Monona Co. News Snippets--events as recorded for our ancestors to read Tornado April 1878 Sioux City, Iowa; April 22.--A terrible cyclone swept over this county, east and west of this place, at half past three on Sunday afternoon, entering the state above Missouri Valley Junction, and passing northeasterly across to Storm Lake, Pomeroy and Fonda, in Monona County. Trees were torn up by their roots along the rivers.  The house of J.R. THURSTON was wrecked completely. The wing of the house of MRS. REILLY was struck and torn to pieces, and F. REILLY, standing in the wing, was picked up and carried over the main building and some trees nearby and set down uninjured.  J.J. HUGHES' house, in the same neighborhood was entirely destroyed.  The family were away from home. The force of the storm was terrific, destroying fences, uprooting trees, overturning corn cribs, etc.  Horses and cattle were picked up and carried a considerable distance. Near Onawa, the house of MR. WHITE was destroyed with its contents and scattered for miles.  Hardly anything in the house was unbroken.  The family fortunately were away.  The track of the storm was a half mile to a mile and a half wide.  The storm was accompanied by very heavy hail, a number of the stones were fastened together, one mass measuring fourteen inches in circumference.  Near Onawa, a man was driving a double team; the horses, wagon, harness and driver were taken up bodily, carried several yards and set down uninjured.  On the Illinois Central Railroad, east of here, the damage was more serious, being accompanied by loss of life.  The whirlwind or tornado passed over Storm Lake from the southwest. Three quarters of a mile east of town the residence of ALFRED KING was struck, lifted from its foundation and dashed into thousands of pieces.  MR. KING's mother was instantly killed and found some distance from where the house had stood.  Other members of the household escaped unhurt.  The lighter timbers of the house were pounded into kindling wood.  Trees in orchards were torn up and carried away. The house of MR. DEGRAFF, half a mile from KING's was unroofed, some hogs and cattle killed, and a farm wagon and buggy broken up.  His loss will be about $1,000.  The buggy was carried a quarter of a mile through the air.  The water in the lake rose to the height of many feet, one witness says millions of barrels were lifted up.  The stable of MR. WATSON was destroyed. After the storm the town of Storm Lake was crowded with men after surgeons to attend sufferers.   It is believed the damage south of there was very great. Reports say that four persons were killed and forty wounded.  In GRIFFITH's neighborhood, south of Pomeroy, a man, unknown, had the top of his head cut off by a sharp board being driven into it.  An elderly lady was badly hurt by falling timbers in a house at Fonda.  The towns of Newell and Sulphur Spring escaped injury.  At Pomeroy the house of G.C. LOWRY was blown down, killing CHARLES PEARCE, an estimable young man.  The houses of GEORGE WALLACE and S. GILL were blown down, and MRS. WALLACE and family injured and not expected to live.  A.O. HARGIS' house was blown down, injuring several inmates severely. All the houses were very strong and substantial.  This is considered the worst storm ever known there. LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Dec. 23, 1895 DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT CASTANA. George Wolfe Takes Unerring Aim at His Wife and Sister-in-Law CASTANA, Ia., Dec. 18.—Early last evening George Wolfe shot his wife and her sister, Mrs. William Rutledge and then surrendered. The women are mortally wounded. Wolfe and his wife had been parted several months, she living in Mr. Rutledge’s family. Jealousy is the supposed cause of the tragedy, but Wolfe refuses to talk. Akron Register-Tribune February 22, 1906 A BOY COMMITS SUICIDE No Known Reason for the Act of “Buck” Aznoe. Sunday afternoon Wilford Aznoe, generally called “Buck,” committed suicide by shooting himself with a Winchester shotgun, which he had placed beneath his chin, and blew his face and front part of this head completely off.  Death was instantaneous. “Buck” Aznoe was 19 years old and had lived in the western part of Monona County for some years.  His father formerly lived on the West Fork, northeast of Onawa, but at present is in Minnesota.  Young Aznoe went to work for Fred Dugdale, who lives in Franklin Township, southeast of Onawa, Feb. 6, and had made a contract to work for him during the present season. No reason can be assigned for the act.