Tama County Auxiliary Images – 1

Here is Part 3 of the brief third marriage of my Grandma Bennett. This article is in particularly bad shape, so there is some guessing with what it says.

Handschin, Formerly of Boone, Dies After Being Shot, Sioux city.

A (man) shot by a jealous woman at Sioux City the night of January 11, Maurice (Mose) Handschin, 37, formerly of Boone, died at 11 o’clock Wednesday night in a hospital at the northwest Iowa city.

His remains are being accompanied to this city by his wife to whom he was married here shortly after the first of the year. Funeral services and interment will be in Boone, the body to arrive late Thursday.

Handschin was born and grew up here, leaving about 10 years ago for Sioux City where he had been employed by the Swift packing. (Handschin) at one time was a North Western employee here.

A number of his three surviving brothers and five surviving sisters reside here. The survivors are Warren Handschin of Boone, Art Handschin of Minneapolis and Harry Handschin of Oregon, Mesdames Ralph Spratt and Carl Westberg of Boone. Clarence Ades of Des Moines, Art Howd of Webster City and Ollie Mabee of Parker, S.D.

Sioux City, Jan. 25 – First degree murder charges were filed in Sioux City today against Mrs. Martelle McPeek, as the result of the death last night of Maurice W. Handschin of a bullet wound.

Chief of Detectives Tom Farley said Mrs. McPeek signed a statement that she shot Handschin on January 11 when (learned he had married another woman).

Mrs. McPeek (was jailed on an open charge since the shooting, which occurred inside the home of Handschin and his bride of a few days. fired two shots, one entering Handschin’s abdomen. A physician said death was caused by infection in the blood stream. The bullet tore seven holes in his intestines and stomach. (Coroner said an autopsy would be held later today.)

Handschin had been living with Mr. and Mrs. Mcpeek six years and for most of that time, according to investigating authorities, he and Mrs. McPeek had carried on a love affair with the knowledge of her husband.

At Christmas time, Handschin left Sioux City, saying he was going to remarry his former wife. He returned shortly after New Years with a Mrs. Handschin who was not his former wife but a Boone divorcee, Mrs. Bernice Kessler, with a 7 year-old daughter.

On the night of the shooting, Mrs. McPeek was driven to the couple’s home by a friend, Bud Ackerly, and forced open the door when Mrs. Handschin answered her knock. When Ackerly heard the shots he ran in and seized Mrs. McPeek’s pistol and called the police.

Born in Boone

Mrs. McPeek said she planned to obtain a divorce and marry Handschin.

Several days after the shooting, McPeek filed a petition for a landlord’s attachment against Handschin seeking a judgment for $150 unpaid room rent.

Handschin was born at Boone on May 6, 1903 and had lived in Sioux City for six years. Survivors include a son, Norman.

Here is the newspaper article:

Part 4 of the story tomorrow.

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This is a reminder that today is the deadline to enter the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Flyer - 2021

If the Boone County Fair Photo Contest that I just judged on Saturday is any indication, we might be desperate for entries. Therefore the deadline is somewhat of a “soft deadline”. However, I wouldn’t push it more than a week.

To download the rules and entry form, click on the link below: