Obit: Kelpin, Lillie (1894? - 1911)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kelpin, Arndt, Liebold,

----Source: The Granton News (Granton, Clark Co., WI.) April 28, 1911

Kelpin, Lillie (1894? - 23 April 1911)

Lillie Kelpin the 16 year and 4 months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kelpin of Mayville was shot and killed by Emil Arndt, a man 46 years old who after killing the girl bathed the wound changed her position and after covering her up with bed clothes placed the revolver back of his own right ear and shot, killing himself in a like manner.  The murderer was a man with a family, a daughter and a son at home and a wife an inmate of an insane asylum. The murdered girl a year since was employed by the man as his housekeeper, but for the past eight months it was not known that they had so much as spoken together.  Lillie in company with a girl friend, one Lillie Liebold had that evening attended a moving picture show, parting only after the show was over to go in different directions to their respective homes.  It is presumed that Arndt watching his chance, secures the Kelpin girl and by force takes her to his home.  The girl’s body shows evidences of a hard struggle and that she was drugged. Arndt’s own daughter a girl but two months younger than the murdered girl was awakened about two o’clock by the sound of a revolver shot, which she thinks was repeated within a space of 10 minutes. She was too scared to investigate the cause for same and it was not until 7:30 Sunday morning that the two lifeless bodies fully dressed, were discovered upon a bed in a downstairs bedroom. The murderer left a note in which he stated that he killed her on account of unrequited love.  The remains were brought here by Tuesday’s early train and taken to the home of her uncle Wm. Kelpin where they rested until buried in the Windfall cemetery that afternoon.  Until three years ago Fred Kelpin and family lived at Heathville where they are well and favorably known. The deceased was a particularly bright and attractive girl.  She is survived by her parents, three brothers and two sisters. The father and her brothers accompanied the remains here. The sympathy of this community is extended to the family and particularly the heart broken mother.