ORIE BRYAN CONGER

BURTLOW CAIN CONGER GREGERSEN HITCHCOCK PARKER PRUDEN REYNOLDS ROLAND SKINNER TYSON

Posted By: DEE GRAY (email)
Date: 2/15/2013 at 06:52:50

NOTE: HE WAS AN OTTUMWA NATIVE FOR MANY YEARS.

Ottumwa Courier 1953

MURDER VICTIM OTTUMWAN; RITES THURSDAY

Funeral services for Orrie D. Conger, 56, former Ottumwan found murdered in Rock Island Sunday, will be held Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the Runge funeral home in Davenport. Burial will be in Davenport.

Conger was a grocery employee in Ottumwa for many years. He had lived all his life here, until 10 years ago when he went to the Tri-Cities. Five years ago he suffered the loss of one leg.

Surviving are his son, Robert, who lives on Van Buren street here, a brother Calvin of 120 North Fellows and brother Frank of Davenport; two sisters Mrs. Nellie Hitchcock of Clinton, and Mrs. Emma Rowland of Knoxville. Also surviving are a half-brother, a half-sister and a grand-daughter, Pamela Conger, Ottumwa.

The body was found Sunday at 1:30 p. m. in Sylvan slough, a jungle area of Rock Island. Davenport police have arrested three men, who were released after questioning. An inquest was held Monday.

The man had apparently been battered to death with a 30-pound chunk of concrete found nearby.

Davenport Democrat 1 April 1953 pg 8

POLICE QUIZ TWO IN SLAYING OF ROCK ISLAND MAN

Questioning of two suspects in the slaying of 56 year-old Orrie B. Conger, 930 Stark street, whose body was found in a hobo jungle in Rock Island Sunday was continued Tuesday by Quad City police officials.

Rock Island police were quizzing Lonnie W. Bickerson, 47, of 323 1/2 West Second street, Davenport. He had admitted he was in Rock Island with two other men over the week-end and was near the scene of the murder, police said.

Also held for questioning if (sic) Kyle V Conger, 44, of the Dempsey hotel, Davenport. Police said they learned Conger, who is not believed related to the victim, was seen with him late Saturday. The victim was slain by a heavy piece of concrete, which fractured his skull.