Iowa
Old Press
Marble Rock Journal
Marble Rock, Floyd co. Iowa
November 15, 1906
Old Man is Murdered
Elkader - One of the bloodiest murders committed in this vicinity
for years was discovered when the mutilated body of John L.
Boland, a farmer, was found in a ditch on his farm seven miles
from this place. That a terrible struggle was made by the old man
for his life was evidenced by the condition of the body and his
torn clothing. A bloody hammer was found in the yard several feet
from the place where the body was discovered. Boland was
fifty-five years old, and it was not known he had any enemies.
Admits he Killed a Man
Elkader - At the preliminary hearing of Ned West, the accused
merderer of John Boland, whose body was found in a ditch several
blocks from his home a few days ago, the attorneys for the state
produced a written confession from the prisoner in which he
admits killing "some one." According to the confession
West's mind is a blank on all else but the fact that he committed
murder. This responsibility for this terrible crime has
practically ruined his reason and he was, while before the
justice, the horrible example of the conscience stricken man.
Local Notes
-Herry Bedell is on the sick list.
-Mrs. Jane Smith was an over Sunday visitor at Clear Lake.
-Mrs. Allen Moore returned from her Mason City visit Friday.
-After many years of solicitation the railroad company has
finally put in a cattle crossing on the farm of John Gates south
of town.
-Born to Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Schemerhorn, Sunday, Nov. 18, 1906, a
son.
-Mrs. H.E. Wyatt of Rockford was a guest of her sister, Mrs. Winn
over Sunday.
-Herman Asper left Tuesday for Kansas and other southern points
in search of land.
-Bert Gillham and grandmother, Mrs. R. Gillham, were Greene
visitors Monday.
-Jesse and J. Newton Smith went to Postville Saturday to look
after some land.
-Mrs. Harvey, mother of Mrs. John Shaw, returned to her home at
Charles City Saturday.
-Dave Wood and niece, Miss May Wood, left for Dennison, Texas,
Tuesday, where they will spend the winter.
-Mrs. Lyman Cates and children returned from Spirit Lake Saturday
where they attended the funeral of Mrs. Cates' brother.
Ed Corrigan, an old citizen of Cerro Gordo County was found dead
in bed at his home near Dougherty, last Saturday morning. Mr.
Corrigan retired in usual good health on Friday night. Heart
failure is assigned as the cause of death.
Today at 2:30 at the parsonage of the M.E. church in this city
occurred the wedding of Aaron H. Evans and Mrs. Olive Cook, both
of Rockford, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Nathaniel Pye,
D.D. pastor of the Methodist church. The contracting parties are
both well known in Rockford, where the groom has resided many
years. Their ages are 73 and 37, one the reverse of the other.
They will reside on a farm near Rockford.
[transcribed by S.F., May 2010]