Edward (1900-1937) & Leda (Sesker) Kaltenheuser (1909-1937)

KALTENHEUSER, SESKER, WEBB, MATTHEWS, ALDERMAN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/14/2022 at 10:39:32

From Nevada Evening Journal March 8, 1937 (page 1)

DOUBLE TRAGEDY NEAR MAXWELL EARLY SUNDAY
Edward Kaltenheuser Mortally Wounds Wife, Then Slashed Own Throat

"Leda Wanted to Die. We Died Together." Said Note Scribbled on Blood Stained Envelope

A farm yard just northwest of Maxwell was the scene of a gruesome tragedy early Sunday when Edward Kaltenheuser, 36, well known young farmer ran amuck, mortally wounded his wife, Leda, 27, and then suicided by slashing his own throat with a razor.

Mrs. Kaltenheuser died at Iowa sanitarium today, from wounds suffered at the hand of her husband, Edward Kaltenheuser, who bashed her over the head with a hammer, Sunday morning about 8:30, after which he slashed his throat with a razor and died lying by the side of the wounded wife.

This bloody tragedy occurred on the Kaltenheuser farm a mile and a quarter west and 3/4 of a mile north of Maxwell, on what was known as the old Woods farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Viers, neighbors who were partial witnesses to the tragedy, called Sheriff McGriff from the home of a neighbor and the sheriff, accompanied by Deputy Harry Mills were on the scene within a short time.

The officers found the couple lying beside the driveway, the husband dead and the wife, with her brains exposed from a gapping scalp wound, apparently dying. They were taken to Maxwell in an ambulance, first the wounded wife and the body of the dead husband. Some time later, after Dr. Bowers had been called from Nevada, the woman was brought to Iowa sanitarium, Nevada, where she died about 2:30 this morning.

The body of Kaltenheuser was left at the Cooper mortuary and the body of the wife was returned there this morning.

According to the neighbors and friends, Kaltenheuser had been despondent over imagined failing eyesight and the wife had been fearful of him for some time.

Hastily scribbled on a blood stained envelope, found lying on the kitchen table were the words: "Leda wanted to die. We died together."

This was evidently written after he made the murderous attack upon his wife, as the envelope was stained with bloody fingerprints. On the opposite died of the envelope was the sole word "Goodbye."

The bloody attack of the man upon his helpless wife occurred, according to the story of the officers as reconstructed after making a careful examination, just as they were about to enter their automobile and leave for Des Moines to consult an eye specialist regarding the husband's eyes. They were to have been accompanied by Amos Webb, a brother-in-law.

He had struck her over the head at least four blows with a heavy mechanics hammer and was leaning over her with the blood dripping hammer in his hands when Mr. and Mrs. Jack Viers drove up, seeking some strayed hogs. Viewing the scene from a distance, Mrs. Viers leaped from thei car and ran to the nearby home of Joe Bailey, while Mr. Viers stayed on the scene for a time and had difficulty in getting away from the man who had apparently ran amuck.

As soon as Kaltenheuser noticed the Viers' drive up he rushed out to their car and climbing in, prevented Viers from leaving.

"I killed my wife but you ain't going to leave and tell anybody, " Kaltenheuser announced.

He was too late because Mrs. Viers already was running down the road to the Bailey farmhouse.

Kaltenheuser gesticulated nervously. He grabbed the keys from the Viers car. Stroking his neck with them, he kept talking.

Viers tried to get out. Kaltenheuser grabbed his jacket so forcefully he ripped it.

"He kept his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun there. I waited for chance and then I wriggled loose and ran for the Bailey place," Viers related.

Kaltenheuser apparently went back to house after Viers got away. He left his bloody fingerprints on his shotgun. There were no shells in it.

Then he got his razor. Going out to where his wife lay, he rested against her, cheek to cheek. Lying on the ground in this fashion, he slashed open his throat and was dead when officers arrived.

The wife had apparently made a heroic effort to free herself from the attacks of her maddened husband, as she was lying a considerable distance from the standing automobile, which they were evidently about to enter when the attack began.

Her coat was badly torn in the scuffle and there were other indications of a struggle, before he finally succeeded in beating her down with the hammer.

Kaltenheuser, who had married Leda, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Sesker of near Cambridge, about three years ago, is a son of William Kaltenheuser of near Maxwell, and among other relatives leaves brothers Willis of Maxwell and George of near Shipley, as well as sister Mrs. Amos Webb and Mrs. Beryl Matthews.

Mrs. Kaltenheuser was a sister of Mrs. Maurice Alderman of Nevada and has numerous other relatives in the county, coming from a large and well known family.

Dr. Bowers of Nevada had been the family physician and had attended to both Mr. and Mrs. Kaltenheuser, the former having been in the office here less that two weeks ago. The man had been worrying over he condition of his health, much of his fears being rather imaginary, according to the physician.

At the home of the father and brother this forenoon, it was said that funeral arrangements were yet undetermined as to the time, but the double service would not be held earlier than Wednesday.