JOHN T. MAIER’S BODY IS GROUND BENEATH TRAIN
- Union Township Man Meets Sad Fate Last Night on Track -
John
T. Maier whose home is in the southeast corner of Union township, five
miles southwest of Iowa City, was ground to death beneath the wheels of
a train that entered the city from the east sometime last evening or
last night.
Found By Section Men
Section
men leaving the city this morning a few minutes after seven were the
first to discover the tragedy, coming upon portions of the man’s body
strung along the track for some distance. They reported the ghastly
find to Coroner J. H. Donohue who went to the scene in East Iowa City.
Coroner Is Called
The
bank book of John T. Maier was found along the track and this helped to
identify the body which was almost past identification on account of
the body being ground into small bits and the face had been dragged in
the cinders until it was almost beyond recognition. Later positive
identification was made by relatives and friends who were summoned.
Horribly Mangled
The
body was mangled almost beyond belief. The point where the head is
believed to have first struck the ties is 400 feet west of the Kelly
factory in the cut just near the switch runs in. From this point west
it is 155 feet to where the main part of the body is found. It is
likely that many trains passed over the body and each must have
contributed its share to the horrible deed.
Early Last Night
It
is believed that the tragedy occurred early last evening, as every
indication seemed to point to the fact that death had occurred many
hours before discovery. Examination by Coroner Donohue showed pieces of
the internal organism on portions of the running year of a car that was
set off a freight train that entered the city at 8:45 last evening.
However it might have occurred earlier but not later.
Will Hold Inquest
Coroner
Donohue will hold an inquest at the Undertaking parlors where the body
now reposes a 7:30 this evening. He has subpoenaed C. Bothel, Frank
Smith and George Katzenmeyer as members of the jury to view the scene
of the unfortunate occurrence this afternoon, collect all facts
available and hold the inquest tonight.
May Be Foul Play
There
is no indication that the man met with foul play, although there is no
indication that he did not. His brother Frank today stated that the
family was unable to conceive of any reason for his being on the tracks
east of town when his home is west and south.
It is possible of
course that the man might have boarded the train and jumped or fell
off, but it seems likely that he was a foot on the tracks.
Came to Town Yesterday
Mr.
Maier came to Iowa City early in the day yesterday and was about town
all day. He put his team in the feed barn and did not return. Frank
stated that he was with his brother in a bank at about two o’clock in
the afternoon and various others saw and spoke with him, as he was well
known here, up to about 5 o’clock. At that time, John Hart stated that
he saw Mr. Maier go past the Mercer Transfer company office. This seems
to be the last that was seen of him.
Born in This County
John
T. Maier was born in Johnson County forty-two years ago and spent
practically all his life here. He was married to Mary Isenhofer, a
sister of Joseph Isenhofer of Pleasant Valley township. To this union
was born and now survive seven children, the oldest, Edith, a young
lady of eighteen, Matilda, Antone, William, Lillian, Agnes, Helen, the
latter a baby of two.
He was the son of Mrs. John Maier, who is
now Mrs. John Dudlinger, of 320 North Governor St., of this city. His
father died when he was very small. He is also survived by four
brothers, as follows: John Dudlinger of Cincinnati, William of Page,
North Dakota, Frank and Andrew of Union township in this county.
The
sympathy of the entire community goes out to the bereaved family in
their sadness. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.
(Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen, Wed, Jan 22, 1919, pg. 1)
MYSTERY STILL UNSOLVED, JURY INVESTIGATION
– No Conclusion Was Reached at Inquest Over John Maier -
Why
should John Maier be upon the railroad tracks in East Iowa City Monday
night? Why should he be run over and killed by a freight train and
horribly dismembered? Was there foul play of any sort?
These are
some of the questions that are being asked on the streets and which
Coroner J. H. Donohue and his jury with County Attorney Claude M.
Miller are trying to answer in connection with the mysterious death and
the finding of the mangled body of John Maier, a prominent farmer of
Union township on the Rock Island tracks here yesterday morning by the
section men as they went to work.
The inquest began last night
with C. Bothel, Frank Smith and George Katzenmeyer as the jury of
three. The investigation was held at Undertaker Donohue’s rooms and
continued for at least two hours. Many witnesses were summoned and told
what they knew, which was all too little, to shed much light upon
the mysterious part of the occurrence.
