John Parker (1877)

PARKER

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 9/30/2007 at 09:59:07

Winterset Madisonian - January 4, 1877
Winterset, Iowa
page 2

BURNT TO DEATH OR ------?

Sunday morning a messenger came to town to notify Coroner Hood that a man had been burned to death in a cave house about a mile from Eli Cox's residence, in Union township. The Coroner, with Drs. Cherry and Kridler, repaired to the spot for the purpose of holding an inquest.

The deceased was comparatively a stranger and but little is known of him. His name is John Parker. He was employed in clearing off some land and lived in a hut built in the bank made of boards and covered with dirt. It had no floor. During Saturday night he had been playing cards with several parties and it is reported some of them had been drinking to some extent, but the deceased was not intoxicated. About midnight the last of the party left him in his hut. Between two and three o'clock some of the neighbors heard two or three discharges of fire arms. The condition of affairs was discovered about ten o'clock Sunday morning. The body was then lying on the ground in the middle of the hut upon a board he used for a table, his feet turned towards a cook stove and near to it. A jug in which had been kept kerosene was not far from his head. His head was almost entirely burned off but his body was covered with clay from the roof which had fallen upon it and reasonably well preserved, but his clothing was entirely burned off. His revolver lay between his feet and was entirely discharged.

It is difficult to say how the accident occurred, but many seem of the opinion it was not an accident. It is possible that it might have resulted from firing his hut, deliberately putting himself in position and then committing suicide, but hardly probable. There are some circumstances which point toward foul play. There was a large pool of blood near where the head was burned, more than would likely have been there had he died from being burned to death. When last seen he was not intoxicated. His revolver was found lying between his feet. He had a new and good pair of boots and they could not be found, nor any remains of them. He was believed to be possessed of money. His place had been to some extent a resort for drinking and gambling.

The deceased was about six feet in height, weighed about one hundred and seventy-five pounds, fine appearance, light hair, long sandy whiskers and blue eyes. He had but little appearance of being a laboring man. He had lived there but about three weeks and persistently refused to tell of his whereabouts.

The jury found that he came to his death from some unknown cause.