Blake, Cornelius H. “Neal,” 1894-1936

BLAKE, BLAAK, BAKKER, KOSTER, SCHREURS, ADELERHOF

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

From the Sioux Center News, October 1, 1936:

NEAL BLAKE KILLS SELF WITH SHOT GUN
Dies at 9:40 P.M. After Lingering for Hours From Self-Inflicted Wound

"I want a gun to kill a rat in the basement. One of these ought to do" said Neal Blake to Peter Andringa at the Kraai Hardware store about 4 p.m. yesterday. "Let me borrow a gun for a while."

So started the first act in a tragedy.

Twice before Neal Blake, World War veteran and for 13 years an employee of the Hawkeye Hotel has tried to take his life. The first attempt on the first day of the rebuilt hotel's opening was unsuccessful when Blake shot himself in the side with a revolver. As he was recovering from this injury he tried suicide again by drinking iodine. Both attempts failed and for the last four years Neal has been fairly himself with no appearance of sickness to a stranger except for his paleness. On April 10 this year he had a bad spell and last Saturday he became ill again. He had been confined to bed at the hotel for the last three days but went home Wednesday noon apparently much improved. Mrs. Blake worked during the afternoon at the Frank De Haan home. During her absence Neal left the house in mid afternoon and came downtown.

Blake walked to the Kraai Hardware store, and as Mr. Kraai and sons were absent Peter Andringa saw him go to the gun rack and inspect the shot guns. After looking at several, Blake took a double barreled 12 gauge shot gun from the rack and asked to borrow it. Andringa refused the favor, but Blake kept the gun in his hands with the excuse that he had a rat spotted in the hotel basement, and had to have the gun immediately. He rummaged on the shelf for two shells and loaded the gun but a remark that he could not take the gun out of the store loaded caused him to unload the weapon and walk determinedly across the street with shells and gun in hand. He strode through the hotel front door, paused at the head of the basement stairs only long enough to remark to Mrs. Lou Hospers that he was going to the basement.

Mrs. Hospers, Steve Vander Ziel an employee and Mr. Fox a salesman for the Silent Sioux Oil Burner were in the hotel lobby at the time, Mrs. Hospers behind the desk. Mrs. Hospers suspected trouble when she saw the gun and called to Vander Ziel to obtain help, and then hurried to the front door herself. Hugo Synhorst [the county sheriff] came across the street from the bank and she told him of Blake's action and he rushed down the stairs only to hear the muffled report of the shot gun in the back basement.

The sheriff had difficulty in finding his way as the basement was dark but Mr. Fox had obtained a flashlight from his car and Hugo found Neal in the back outside basement lying in his blood where he had fallen. The impact of the two shells had torn their way through Blake's left side, and had embedded flesh and pellets in a towel and clothing on a chair six feet away. It was just 4:15 p.m.

Blake was still alive although unconscious. He was rushed to the De Bey hospital where little hope was given for his life. His left side was terribly torn by the shells which missed his heart but clipped one side of the left lung. Dr. Holleman gave him very little chance to live.

[A nearly identical article was published in the Sioux County Capital, September 24, 1936, adding that Mrs. Blake and sixteen year old son Floyd were with him as they took him to the hospital. Briefer articles were published in other area newspapers.]

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From the Sioux County Capital, October 1, 1936:

Cornelius Blake died Wednesday evening, Sept. 23 at 9:40 o’clock. Deceased was born in the Netherlands and came to this country in 1911. He first obtained work on a farm. In 1917 he married Jessie Schreurs and they have one son Floyd. Mr. Blake was a world war veteran.

Funeral services were held at Van Etten’s Funeral Home at 1:30 Saturday with Rev. Mr. Henry Colenbrander officiating. Military rites were conducted by John Pressman Post of the American Legion.

The deceased is survived by his wife, son and a brother John of Whitehall, Mich. who was here for the services. His mother and three sisters reside in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

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An article on his death and funeral in the Alton Democrat, October 2, 1936, adds that during the World War Neal served in the army, going from here with a contingent to Camp Forrest, Georgia, where he was assigned to an Engineer regiment. Before his outfit was ready to go overseas the Armistice was signed.

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate gives his full name, Cornelius Henry Blake; born December 19, 1894 in the Netherlands; father Peter Blake, mother’s name unknown to the informant, his wife Jessie Blake; occupation hotel clerk; died at 9:30 p.m. September 23, 1936; cause, shot gun wound of left chest, suicide, hemorrhage, shock; an operation to close chest wound was performed.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Cornelius H. Blake, b. 19 Dec 1894 at Rotterdam Netherlands, d. 23 Sep 1936; IA PVT 212 ENGRS 12 Div.; West Lawn Cem Orange City IA (His father was Pieter Blaak.)

FindaGrave.com gives his name as Neal “Cornelis Hendrik” Blake, with a photo of his headstone showing his name as simply Neal Blake.

His World War I draft registration card (undated) gives his name as Cornelius Henry Blaak (but he signed it Cornelis Hendrik Blaak), age 22, resident of Orange City, born in Rotterdam December 19, 1894; has declared his intention to become a citizen; occupation, laborer, employed by a [paving?] company; single; tall, slender, blue eyes, brown hair.

Additional research on Ancestry.com by Wilma J. Vande Berg and Mary Lou Verberg found Cornelius Henry Blake, actually Cornelis Hendrik Blaak, born 19 Dec 1894 in Rotterdam, Zuid Holland, Netherlands. Son of Pieter Blaak and Beertje Bakker. Pieter, age 28 in 1894, was born in Heinenoord, Netherlands to Cornelis Hendrik Blaak and Maria Van Steensel. Beertje, age 35 in 1894, was born at Apeldoorn, Netherlands to Wouter Bakker and Willempje Koster. Pieter and Beertje were married on 8 July 1891 at Dordrecht, Netherlands. Cornelis Blaak at age 23, a farmer, was married in Orange City on 6 Dec 1917 to Jessie Henrietta Schreurs (1899-1989), the daughter of Johan Schreurs and Lizzie Adelerhof. In the 1925 Iowa state census is Neel Blake, age 31, Mrs. Neel Blake, age 24, and son Lloyd, age 4, living in Orange City; Neel’s parents are given as Peter Blake and Mary Bakker.