THE MURDER OF ANNA WIESE
Green Mountain, Iowa
Evening Time Republican
Monday, August 28, 1893

HEADLINES

MURDER MOST FOUL

Annie Wiese; a Young German Girl, Brutally Butchered Saturday Night

Beaten, Stabbed and Her Throat Cut While Going Home from a Neighbors

Her Murderer Not Yet Located

-A Rejected Lover Suspected

A Frightful Deed

Details of the Assassination of Miss Annie Wiese Near Green Mountain

     Just a little after 10 o'clock Saturday night, by the "hands of a person or persons unknown," Miss Annie Wiese was murdered in a most cold blooded and brutal manner. She had been beaten about the head by a maple club, there were a number of stabs in her breast and back, and her throat had been cut from ear to ear. At this writing there is only a slight clue as to the perpetrator of the dreadful crime and officers everywhere are on the qui vive.
     The murdered girl was about 20 or 22 years of age, of German parentage, her father and mother living a short distance north of Gladbrook. She had been working for about 12 weeks in the family of Henry Rossie, a prosperous and respected farmer who lives three miles and a half north and one mile east of Green Mountain. Miss Wiese is spoken of as a quiet, steady, industrious girl.
     Saturday evening she spent at the home of Arthur Hill, half a mile south of Rossie's. At 10 o'clock she started home alone. In a few minutes Mr. Rossie heard three frightened screams and hastened in the direction of the sound. About half way between his home and Hill's he came upon the girl's body, lying on the back at the side of the road, in a ditch left by graders. Rossie thought she had probably fainted and sent his son, who had accompanied him, to Hill's for help. Mr. Hill soon came and discovered that the throat was cut and the girl dead. Rossie had heard two loud groans when he was about 20 rods from the body, which were probably the last sounds uttered by the murdered one.
     Sheriff Pence and Coroner David in this city were summoned about 1 o'clock by a telegram from Green Mountain, and were at the scene of the crime soon after 2 o'clock yesterday morning. The inquest was held at Rossie's house, Henry Banngart, Philip D. Rusche and James Bowles constituting the jury. Henry Rossie and Arthur Hill told the story of the screams and the finding of the body as above. T. P. Lowe, a neighbor, had driven past Hill's on his way home with his wife, just before Miss Wiese started. He saw no signs of any one at the fatal spot as he went by and his horse seemed unaware of any intruding presence. There was bright moonlight at the time.

     Henry Wiese, brother of the deceased, works near by. He was the only other witness examined at the inquest and furnished the only clue to a possible murderer. He told of a young butcher of Gladbrook, named Bert Eisenhart, who had been attempting to go with his sister for a number of months. But she didn't like him. The Sunday before the murder he had called at Rossie's to see Miss Wiese. He waited awhile, went away and returned again. Still she didn't come. At best he saw her going to church with Mrs. Low and her brother. Eisenhart then hitched up and followed them. He brought the girl home from church that day and was not seen there afterwards.
     It is also stated that on last Tuesday or Wednesday Eisenhart bought a ticket to Dubuque and had not been seen at his home since that day. It has been surmised that she rejected his proffered affection on Sunday. Ramer says he had threatened to kill her if she would not accept him.
     The story is very plausible then that in his jealous wrath he did not go far away or else returned secretly, lay in wait beside the road Saturday night, and murdered her in the brutal manner above described. Coroner David has a theory that the murderer must have had a horse near by and escaped in that way. The whole surrounding country was so thoroughly searched so soon that it would seem almost impossible that a man on foot could have gotten out of the way early enough.
     There has been intense interest in this city and throughout the surrounding country ever since the news of the murder was known. Many towne-people visited the scene yesterday and brought back the dreadful details. Search for the bloody tracks or any trace of the murderer has been most diligent. Orders were given to arrest all suspicious characters and a reward of $500 was promptly offered by Sheriff Pence for the apprehension of the murderer. The governor will probably add to this amount, for the crime is one of the most brutal ever committed in central Iowa.
     The suspected lover, Eisenhart, is described as about 5' 10" tall, not of very heavy build, and with a peculiar scar on his under lip made by the kick of a horse. If he should be caught, and there develops any further evidence that he was the murderer, it will go hard with him. It is rumored that he was seen in Gladbrook Friday, but the truth can not be ascertained as to this. It is also stated that Miss Wiese was afraid of him and said that she did not feel perfectly safe about going home alone Saturday night. Stories are told of another young man who had shown some admiration for the murdered girl, but not much suspicion is directed against him.
     A telegram was received from Sheriff Pence a little before noon, dated at Beaman. It was directed to Deputy Sheriff J. E. Wildman, and read as follows: "Get out and mail 200 cards and put notice in daily offering $500 for murderer of Anna Wiese." But there was no word as to a clue. It has been rumored that a suspect was arrested at Reinbeck, but there is no corroboration yet. The suspicion deepens that Eisenhart was the murderer as stories about the girl's confessed fear of him and his threats against her are repeated.

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