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Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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History of Cass County, Iowa
Continental Historical Co.,
Springfield, Ill: 1884


  -290-
                              CHAPTER VI
          REMINISCENSES, INCIDENTS AND PERSONAL RECOLLECTONS

                           A MYSTERIOUS MURDER

        On the 21st of July, 1876, the body of a man, which was identified
     as THEODORE A. SLOANAKER, was discovered floating in Turkey river,
     about a hundred yards below the bridge which spans that stream, on the
     Lewis and Atlantic road, about two and a half miles north of the for-
     mer place. The body was tied by a leather halter to a large floating
     log, and had the appearance of having been dead some four or five
     days. An examination disclosed the fact that a bullet had been put
     through the man's head, and that he had been struck several blows with
     a club, or something of that nature, across the face. The body was
     taken to Lewis, an inquest was held before JEREMIAH BRADSHAW, then
     justice of the peace, and the body was buried without an attempt
     having been made to identify it. When the news was received at
     Atlantic, J. F. NEEDHAM, CHARLES RADLEY and WILLIAM RAHM drove to
     Lewis, dug up the body, and immediately recognized it to be that of
     THEODORE A. SLOANAKER. The murdered man was formerly Adjutant of the
     Tenth Iowa Infantry, and at the time of his murder a resident of
     Primghar, the county seat of O'Brien county, where be conducted an
     abstract office. He was forty-one years of age and unmarried. He
     enlisted in Company K, Tenth Iowa Infantry, at Davenport, in 1862,
     and served during the war, being promoted gradually until he became
     Adjutant of the regiment. For more than a year during the war he was
     detailed on recruiting service, with headquarters at Davenport. He was
     well known to General BAKER and others at Des Moines. He came to
     Atlantic about three weeks previous to his murder, and called on Mr.
     RAHM, with whom he served during the war. He remained in Atlantic
     about two weeks, when he started to Pleasant township on a visit to H.
     A. BARTON, whose acquaintance he had formed while teaching school in
     the neighborhood four years previous. Nothing further than the above
     particulars has ever been developed, and the murderer of THEODORE A.
     SLOANAKER mystery.

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