Obit: Lindgren, Mrs. L. K. ‘Stina’ #2 (Brutal Crime Victim - 1929)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lindgren, Bradford, Nehs, Warden, Housley, Neis, Lauritzen, Nelson

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) April 18, 1929

Lindgren, Mrs. L. K. (Brutal Crime Victim - 10 April 1929)

Last week Wednesday, Sheriff Bradford and District Attorney Nehs were called by Harry Warden, town clerk of the Town of Thorp, and informed that a woman had been killed in her home about a mile and a half northeast of Eidsvold in the Town of Thorp.  The officers, together with Dr. H. W. Housley, County Coroner, left immediately for the scene of the crime.

The victim of this dastardly crime was Mrs. L. K. Lindgren, a widow about 75 years of age, who lived alone on her farm on Section 22, Town of Thorp, about a mile and a half northeast of the village of Eidsvold.  A coroner’s jury was summoned and an inquest held under the direction of Coroner Housley and District Attorney Nehs.  The body of the woman was found lying on the floor near the kitchen stove, most of her clothing torn off and marks of blood upon the face and portions of the body.  She had lived alone since the death of her husband 25 years ago and had carried on farming in a small way, keeping a few cows. She evidently feared that her home might be broken into as she had the doors heavily braced with poles from within so that it would be very difficult to break them open.  Evidently her assailant had entered by a window, from which a screen had been torn and the glass broken.  Dr. Neis of Thorp made an examination of the body as did also Dr. Housley and found that a criminal assault had been made, but no bruises or abrasions found which in themselves would have caused death.  The condition of the room and the woman’s clothing indicated that a hard struggle had taken place, and the shock and exhaustion might readily have caused death.  The jury brought in a verdict that her death had been caused by violence at the hands of a party unknown. 

Suspicion at once centered upon a stranger who had been in the neighborhood a few days, giving his name as Martin Lauritzen. He had stayed with a farmer named Nelson living near Mrs. Lindgren and on Monday night, April 8, the last day Mrs. Lindgren was seen alive he came to the Nelson home with blood on his hands, and claimed to have had a fight up the road with a motorist with whom he had difficulty.

(With this information, Mrs. Lindgren’s death could have been on 8 April 1929)