Iowa Old Press

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
November 3, 1885

A DASTARDLY MURDER
Arza Parker, a Stanton Township Farmer Murdered at His Own Doorstep.

One of the most dastardly murders that ever occurred in Plymouth County was
perpetrated Saturday night in Stanton township, about eight miles south of
this city, the victim being an old farmer sixty years of age, named Arza
Parker. The first report of the homicide reached this city Sunday morning
through a messenger who came in to notify Coroner Myers of the killing and
request his presence. Mr. Myers at once responded, and in company with Dr.
Ensminger drove out to the home of the murdered man. An emissary of the
Sentinel was promptly upon the
SCENE OF THE MURDER,
and gained the following facts:
Saturday night about 10 o’clock, after Mr. and Mrs. Parker had retired for
the night and the daughter was sitting up doing some sewing, the latter
heard a strange noise at the barn and immediately woke her father, informing
him of the fact. The old gentleman hastily dressed himself and taking the
lantern, which the daughter had lighted, proceeded to the barn only a few
rods distant, and from which he never returned alive, his body being found
next morning about thirty feet from his own doorstep, the skull badly
crushed and his face and person covered with blood.

EVIDENCES OF A STRUGGLE.
The appearances about the premises would indicate that as the old man
approached the barn door he was met by some one who assaulted him with a
pitchfork, as broken pieces of that implement were found near by and the
ground was badly torn up, giving evidence that the old gentleman had
desperately resisted the assault but he was most likely dazed by the first
blow, and fell an easy victim to the determined assassin. The remains of
Parker showed that several heavy blows had been inflicted beside a deep gash
near the temple made by one of the prongs of the bloody and broken fork.
After the murderer had accomplished his purpose and left his victim for
dead, the latter partially recovered and tried to reach the house, a bloody
trail marking his course from the scene of the tragedy to where he finally
fell exhausted and died, only a few steps from the door of his home.

THE DAUGHTER’S STATEMENT.
The daughter, a young girl about fourteen years of age, informed the
Sentinel reporter that after her father went to the barn she heard nothing
further of him, and in about a half an hour got into bed with her mother.
Shortly afterward she and her mother became frightened, got up and went to
Mr. Jensen’s, a neighbor living about thirty rods distant, leaving alone in
the house a little 6-year old grandson. This was bout 1 o’clock at night.
They remained at Jensen’s a short time, then returned home and retired, not
looking to see what had become of the old gentleman nor visiting the
vicinity of the stable. Sunday morning they again went to Mr. Jensen’s and
then for the first time told him that the husband and father was missing. On
returning home in company with the neighbors, they saw the body of Parker
lying only a few feet from the house, where he had expired, and they
remarked, “There he is.” The
WIFE OF THE MURDERED MAN
gave about the same account of occurrences of the night. When asked if she
and her husband did not have frequent and stormy quarrels, she replied in
the negative, though admitted that they had had trouble in the past. She is
a large, sinewy woman with a determined look, and of foreign birth. Her
husband, we learn, was born in Cheshire, England.

THE INQUEST.
Coroner Myers summoned the following gentlemen of that vicinity to serve as
jurors: John Tripp, W. E. Gosting, and John Schroder. After viewing the
remains, the jury took part of the testimony of Mrs. Parker and the
daughter, then adjourned to meet at the coroner’s office in this city
Wednesday, when the investigation will be continued.

The reporter was unable to learn of any person or persons that held any
malice against Parker or that would be likely to desire his death, and there
is nothing to show that the murder was committed for money. There are many
conjectures and surmises as to the guilty party, but as the inquest will
probably develop all the facts, the public should patiently await the
verdict and not make a hasty judgment.

LeMars Sentinel
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 1885

PROBATE NOTICE:

Estate of John Frederick Detloff, deceased.

