Iowa
Old Press
Daily Herald
Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa
January 3, 1891
THE TEEDS GROVE MURDER
A thick veil of mystery hangs over the Village of Teeds Grove on
account of the cold blooded murder of Mr. C. H. Wessel, an old
resident of that place. Coroner Meyers, Attorney J. H. Flint,
Deputy Sheriff Adams and Captain of Police Moran went to the
scene of the murder last evening for the purpose of taking
testimony and working on the case. A coroner’s jury was
impaneled and the investigation was begun. An investigation of
the dead man showed three bullets in his head, one above the ear
and two in the temple, all on the right side of the head. A
bruise on the shoulder indicates a heavy blow from some blunt
instrument.
A large number of witnesses were examined, but the verdict
returned by the jury has not yet been made public on account of
circumstantial evidence which the officers wish to follow up. The
whole affair has much the same nature of the terrible Nurre
murder which occurred a few miles of Teeds Grove less than a year
ago. What looks the most suspicious is the fact is the utmost
stolidity and indifference to the fate of the old man is
expressed by those most closely interested.
The testimony shows that the deceased had spent Wednesday evening
in a saloon and started for home about midnight. Soon after that
hour his son, August Wessel, and wife, heard pistol shot near
their house, but thought it was somebody celebrating the new
year. The murder was not discovered until between 6 and 7 o’clock
the next morning when the victim was found lying beside the road.
He was supposed to be drunk and was taken inton a house. The
wounds were supposed to have been made by falling against the
hedge, and not until a doctor arrived and made examination was it
discovered that the old man had been shot and was dying. He
expired shortly after, without gaining consciousness. The theory
that seems most probable is that while walking home he was met by
his enemy who struck him on his shoulder with a club, knocking
him down, after which the assassin held his revolver to his
victim’s head and fired three bullets into it, making his
work sure. The weapon used was a 32 caliber revolver, and was
held so close to its mark that the skin was burned.
Another strange fact is that while the men at the saloon were
firing off guns, there is no knowledge that any of them had a
revolver. Several of the officers are yet at Teeds Grove, and
some startling developments may be made soon.
[transcribed by K.W., July 2009]