Samuel Porter (ca. 1830-1882)

PORTER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 12/14/2010 at 21:51:11

From Story County Watchman November 3, 1882

MURDER.--Below will be found the account of our correspondent as to the recent murder of Mr. Porter, near Iowa Center. The coroner's jury returned a verdict that the deceased came to his death, as they believed by murder, upon which Geo. Porter and John Porter, sons, and Elizabeth Porter, his wife, were arrested for the act, and are now in jail awaiting the preliminary examination, which is to come off before Esq. Bartlett, at Colo, on Monday:

Perhaps the greatest excitement of our neighborhood since the memorable murder of G. N. Kirkman, now seven, nearly eight years ago; was created by the discovery on last Sunday of the body of Samuel Porter who had been missing since the 20th of October. Mr. Porter was a properous farmer living two mile east of the Centre. The body was discovered on the north side of a willow hedge of a few years growth, lying face downward forty inches from the muzzle of an old musket which had been fastened to two of the largest trees by fence wire at a distance of perhaps six inches above the ground. The discovery related to, was made by two boys who were herding cattle near by and ran on the body. Suicide was the first theory advanced, and indeed, at first glance such would appear to be the case. Crowds of people visited the spot on Sunday. A Coroners Jury was at once impaneled, and on Monday investigation was begun in ernest. A post mortem was held disclosing the fact that two gunshot wounds had been received; one in the back and the other in the face. The latter was a terrible one, having entered on the left side of the lower jaw, shattering it, then passing to th right side of the mouth, carrying away the front part of the tongue, then through the roof of the mouth and becoming lost at the base of the cranium. After the disclosures of the inquest, and more thorough examination of the ground, suspicion rapidly became aroused, and now, there is no one who does not whisper of foul play. Family trouble were frequent and bitter, and alltogether, things have an ominous look. If it has been murder, it is certainly the most fiendish that could be committed. The jury, last Tuesday night, confirmed public opinion, and three of the family have been arrested.

IATROS
Iowa Center Nov. 1st, 1882.