Here is the final chapter in the storage of my Grandma Bennett’s brief third marriage:
Handschin Killer Commits Suicide At Reformatory
Sioux City, Feb. 15
Mrs. Martelle McPeek, 29 year-old blonde, who last January 11th shot her lover after being jilted, committed suicider early today in the woman’s reformatory at Rockwell City by hanging herself with a pair of cotton stockings.
Supt. Pauline Johnston said Mrs. McPeek was by a guard. The county coroner said Mrs. McPeek died of strangulation and that her neck was not broken.
Mrs. McPeek entered the institution January 27th. She had been sentenced to ten years when she pleaded guilty to a charge of second degree murder.
The charge against her was filed after the death of Maurics Handschin, 36-year-old packing house employee as a result of a bullet wound in the abdomen.
Formerly of Boone
The late Mr. Handschin was formerly of Boone and had married here only shortly before the fatal shooting. His underal services were held in this city.
Claimed by Husband
Rockwell City, Feb. 15
Mrs. Martelle M. McPeek, 29, committed suicide at the Iowa Women’s Reformatory, to which she was sentenced for 10 years for killing Maurice Handschin in Sioux City last January 11.
Mrs. McPeek’s body was found hanging from the top of a window. She had strangled herself to death with her stockings. Her husband, William McPeek of Sioux City claimed her body.
Handschin lived at the McPeek residence in Sioux City several years before leaving there to marry a Boone divorcee. Mrs. McPeek contended she had planned to divorce her husband and marry Handschin.
Here is a copy of the newspaper article:
While that concluded this episode of sharing some of my family history that I discover going through some genealogy stuff, it won’t be the last.
+++++++
This is the rest of the auxiliary images from my trip to Tama County to harvest their town signs. The highlight of this trip was the winding stairs in Traer.
Clutier
Dysart
Traer
Lincoln
Conrad (Grundy County)
Garwin
So many auxiliary images still to go through, but that is it for Tama County.
That has been quite the harrowing tale!
Yeah. Very salacious.
Wow. Interesting ending. Liked the pictures especially the stairs.
Yeah, it is one of those stories where, while it is very tragic, I wouldn’t exist if it didn’t happen. My Aunt Barbara (the 7 year old from the story) is still alive. She is almost 90 now.
Those stairs are awesome and it is one of those amazing things that I didn’t know existed until I discovered it on these trips. I was shocked that they actually let you walk up and down them, cause the railing on the side is not tall and a person could easily fall off them. Especially in our current (guilty as charged) selfie culture.