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Florence Mabel Scofield (1899)

SCOFIELD

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 5/23/2009 at 20:34:30

The Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, October 26, 1899
Page 1

A SAD, SAD DEATH - The Body of Mabel Schofield, of Macksburg, found in the River in Des Moines.

One of the saddest deaths that have occurred to sadden the hearts and homes of people known whereabouts, is that of Miss Mabel, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. A. Schofield, of Macksburg. A brother, Clyde Schofield, is a student of pharmacy in Des Moines, Mabel had been visiting a friend in that city, and Mrs. Schofield, after visiting in another part of the state stopped at the same place a day or two. Last Saturday morning she started home, via the Great Western. Mabel accompanied her to the train. That was the last any of her friends or relatives saw her alive. Sunday a body of a young woman was found in the river near the bath house and taken to the morgue. Clyde Schofield passed through, and upon seeing the body, exclaimed: “My God, that is my sister.”

The terrible tragedy of the death soon caused a profound sensation, and every energy was strained to discover the cause of the death. The evidence yet available has been but meager, but enough has been brought to light to make it nominally certain that it was a case of deliberate murder, and not suicide. The testimony both of competent physicians, and of Mr. Watt, the keeper of the bath house, a man skilled as a life saver, and experienced in cases of drowning, was that Miss Schofield was dead before she was in the water. Her body showed none of the indications of drowning, but just the reverse. Other evidences which came out two or three days later, showed that two men, and a woman whose clothing answered very well the description of that Miss Schofield had on at the time of death, were seen in a boat on the river near where the body was found. As no marks of violence are reported, it is reasonably certain that chloroform was used or some other drug, possibly not with the intention at first of causing death, but finding it fatal, the body was thrown overboard and abandoned.

The terrible mystery will probably never be fully solved. Miss Schofield was a most exemplary young woman, about 21 years of age, and the idea of suicide, or that she would voluntarily put herself in the way of desperate characters are alike unthinkable.

The Schofield family lived in Winterset a year or more before going to Macksburg, and are people of the highest rank in every good quality, and of course have the sincere sympathy of every friend.

The funeral services were held at Macksburg, yesterday, and needless to say, was an unusually sad one of even such sad occurrence.

The following from this morning’s LEADER deepens if possible the mystery:

Mabel Schofield was not an occupant of the boat which was seen on the river Sunday and which contained two men and a woman. The occupants of the boat were George Parker and wife and Jesse Riddle. M. W. Garrity says he saw Mabel Schofield talking with two men Saturday evening. If his identification is correct her death took place Saturday night or Sunday forenoon. S. S. Scheh, a chum of Clyde Schofield, told the police of his reasons for believing Mabel Schofield did not see her brother Saturday or Sunday. Schofield was in Macksburg yesterday, but Scheh, who is his almost constant companion was able to tell a straightforward story as to Schofield’s movements Saturday and Sunday which carried conviction. The foregoing are the developments of yesterday and they do not tend to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of Mabel Schofield.

Ed Townsend recently of Macksburg, who gave his testimony to the high character and pleasant home life of Miss Schofield, and scouted the idea of suicide or any reason therefore.
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Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, October 26, 1899
Page 1

SCHOFIELD MYSTERY - SUICIDE OR MURDER?

Madison County Girl Found dead in the River at Des Moines

Sunday afternoon about 3 o’clock two fishermen discovered the body of a young woman in the Des Moines River at Thompson’s bend near the boat house. The body was taken to the morgue and remained unidentified until Monday morning about 8:30. At that time some students came into the morgue and learned that the name Schofield appeared on some of the dead girl’s linen, and sent for Clyde Schofield, a student at Highland Park, who identified the body as that of his sister, Mabel. Mabel Schofield was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Schofield, of Macksburg. She was a beautiful girl, well educated and a consistent Christian. Her death is compounded in great mystery. She had accompanied her mother, who had been visiting her in Des Moines, to the train Saturday morning and was not seen by her friends after that time. She had been learning the seamstress trade in Des Moines because she wished to help make her way in the world, though her father’s position is such that this was not necessary. Her mother had been urging her to accompany her home, and when she did not return from the train her friends thought she had decided to do so, and was no special alarm.

An examination of the body proved but death did not result from drowning and the expert testimony of physicians, together with the knowledge of the lady’s disposition and surroundings make the theory of suicide practically untenable. A young man by the name of Tilton is quite certain he saw Mabel Schofield on the bank of the river with a man who appeared much excited, and that the couple entertained a boat. When the body was found white froth was noticed on the lips, doctors claim that to be an indication of the use of potassium cyanide. All of the latest news of the case points to murder. No light has yet been thrown to Mabel Schofield’s whereabouts from 8 o’clock Saturday morning until the body was found Sunday afternoon.

