CIRTURS, Henrietta 1854-1897

CIRTURS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 4/11/2023 at 21:59:22

Henrietta (Schelage) Cirturs
(December 10, 1854 - July 3, 1897)

"Horrible Tragedy at Deer Creek," Lyle Tribune, Lyle, Minnesota, Friday, July 9 1897, p.4
A terrible murder and suicide occurred in Deer Creek about seven miles southwest of here, last Saturday evening. A man by the name of R. Citurs killed his wife with a shot gun, then shot himself with a revolver. The direct cause of the tragedy is said to have arisen over celebrating the fourth of July. Mrs. Citurs contrary to her husband's wishes had given one of the boys some spending money which he had forbidden her to do. The St. Ansgar Enterprise correspondent sent to scene to report the affair, writes as follows:
Rock Citurs is a Polander and resided on a farm nearly in the center of Deer Creek township, Worth County, Iowa. Last Saturday morning he and his wife had a quarrel which appears to have been kept up at regular intervals during the day. About nine o'clock, in the evening the controversy broke forth anew. Citurs seemed to have the best of the fray. After being knocked down several times Mrs. Citurs managed to escape from the house and started for the neighbors. She reached a point about ten rods from the dwelling when she was overtaken by Citurs who was armed a with a double Barreled shot gun, loaded with buck shot, and a 38 calibre revolver. Evidently he was close on her when he fired the first shot as it tore away her left hand. The supposition is that Mrs. Citurs was facing her husband when the first shot was fired and as she turned from him he fired the second charge at her which took effect in the small of her back and passed Directly through her body. Not content with having murdered her, the fiend incarnate then preceded to mutilate her body which was accomplished by pounding her with the gun. Citurs evidently came to his senses by this time and his mind must have been cool and collected as he lay down beside the body of his dead wife and deliberately placed a revolver to his throat, pulled the trigger sending the ball into his brain. Death in both cases must have been instantaneous. The bodies were left in the field until about twelve, o'clock Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Citurs resided in Carpenter and vicinity for nearly twenty years. They never did agree very well, but no one seemed to fear that their quarrels would ever terminate in so dreadful a manner. They have a family of nine children, the eldest twenty-two years of age, and the youngest, five.
Contributed by Mark Ashley.