Category Archives: Murders

Death Comes to the Mayor: Murder of Robert W. Stubbs 1882

Murder Victim Robert Wadsworth Stubbs 36-year-old Mill Owner Mayor of Polk City 1845-1892 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Home Invasion Murder Scene and Date Stubbs Family Home Polk City, Iowa Polk County April 15, 1882 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written … Continue reading

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Dead at the Gate: Murder of Jeremiah Zollinger 1895

Murder Victim Jeremiah Rummell Zollinger 65-year-old Grocer Former Jasper County Sheriff Capt. 28th Iowa Infantry 1829-1895 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Grudge Murder Scene and Date Yard Gate, Zollinger Home Newton, Iowa Jasper County February 23, 1895 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy … Continue reading

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In the Corner Under a Blanket: Murder of George Sulzberger 1898

Murder Victim George Sulzberger 73-year-old Farmer 1824-1898 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Sulzberger Home Seventy Six Township, Section 31 Rural Keota, Iowa Keokuk County March 7, 1898 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written December 2011 Seventy-three-year-old … Continue reading

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Back to the Window: Murder of William Mullikin 1902

Murder Victim William D. Mullikin 57-year-old Businessman Hotel Owner, Cattleman 1844-1902 Cause of Death: Gunshot Motive: Personal Assassination Murder Scene and Date Montrose Township Lee County, Iowa February 5, 1902 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written May 2011 On Tuesday evening, … Continue reading

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Baby in the Pasteboard Box: Murder of a Newborn Girl 1881

Murder Victim Newborn Girl 1881-1881 Cause of Death: Acid or Lye Motive: Infanticide Murder Scene and Date Centerville, Iowa Appanoose County March 30, 1881 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written August 2011 On Wednesday March 30, 1881, 56-year-old Appanoose County Treasurer … Continue reading

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The “Criminal Operation”: Murder of Belle Sutliff 1897

Murder Victim Clara Belle “Belle” Sutliff 28-year-old School Teacher 1868-1897 Cause of Death: Botched Illegal Abortion Motive: Termination of Pregnancy/Love Triangle Murder Scene and Date Sutliff home Oxford Mills, Iowa Near Oxford Junction, Iowa Jones County February 12, 1897 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ … Continue reading

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A Woman and Her Dog: Murder of Maude Lambert 1902

Murder Victim Maude Stubbs Lambert 1878-1902 Cause of Death: Poisoned Motive: Unknown Murder Scene and Date Marshalltown, Iowa Marshall County June 28, 1902 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written May 2011 On Saturday, June 28, 1902, 22-year-old Maude Stubbs Lambert was … Continue reading

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“Ground Into a Hundred Pieces”: Murder of Elmer Anderson 1897

Murder Victim Elmer Anderson 26-year-old Coal Miner 1871-1897 Cause of Death: Faked Railroad Accident Motive: Argument Murder Scene and Date Milwaukee Road tracks Mystic, Iowa Appanoose County March 29, 1897 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers April 2012 From the 1850s through … Continue reading

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The Woman Who Bought Her Own Tombstone: Murder of Sarah Tracy 1935

Murder Victim Sarah Delphine Tracy 79-year-old Scrubwoman 1856-1935 Cause of Death: Bludgeoned Motive: Robbery Murder Scene and Date Northern outskirts of Maquoketa, Iowa Jackson County February 17, 1935 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers Written March 2012 On the northern outskirts of … Continue reading

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“All Around Crook”: Murder of Joplin Red 1900

Murder Victim John West a.k.a “Joplin Red” Safe Cracker, Burglar, Silk Thief Age Unknown Cause of Death: Poisoned Motive: Revenge for Snitching Murder Scene and Date Northwestern Hotel Des Moines, Iowa Polk County February 24, 1900 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ By Nancy Bowers … Continue reading

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