A post-mortem examination was held Tuesday and showed all the vital organs in a normal condition, and failing to show any cause of death. The body was not bruised or injured in any way and there were no signs of violence. The mystery is deeper than that. The remains were taken to Macksburg where the funeral services were held yesterday.
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The Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, November 2, 1899
Page 8

Macksburg -

The death of Miss Mabel Scofield, whose funeral occurred at this place last Wednesday at one o’clock, is the greatest shock the community has ever received. Miss Scofield was loved by all who knew her and her mysterious death is the one thing that occupies the minds of our people. The suicide theory is not accepted here, and no other theory that tries to account for her death outside of murder. A large number of friends and relatives were present at the funeral, which was conducted by the Rebekah lodge, Rev. D. W. Myers preaching the funeral sermon.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, October 27, 1899
Page 5, Column 3

DEAD IN THE RIVER

MABEL SCHOLFIELD, OF MACKSBURG, MURDERED IN DES MOINES

Doctors Say She Was Murdered and Not Drowned, Clues Found are Worthless, No Motive Apparent. One of the Great Criminal Mysteries of the State. Bids Goodby to Her Mother Saturday Morning and is Found in the River Sunday Evening.

Mabel Schofield, the handsome daughter of Dr. Schofield, of Macksburg, was found dead in the Des Moines River near the Sixth street bridge Sunday evening. She was working temporarily in the city and then met her mother at the Great Western train Saturday morning, bidden her goodby and walked out of the depot. That was the last seen of her until she was found dead in the River by two men who found the body Sunday evening.

Mabel Schofield was the twenty year-old daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Scholfield, of Macksburg. She went to Des Moines from Macksburg not long since to learn the dressmaking trade and was boarding at Mrs. Thomas’. Saturday morning she went down to the Great Western depot to see her mother who was passing through the city and who had been up in the northern part of the state to an Odd Fellows convention. Mrs. Scholfield was going to Lorimor where she would leave the train and drive to Macksburg to their home. Mabel talked with her mother sometime and bidding her but by walked out of the depot. That was the last seen of her until Sunday evening when 2 men discovered a body floating in the water near the Sixth street bridge. They through a fish line over the body as it floated in the water drew it to shore. The body was taken to an undertaking establishment where it was identified by Clyde Schofield, her brother, who is attending a dental school in Des Moines, is that of a sister. Word was immediately sent to Dr. Schofield and he hastened to Des Moines.

At the postmortem examination Dr. Schooler and other well-known physicians testified that the girl had not been drowned. There was no water found in the organs of the body as is always the case when a person is drowned. There was no dirt under the nails as is nearly always the case in drowning in the body could not have been in the water long enough to have floated if she had been drowned. Dr. Schooler gave it his opinion that the girl was either murdered by some persons giving her chloroform or that she took it herself and afterward fell into the river or that she was frightened to death and fell from the bridge into the water. He asserts positively that the girl was not drowned.

The detectives are baffled. There is no clue to the mystery of her death. The girl’s character was above suspicion and she has always led a Christian life. She was not accustomed to going out with young man and so far as her friends knew she has only two or three male acquaintances in the whole city of Des Moines. There was no cause for suicide and her home life has always been bright and happy. She was never given to fits of despondency. Indeed her Winterset acquaintances assert that she would be the last person in the world to commit suicide and that she was one of the brightest and happiest girls they ever knew.

The only tangible clue so far offered is that Dr. Garrity, a well-known physician in Des Moines, declares he saw Mabel Schofield’s talking Saturday evening with two men near the Observatory building. He asserts positively that the lady was Mabel Scholfield but he could not tell who the men were, describing one was a tall man in the other man is a short undersized man who was very well-dressed. The police are unable to find them. Other than this clue there is absolutely nothing to show where Mabel Schofield was all the time between Saturday morning and Sunday evening.

The body was taken home to Macksburg for burial. Dr. Schofield is a very successful physician and has lived in and near Macksburg many years. He has a fine practice in his home is said by Winterset parties to be a model one.
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Coordinator's note: All obituaries are transcribed as published, the surname on the gravestone is "Scofield". A man named Charles Thomas was convicted of chloroforming Mabel which subsequently led to her death. He was sentenced to life in prison.

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Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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