John Milton STEFFA

STEFFA, SAVERUDE, KNUTSON, HILL, MYERS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/29/2016 at 20:05:17

May 6, 1873 ---- May 2, 1933

John M. Steffa, sixty years of age, residing on a farm one and one-half miles east and a mile south of Hardy, was found Monday morning or this week, May 1, beside the railroad track southeast of Hardy, near his home, unconscious, and with a bullet hole behind his right ear. His pockets had been turned inside out and their contents scattered on the ground, and sixteen dollars that he had with him, and which he had expected to use paying for the license for his car, was gone.

The unconscious man was immediately taken to his home and Dr. Rockwood of Renwick was summoned. Dr. Rockwood ministered to the wounded man and probed for bullet but did not reach it. He could not tell how serious the injury is, but Mr. Steffa is still alive, but has not regained consciousness.

The Steffa family live on the farm two and one-half miles southeast of Hardy. Sunday evening Mr. Steffa had in his possession sixteen dollars with which he desired to purchase a 1933 car license for his auto. Lewis Saverude, supervisor from that district, handles such things for his neighbors, and Mr. Steffa decided to walk to Mr. Saverude's and leave his order for the car license. He left home at eight o'clock Sunday evening. Shortly afterward it started to rain, and when he did not return the family was not greatly concerned, thinking he was staying at the Saverude's until after the shower.

In the morning, however, the son Halver left for the Saverude home to find why his father had not returned, and the daughter Mary went to the railroad track that lies between the Steffa and Saverude homes, thinking her father might have been injured by a passing train.

She came on her father on the railroad right-of-way, lying near the end of the ties. He was unconscious. From the soaked condition of his clothing it was evident that he had lain in the rain all night. The daughter Mary started to give the alarm, but about that time met her brother Halver, returning from Saverudes. They went to the Saverude home where they told their story. Mr. Saverude and hired man George Knutson took the Saverude car and drove to the railroad tracks. They lifted Mr. Steffa in and took him to his home.

The physician was sent for immediately and arrived about eight o'clock. At noon Mr. Steffa was still unconscious. The physician said the bullet had entered the head just back of the right ear. It was apparently from a thirty-two revolver, such as Mr. Steffa had in his possession. Mr. Steffa's gun was lying several feet from him when he was found. It contained three shells that had been fired, and two loaded cartridges. While there were traces where Mr. Steffa had evidently struggled, there were no tracks leading away from the body, though the rain might have washed them out. Sheriff Sexe was notified and promptly appeared and inspected the scene, and visited Doctor Rockwood in Renwick, checking up on the affair. He could not be reached before press time for this paper.

Mr. Steffa is a man sixty years of age, is married and has six children — four girls and two boys. He formerly lived in Dakota City. There can only be two solutions of the affair. One is that Mr. Steffa was way laid and robbed. And the other is that he committed suicide. The former is most probable.

There is no cause for suicide, and the position of the wound indicates that is was inflicted by a second party. It is probable that Mr. Steffa, on his way to the Savorude home, and while crossing the railroad track, was attacked by a robber or robbers. He resisted and probably drew his pistol and fired it at his assailants. They in turn fired and hit him behind the right ear, when he fell to the ground and was later robbed. The unfortunate man has, it is believed, a fair chance for recovery. He may be able to give details of the affair if he regains consciousness.

May 2, 1933
Humboldt Republican - Humboldt, Iowa

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The coroner's jury that met at the county sheriff's office in Dakota City Wednesday evening, May 3, decided that John M. Steffa, who was found lying by the railroad track near Hardy Monday morning of this week with a bullet wound in the back of his head, and who passed away Tuesday, had died by his own hand. The wound at the base of the brain, plainly marking the course of a bullet of thirty-two calibre, and a revolver of the same caliber found by the body of Steffa and known to be his property, with the powder, burns about the wound convinced the jury. Their verdict was unanimous.

The last issue of the Humboldt Independent gave the facts of the finding of Steffa Monday morning by the railroad track between his home and that of Lewis Saverude, two and one-half miles southeast of Hardy. At that time Steffa was still alive and hopes were held for his recovery.

Tuesday, however, he passed away. He was unconscious when found and never regained his senses. Monday afternoon he was taken to a hospital in Fort Dodge here he died, without regaining consciousness.

Steffa had left his home Sunday evening about eight o'clock with the statement that he would walk over to the home of Lewis Saverude and have him (Saverude) secure a car license for the Steffa auto. Saverude is county supervisor from the district in which he and Steffa lived. Stoffa was presumed to have taken the $16 that the license would cost, with him. Nothing more was heard or seen of Steffa until his body was found by the railroad tracks by his daughter the following morning.

When Mr. Steffa did not return Sunday night, his family thought little of it because there was rain falling and it was believed that he had remained at the Saverude home until after the storm. Therefore he was not missed until morning. Then his son Halvor started to the Saverude home to find if his father was still there, and the daughter Mary went to the railroad to find if her father had been injured by a passing train.
She found the body lying close to the end of the ties on the railroad track. Steffa was unconscious, and there was a bullet hole on the right side of his head back of the right ear. At about the same time the son Halvor returning from the Saverude place met his sister, and the two went to Savernde's where Mr. Saverude and hired man took the Saverude auto and hastened to the scene. They secured the body and took it to the Steffa home.

Dr. Rockwood of Renwick was called and examined the injured man and treated him. He found that the bullet had penetrated the rear of the head and had traveled back and up, lodging at the base of the brain. There were powder burns on Mr. Steffa's neck and head. At first the fact that the victim's clothes were torn and his pockets rifled gave grounds for the belief that he had been murdered and robbed. The absence of the $16 that he was supposed to have had with him gave further ground for such belief. The rain that fell Sunday night was heavy enough to obliterate foot tracks if there had been a robbery. However, Sheriff Sexe who had the case in charge, instituted a search and located the missing $16 in the dead man's coat in his home. It was brought out at the inquest that Mr. Steffa had evidently planned his actions. What prompted him to do it is not known.

The funeral will be held at half past one o'clock at the Steffa home, and at two o'clock at the Evangelical Lutheran church at Renwick, the Rev. Beldon Weikel, minister of the church preaching. Interment of the body will be made at Humboldt.

Mr. Steffa leaves a widow and six children. The latter are Mary, Oliver, Clarence, Hazel, Edith and Geneva. He also leaves one sister Miss Effie Steffa of Forreston, Illinois.

May 5, 1933
Humboldt Independent --- Humboldt, Iowa

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[John Steffa's parents were David Steffa and Martha (Hill) Steffa. John Milton Steffa married Lizzie Myers on February 7, 1912 in Humboldt, Iowa.]