The Kitchen Table Historian

Charles Englehart was attacked outside of his car one dark night in 1935. A harmless 70-year-old man liked by everyone, who would commit such an awful crime? Sources ‘C.A. Englehart Robbed, Slain.’ Davenport Times and Democrat, 9/23/1935 ‘Seek Motive for Englehart Slaying.’ The Daily Times, 9/23/1935 ‘Iowan Killed by Assailant.’ Iowa City Press-Citizen, 9/23/1935 […]

If history is made up of small stories, then some of them fall off and disappear, like table scraps. Come and sample a few of these forgotten tales. Sources Girl Poet Ends Old Year by Taking Poison. Chicago Tribune, 1/1/1926 Pneumonia Threatens Girl Poet Taking Poison. The Des Moines Register, 1/4/1926 Poetess-Waif’s Wish for […]

In the early 1900’s, a Nebraska schoolteacher visited an unspeakable atrocity upon the students under her care in Sarpy County. Or did she? Sources ‘Holly Hatchet’ scared all but two pupils away. Sioux City Journal, 8/30/1983 Body Found in Brush. The Lincoln Star, 12/24/1903 Quintanilla, James. Hatchet House and the Killer Teacher. www.designinglife.biz Lefevers, […]

An early December blizzard chilled Iowa to the bone. It still wasn’t as cold as the heart of a father seeking vengeance for his daughter. But did he know the entire story? Sources All Iowa is in Grip of Blizzard. The Evening Gazette, 12/5/1925 Winter Holds Entire State in Icy Grasp. Iowa City Press-Citizen, […]

Malone, Iowa, is perhaps the best hidden town in Clinton County, Iowa. In 1921, it also played host to one of the darkest deeds ever committed there.

If you had just spent eight years in prison, would you return to a life of crime? If you did, but got caught, what would you do to keep from going back behind bars? Today, we explore the story of Paul and Everett Schroeder, two Iowa brothers who went to desperate lengths to escape justice […]

In 1921, a former newspaper editor and a barber decided to rob a bank in rural Iowa. Expecting little resistance, the two expected an easy score. They should have quit while they were ahead.

The murder of the Spencer family was one of the worst crimes to ever take place in Clark County, Missouri. Justice had to be done, but no one knew what lengths people would go to in order to make that happen. Sources Dunn, Steve. Group takes another look at 125-year-old murder case. Daily Gate […]

Willis James was just going to work in 1877. Instead, he found himself part of what would become one of the most horrendous and infamous murders in Missouri history. Sources Larry, Wood. Lynching of Bill Young. www.ozarks-history.blogspot.com Maples, Rajah. Spencer family brutally murdered in Clark County in 1877. www.kwqa.com Dunn, Steve. Group takes another look […]

George Scott was a loving family man. All of a sudden, he became convinced that his wife was trying to kill him. The drastic steps he took to take care of that would shock his close-knit neighborhood to its very foundations. Sources “The Delmar Tragedy.” Daily Davenport Democrat, 2/25/1874 The Morning Democrat, 2/25/1874 “The […]

In 1927, William Coffey was a middle-aged newlywed on top of the world. His wife’s family began to suspect that something wasn’t quite right with him when they hadn’t heard from her. While they thought he was a con man, they had no idea about the frozen secrets he was keeping. Sources […]

In 1943, Naomi Cheney was murdered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Six years later, her father, Frank Cheney, Sr., committed a sudden act of violence that no one could understand when he snapped in Birmingham. Sources Suspect Held in Sioux Falls WAC Murder. Rapid City Journal, 10/8/1943 WAC’s Slaying Still Mystery. Alabama Journal, 10/8/1943 […]

Mabel Moore and William Stewart each lost a spouse in the early 20th Century. They also had hidden connections that would drive their drastic actions to cope with that loss miles and years apart. Sources ‘Police Block Father’s Plot to Slay Babes.’ The Davenport Democrat and Leader, 5/28/1920 ‘Buys Gun to […]

16-year-old Augusta Bartz was murdered in 1892. Even though her killer, Herman Boek, shotgunned her in the middle of road in broad daylight, he later claimed that although he had intended to commit murder, he had shot Augusta by accident. Come and learn the strange and tragic story this week at the table.

We all love ghost stories, but not all of them should be believed. Decide for yourself as I tell you some of my own encounters with the beyond, both real and imagined. Sources ‘Stoneking Cemetery.’ Supernatural Dares, http://www.youtube.com Myers, Frank D. ‘Tombs With a View II: Stoneking.’ http://www.lucascontyan.blogspot.com, 12/31/12 ‘These 10 Haunted Cemeteries […]

In 1933, William Kelly made a horrific decision. He would spend a lifetime haunted by the memories of things he could never undo. Sources “Iowan Uses Hammer to Slay Son, 2.” The Des Moines Tribune, 7/31/1933″ “Romance of T.C. Campus Ended by Double Murder.” The Courier, 8/1/1933 “Injuries Fatal to Mrs. Kelly.” The Des […]

The desecration of human remains and burial sites are regarded as taboo by our society. Regardless, it still happens, and more often than you think. What kind of person would commit such acts? Come and see. Sources ‘Man Held; Graveyard Vandalism.’ Quad City Times, 6/24/1977 ‘Grave Robbers Hit Davenport Crypt.’ Quad City Times, 4/25/1997 […]

When Indiana police heard that Leonard Grubb had killed a man, they definitely wanted to hear more. Haunted by the victims ghost, Leonard happily confessed, leading to one of the strangest stories in Indiana history. Sources 2 In Nashville Jail as Murder Story Is Sifted. The Republic, 10/28/1930 Slaying Exposed in Brown County. The […]

Some relatives are unwelcome at Christmas. Some are rude. Some look down on you. Some are unwelcome because they’re already dead. In 1937, a dead man allegedly compelled his son to commit a terrible crime at Christmas. Sources Vesper Youth Confesses ‘Spiritual Slaying’ of Son. Marshfield News-Herald, 12/27/1937 Release Wife of Confessed Baby […]

When Iowa policemen arrested a robbery suspect in 1947, they thought they had just apprehended the thief responsible for numerous area break-ins. They didn’t suspect that they had just caught a notorious and uncommon criminal. Sources ‘Widely-Sought Criminal Nabbed.’ The Democrat and Leader, 3/9/1947 p. 1 ‘Burglar, Wanted By the FBI For Jailbreak and […]