State of Iowa
Plymouth County,

To Dorathea Detloff, Frederick Detloff known heirs at law of John Frederick
Detloff late of said county, deceased; and all others concerned:

You are hereby notified that on the 2nd day of November A.D. 1885, there was
filed in the office of the clerk of courts of the state of Iowa, in and for
Plymouth county, and opened and ready by said clerk, an instrument in
writing purporting to be the last will of John Frederick Detloff, deceased,
late of said county.

And you are further notified that the third day of the next term of said
court, commencing on Monday, the 4th day of December, A.D. 1885, has been
fixed for the final proof and hearing of said will, at which time all
persons interested may appear and show cause why the same should not be
admitted to probate.

W.S. Welliver, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Plymouth County, Iowa

NOTICE TO REDEEM

State of Iowa
Plymouth County.

To Anna Losch, Peter Lush and Peter Losch: You are hereby notified that as
a sale of lands and lots for taxes, on the 3d day of October 1882, by the
treasurer of Plymouth county, Iowa, the following described land, to wit:
the west half of the northeast quarter of section No. one (1), in township
No. ninety-one (91), north of range No. forty-seven (47) west F. M. in
Plymouth county, Iowa, were sold to F. Myers for the taxes of 1881, and that
the right of redemption will expire and a deed for said land will be made,
unless redemption from such sale be made within ninety days from the service
of this notice:

Dated this 14th day of November, 1885.

I. S. Struble, Assignee of F. Meyers, and present holder of certificate of
tax-sale.

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

Land Office at Des Moines, Iowa, November 11th, 1885.

Notice is hereby given that the following named settler has filed notice of
his intention to make final proof in support of his claim, and that said
proof will be made before the Judge or the Clerk of the District Court of
Plymouth Co., Iowa, at LeMars, Iowa, on Monday, Dec. 28th, 1885, viz:
Thomas Orban who made homestead entry No. _, for the SE of NE qr. Sec. 26,
sp. 93, N. E., 47 west.

He names the following witnesses to prove his continuous residence upon, and
cultivation of, said land, viz:

Nicholas Goedert, of LeMars, Iowa, P.O.

Richard Faull, of LeMars, Iowa, P.O.

John Orban, of LeMars, Iowa, P.O.

Theodore Hoffman, of LeMars, Iowa, P.O.

F. G. Clarke, Registrar

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
November 20, 1885

SENEY NOTES.
Monday, 16.

Business good.

T. J. Reeves bought a car load of hogs last week at $3 per cwt.

Our school is prospering finely under the management of Miss Alline.

G. W. Reeves is contemplating building a new residence on Fifth street.

Our democratic friends cleaned us out bad on the 3d, but there is a good
time a coming.

Considerable grain is coming in; prices are good. We quote wheat 50 to 65c,
for soft grades; oats 23c; flax 88; new corn 25c.

They are having meetings every night now at the M. E. church, with the view
of saving ye wicked sinners from the wrath to come, also to revive the
backsliders.

Miss Lu Derby returned from Dakota last week, bringing a brand new husband
with her. She is now Mrs. Potter, and after visiting with relatives here the
happy couple will return to Dakota, where the husband is interested in the
drug business. We extend congratulations.

WILD RUMORS.
J. C. Parker, step son of the late Arza Parker, was a caller at the Sentinel
office this week. He was in Chicago at the time of the murder and was
notified of the same by a telegram sent by his mother requesting that he
come to her at once. This he did. The circumstances connected with the
murder, as published in the Sentinel at the time, were in the main correct.
The son, however, believes his mother innocent of the crime. He explains the
actions of the mother and daughter on the night of the homicide, by stating
that his step-father was very eccentric, and it was not an uncommon thing
for him to go out of the house at night and remain away for several hours,
some times days. Mr. Parker says there is no truth in the report that any of
the family have tried to run away, though he admitted that the old lady
attempted to take her own life. Every since the murder, the daughter is very
timid, and can hardly be induced to go out of doors after dark. A rumor was
started the forepart of the week to the effect that Mrs. Parker had made a
confession of being the guilty party, and several have called at this office
inquiring about the matter. So far as the Sentinel has been able to learn
there has been no confessions, neither has the coroner’s jury returned a
public verdict.

