Alice M. (Sneesby) ALLEN

ALLEN, GARDNER, TROEMING, CORNELL, SCHLOONDORF, BOUGHTON, HALL, SNEESBY, ROBINSON, DORNAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/16/2014 at 14:00:15

April 14, 1858 --- October 1, 1940

KILLS WIFE, TRIES SUICIDE
Mrs. Allie M. Allen Slain in Tragedy Here
Husband Admits Hitting Victim With Hammer, Then Slashing Throat

"We were in the way. I thought this was the best way."

Lying in critical condition at the Park hospital, Rudolph J. Allen, 81, gave this as a motive for murdering his wife, Mrs. Allie M. Allen, and slashing his own throat with a razor in an attempt to commit suicide. Allen, who had been in ill health for several months told Chief of Police Harold Wolfe and Assistant County Attorney D. H. Fitzpatrick that early Tuesday morning, probably at 3 o'clock, he went to the bedroom of his divorced wife, struck her head with a hammer until she was unconscious, cut her throat and then proceeded to slash his own throat.

The same confession had been made to Coroner J. E. McDonald earlier in the morning when the latter, together with police officers, was called to the scene of the tragedy.

The murder and attempted suicide took place at the home of a daughter, Mrs. H. P. Gardner, 1644 North Federal avenue, who had provided a home for both of her aged parents.

Mrs. Allen was dead when officers arrived at the home in response to a call from Mrs. Gardner, who said the family first knew of the murder and attempted suicide upon coming downstairs in the morning.

Officers found a straight edge razor lying beside Allen in the dining room. A hammer was found under Mrs. Allen's right side on the bed. Mrs. Allen had slept, as usual, in a bedroom on the first floor of the house while her husband slept on a couch in the dining room. Allen had been in ill health for several months, particularly since he suffered from a gall bladder attack last February, and required much care.

Dr. McDonald stated there was no question but what it was a case of murder and attempted suicide and that no inquest will be held. The condition of Allen at the hospital was stated as fair. The aged man faces a charge of murder in event of recovery.

Mrs. Allen was born in Chain Lakes, Minn., April 14, 1858. She and Mr. Allen were married at Webster City Feb. 5, 1882. They lived for a time on a farm near Woolstock, following which they went to Eagle Grove. They had lived in Mason City since 1891. The two had been divorced for several years. Mrs. Allen is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Gardner, with whom she had made her home, and Anna S. Troeming, Rockford; four grandchildren and four great grandchildren. One son, Frank O. Allen, died in 1916 and a daughter, Mrs. Mabel Cornell, succumbed in 1913. The body was taken to the Patterson funeral home. Funeral arrangements had not been completed Monday. Mrs. Allen was a member of the Methodist church.

The Globe Gazette -- Mason City, Iowa
October 1, 1940

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Mrs. Allie M. Allen Rites Held, Burial at Elmwood Cemetery

Funeral services for Mrs. Allie M. Allen, 82, were held Thursday afternoon at the Patterson funeral home, with the Rev. David L. Kratz, pastor of the Church of Christ, in charge of services. Mrs. V. S. Harrold sang "Abide With Me" and "Asleep In Jesus." Mrs. R. E. Patton accompanied at the organ. Attending the services from out of the city were Mr. and Mrs. George R. Allen, Danbury, Nebr., Mr. and Mrs. J. l. Schloondorf, Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Boughton, Eagle Grove, Kenneth Boughton, Britt, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hall, Emmetsburg. Pallbearers were Charles Lee, Clarence Harris, A. A. Briggs and Frank Brose. Burial was at Elmwood cemetery.

The Globe Gazette -- Mason City, Iowa
October 4, 1940

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ALLEN INDICTED FOR MURDER OF DIVORCED WIFE

Rudolph J. Allen was indicted late Friday afternoon by the Cerro Gordo county grand jury for the murder of his former wife, Allie, in the early morning hours of Oct. 1. He was brought in a wheelchair from his hospital bed to the courthouse to testify before the grand jury. He still is confined to his hospital bed because of a self-inflicted throat wound when he attempted to commit suicide after killing Mrs. Allen because, he said, "we were in the way." Both lived at the home of a daughter.

The Globe Gazette -- Mason City, Iowa
November 9, 1940

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ALLEN TO GO ON TRIAL MONDAY ON MURDER CHARGE

Rudolph J. Allen, 81, pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering his divorced wife when he was arraigned before District Judge M. H. Kepler here Thursday afternoon. The judge set his trial for Monday morning at 10 o'clock. Dr. H. H. Harris, appointed by Judge Kepler two days ago to examine Allen on the question of insanity, has not yet made his report to the court. If his sanity is questioned, the judge is required by law to submit the question to the jury first. If the jury finds him sane, his trial on the murder charge will continue. If the jury determined him insane, the judge would be required to commit him to an institution forthwith, according to County Atty. Charles W. Barlow. The county attorney will represent the state at the trial. Hines Mount, Mason City, has been appointed by the court to represent Allen.

Allen is accused of murdering his former wife on the morning of Oct. 1 by striking her head with a hammer and then cutting her throat with a razor which which he then slashed his own throat. He was rushed to the hospital and is now expected to recover although he was in a critical condition for some time. The man admitted to officers at the time that he had killed his wife and attempted to take his own life "because this was the best way." Mr. and Mrs. Allen lived at the home of a daughter, Mrs. H. P. Gardner, 1644 North Federal avenue. He slept on a couch in the dining room and she in a first floor bedroom.

The Globe Gazette -- Mason City, Iowa
November 21, 1940

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ALLEN CASE BIG CRIME STORY OF PAST YEAR HERE

Aged Man Service Life Sentence for Murder of Ex-Wife

The somber story of two old people who were "in the way" provided Mason City's biggest crime story during 1940 when 82 year old Rudolph J. Allen slew his former wife with a hammer and razor and then attempted to take his own life. Allen, now serving a life sentence at Anamosa, and his divorced wife, Mrs. Allie M. Allen, were living with their daughter, Mrs. H. P. Gardner, 1644 North Federal avenue, when the slaying occurred. Allen attacked his former wife about 3 a. m. on the morning of October 1 as she lay in her bed. He beat her with a hammer and then tried to kill himself by cutting his own throat. The attempt was unsuccessful and upon his recovery he pleaded guilty to a first degree murder charge.

The Globe Gazette -- Mason City, Iowa
December 31, 1940

Source: Sharon R. Becker, Compiler
http://iagenweb.org/cerrogordo/obituaries/A_Obits/cg_obit_allenalliem.htm

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Additional information compiled from Wright County records by Sarah Thorson Little:
[Alice M. "Allie" (Sneesby) was the daughter of John Sneesby and Anne (Robinson) Sneesby; Rudolph J. Allen died in prison in Anamosa, Iowa. He was born 17 April 1859 in Wright County, Iowa and died on 23 July 1947. His parents were Ozias Allen and Elizabeth (Dornan) Allen].