Surnames: Kmieciak, Kutsche, Beilfuss, Frank

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., Wis.) Thursday, 20 Feb 1947, P. 8

Kmieciak, Edward (? - Feb. 1947)

THORP MAN KILLED ON MOTHER'S FARM

Suicide Verdict Returned in Death of Edward Kmieciak, 33

Neillsville--Edward Kmieciak, 33, living with his mother on the Kmieciak farm, located approximately 7 miles northwest of Thorp in the Town of Thorp, was found dead in a field of the farm at daybreak yesterday morning by members of his family.

Sheriff Ray Kutsche, called to the Thorp neighborhood early yesterday morning, notified Coroner Horace Frank and Dist. Atty. Bruce Beilfuss and the three officers drove to the Kmieciak farm where they found the body of Kmieciak in a field approximately 40 rods north of the farm home.

When interviewed yesterday afternoon after his return from the scene, Sheriff Kutsche stated that Kmiediak had undoubtedly killed himself, that the man had held a dynamite cap or part of a stick of dynamite, just below his jaw on the left side of his neck, and that the explosion had blown away the lower left side of his head and left shoulder.

His left thumb had also been blown off which led the officers to believe that he was holding the explosive in place at the time of the explosion at approximately 3 o'clock yesterday morning.

The local officers stated they had learned that the deceased had not been in the best of health for the past several months. He was not married and operated the home farm for his mother. Three brothers, employed in Chicago, are at present visiting at the home place.

Coroner Frank stated that there would be no inquest as he was satisfied that the case was clearly one of suicide.