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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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Green Bay Advocate
Thursday, 1 August 1878

         Shocking Death
         
         JOHN GOETTINGER, one of the earliest settlers
       of the town of Ahnapee, Kewaunee county, came to
       his death in the interval between the evening of
       July 19th, and the morning of the 21st, by burn-
       ing or at the hands of an assassin. The last seen
       of him alive, so far as known, was on Saturday
       evening, when he ordered supper at a restaurant,
       half a mile or so from his house and remarking
       that he would "go down and see mother," (meaning
       his wife, who, with others, was at work haying
       near the house of deceased) and return by the
       time the meal was prepared for him, took his de-
       parture. Early Monday morning his house was burn-
       ed, and after the flames had finished their work,
       his body, with the head and limbs burned off, was
       found upon a lounge in one corner of the sitting
       room. A most unhappy relation had existed in the
       family for a number of years - the result primar-
       ily of drink, to which deceased was addicted, and
       which rendered him at times violent. During one
       of these periods, last winter, he maltreated his
       wife, which led to separation, and she brought
       suit for divorce. He had often appealed to her
       to return to him, and his remark on leaving the
       restaurant - that he "would go down and see
       mother," - was understood as referring to that
       subject. A bitter enmity had also existed between
       deceased and his children, and some of his neigh-
       bors. But is is safe to assert that JOHN GOETTIN-
       GER was as much sinned against as sinning. When
       drunk he was a brute; when sober his instincts
       were kindly, and his superior native intelligence
       and energy made him a valuable citizen. Upon the
       discovery of his death, the belief was general
       that he had been murdered in his house - which
       he alone occupied - and that the fire had been
       kindled to conceal the murder. He was known to
       have several dollars in silver in his pocket,
       Saturday evening, and as no trace of it could be
       found after the fire, it was thought that robbery
       had also been committed. The investigations by
       the coroner's jury, however, failed to discover
       any evidence whatever of the supposed crime; and
       on Saturday the belief was general that he had
       fallen asleep and the fire came from his pipe,
       which he was accustomed to smoking while in bed.
       The jury had not been discharged, and was to con-
       tinue its investigations this week.
       
       --------------------------------------------------------------
       The Manitowoc County Chronicle
       Tuesday, 20 August 1878
       
         In the case of JOHN GOETTINGER, whose charred
       remains were found in the ruins of his burned
       residence, the coroner's jury have rendered a
       verdict that he "come to his death by the hands
       of some person or persons to the jury unknown."
       The supposition is that GOETTINGER was murdered,
       and that his body was burned with the house for
       the purpose of concealing the crime. He was known
       to have some silver money about his person the
       evening previous to his death, but no traces of
       it could be found in the ruins.
       
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