The force of the explosion blew out the front of the building The explosion was so sharp that it carried packages of oatmeal, kept in the store, clear across the street and into distant yards. Fortunately no one but Hedges was in the postoffice at the time, as the explosion was of sufficient power to have killed anyone in the building or near it at the time.

The mystery surrounding the affair is a deep one. The explosion was supposed to have been an accident until the examination of his books, commenced and shortage found and it is now believed that he preferred the sacrifice of his life to the acknowledgment of his guilt as an embezzler, and was himself responsible for blowing up of his postoffice and his own death. The amount of his shortage has not yet been made public by the government experts. The story of being robbed by a highway man is now believed to be a hoax. Postmaster Hedges bore a reputation above reproach. He was a man afflicted with ill health and it is believed that towards the end he was mentally weakened. It is possible he did that terrible deed, but if so, in doing it he simply followed the dictates of a disordered brain oppressed by ill health. He leaves a sorrowing wife and friends and relatives who mourn his untimely end. The last sad rites over the remains of Mr. Hedges were said Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Services were held from the residence and burial was in Kossuth cemetery.