Carried Big Insurance
It
developed that Mr. Maier carried $35,000 life insurance, much of it
accident, one policy of which had just been taken out with Deaton and
Hoover in the Northwestern and Mr. Deaton testified at the inquest that
Mr. Maier came to his office on the fourth floor of the Johnson County
bank building after two o’clock Tuesday afternoon and that he delivered
to him at that time his policy for $5,000 and the policy was found with
the scattered remains along the railroad track the next day.
It
also developed that Mr. Maier was a man who often carried large sums of
money with him, that is several hundred dollars, but Tuesday afternoon
he went to the Johnson County bank and made a deposit of $60 and 440
odd dollars was found on his clothes after death had resulted.
No Foul Play Suspected
Foul
play is not believed to have been responsible. Mr. Maier was not a man
to make enemies and it does not seem possible that the deed could have
been done for revenge alone, as no money is believed to have been taken.
If
the object in intended violence from some unknown party had been
robbery than the party would doubtless have taken the $40 afterward
found in his clothes.
Might Be Suicide
Of
course he might have committed suicide. It was remarked that he might
have been run over by an aero plane instead of a freight train. Just as
likely. John Maier is not believed by his friends to have been the sort
of a man to walk out on the railroad track and commit suicide, even
though he carried considerable life insurance. Those who knew him best
say he would be the last man in the county to perform such a deed, and
they refuse to take any stock in such a theory.
Brought Hogs to Town
At
the inquest John Isenhofer, a brother in law of the dead man testified
that he last saw Maier at 11:00 a.m. when he drove into the Crane and
Marner feed barn, where Isenhofer works, and left his team. He had been
hauling hogs to town. He left and did not return.
M. L. Deaton testified that the deceased was in his office at 2 p.m. and that he delivered to him a policy of insurance.
John
Hart testified that he saw Mr. Maier or someone who answered his
description pass the office of the Mercer Transfer company near the old
Leinbaugh lumber yards as late as five o’clock, perhaps a little later.
Fred Miller testified that he saw Mr. Maier pass the feed store on Dubuque Street about 4 p.m.
Charles Geazel testified that he saw Maier at the corner of Dubuque and College in front of old Lehnet place about 6 o’clock.
No Conclusion Yet
The
evidence before the jury was not of such an order that they were able
to come to any intelligent conclusion. They were taken to the scene of
the tragedy yesterday afternoon viewed the tracks, examined everything
closely and viewed the body.
After considering the evidence last
night the inquest was adjourned until this evening when the train crew
of the freight that is believed to have killed the man can be summoned
and brought here.
At the point where the train struck him there
is a double track system. It appears that the man first struct the
north rail of the north track.
The theory has been advanced that
the unfortunate man may have been meeting a train going east and
stepped aside to let it go by and that the freight going west was
unnoticed and struck him. Opponents of this theory point out that this
would be more likely to happen in the day time than at night, and it
now seems certain that it was at night and that the tragedy occurred,
as the powerful headlight would, they believe, have undoubtedly
attracted the attention of the man, whereas the sound might not.
It
is also surmised that possibly the train that struck him might have
been running without lights. This would account for their not seeing
the man, in the first place and for their not knowing that they had hit
him. On the other hand it is pointed out that train men using due
caution in entering a city should have been looking ahead and should
have seen the man, even though he might have been slugged and lying on
the track, unless per chance they had been without lights.
IN MEMORY OF JOHN T. MAIER
Jan 21, 1919
Union
Township, Jan 24 – This community has been shocked in the recent
tragedy involving the death of John T. Maier, who was a life time
resident of this vicinity. Mr. Maier was born on the farm which he now
owns forty-two years ago and has spent his entire life in union
township where he will be greatly missed as he was one of Johnson
county’s most up to date and successful farmers, a leader among men,
always at the head of most every undertaking in the community. By
his skillful farming tactics, he has become owner of about four hundred
acres of land which he cultivated by the aid of tractors.
He was
a lover of home life and his loss will be keenly felt by his wife,
formerly Miss Isenhofer and seven children, all at home. They are Ida,
age 18; Tilla, 16; Agnes S, 8; Lillian, 6; William, 12; Andrew, 10 and
Baby Helen 1 ˝.
His mother, Mrs. John Dutlinger and several step
brothers also survive to mourn his loss besides a host of friends and
neighbors whom he won by his cheerful disposition and fair dealings
toward all.
The entire community extends their sympathy to the
bereaved wife and children whom death has robbed of a loving husband
and father.
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