The step-son says it is his purpose here to settle matters of a financial
nature, and take his mother and sisters back with him to Chicago.

DEATH OF MRS. NIC KOERTING.

Mrs. Catherine Koerting died Wednesday night at 1:20 o’clock at her
residence on Sixth street two blocks east of the railroad.

The subject of this notice was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fredolin Becker
of Lincoln township; a sister of Fred Becker, county auditor elect, and the
wife of Nic Koerting, who has a cigar store on Sixth street. She was taken
sick a little more than a week ago, her ailment being pronounced malaria
fever, but at no time was her case considered hopeless. Mrs. Fred Becker
and a sister were with her Wednesday night, but as she seemed to be resting
comfortably, Mrs. B. returned to her home at 11 o’clock. In about two hours
word came to her that Mrs. Koerting was dying. Hastening to answer the
summons, the relatives arrived at her bedside only a few moments before she
breathed her last.

Mrs. Koerting was in her 27th year. She was married to Nic Koerting some
five years ago, and the fruits of that union are a boy, four years old, and
a little girl two years of age, who are now without a mother’s tender care.

It has been only about three weeks since the deceased followed her brother,
Jacob Becker, to the grave. The aged mother is now just convalescing, having
been very sick, and this sad news will be a terrible shock to her weakened
nerves, as well as to the aged father who has scarce recovered from his
recent sorrow.

The heart-felt condolence of the community will not be withheld from the
bereaved ones in this trying hour, and especially will the husband and
motherless little children, and aged father and mother whose heads are bowed
down with a double grief, receive the generous and full sympathy of their
many friends in this city and county.

The obsequies will take place to-day afternoon at 3 from the German
Evangelical church. The services will be conducted by the pastor, Rev.
Belzer.

GONE "PICNICING"

A happy party of LeMars saloon men went north on Tuesday's train, their
objective point being Luverne, Minn., where tonight occurs the opening of
the new Continental at that place, and which is said to be the finest saloon
west of Chicago. It is owned by the former proprietors of the Continental
of this place. Among those who have gone to the "grand opening" were, J. B.
Champion, Tom Sutton, John Mandershied, and H. M. Conant. They were met at
our depot by a large delegation of Sioux City saloon men, who accompanied
them to Luverne.

The Evening Sentinel
LeMars, Iowa, Monday Evening, November 30, 1885

SUDDEN DEATH.

Emery Higley, who for a long time has been connected with the Daily Globe of
this city, died very suddenly Sunday evening. Mr. Higley was his own worst
enemy, and while being a man of generous impulses and bright intellect, he
was given to the excessive use of intoxicants, and since Thanksgiving had
been drinking harder than usual, which fact no doubt aggravated a disease of
the heart from which he has suffered for years, and thus hastened his death.
The deceased and his family occupied upstairs rooms south of Diehl’s drug
store. Sunday, Mr. Higday was pretty well under the influence of liquor, and
was induced by his wife to go with her to the boarding house, kept by their
brother-in-law, S. Martin, over Zimmerman’s store on the corner of Sixth and
Eagle Streets. On arriving here Mr. Higley took a seat in the room which was
quite warm, and declined to remove his hat or overcoat. After being seated a
short time, he got up and started across the room, but fell to the floor in
a seeming spasm. He was assisted to a sofa, and to all appearances fell
asleep, groaning terribly and his face becoming of a purple hue. In a little
while the groans ceased, and on investigation it was found that his spirit
had departed, his death occurring about 8 o’clock. The funeral took place
this afternoon and was conducted by the G. A. R. of which order he was a
member.

~Transcriber NOTE (1): This article has the surname spelled two ways, both
Higley and Higday.
~Transcriber NOTE (2): Per an online website it is documented that Emery
Higley is buried in the rural cemetery in Plymouth County, IA, with the
Wetrovsky-Mathwig family members in Lincoln Township. Emery Higley: Born 29
Jun 1843; Died 29 Nov 1885