Mary Stewart had died too young, and her husband, William, couldn’t stand the grief. Buying a gun, he set into motion plans of murder and suicide. But after telling a neighbor, nothing went the way he expected, resulting in an unbelievable conclusion. Sources Police Block Father’s Plot to Slay Babes. The Davenport Democrat and […]
Episode 95: Depths of Despair: A Murder/Suicide Plot in Iowa Read More »
Mary was gone, and there was no bringing her back. William Stewart stared out the window, letting his mind wander through the past. Mary and her family had come from Germany and settled in the area around LeClaire, Iowa, in the eastern part of the state. When he had met her, Mary’s name had
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Dr. William Stoecks was a dedicated physician and surgeon, treating countless people throughout his career. He died in 1961. But did he stay in his former home and interact with the college fraternity who bought it? Sources Arpy, Jim. A Ghost Chaser Unravels the Mystery of Davenport’s ‘Haunted House.’ The Times-Democrat, 5/11/1972 Sheridan, Joe.
Episode 92: Did Dr. William Stoecks Keep His Routine After His Death? Read More »
Davenport, Iowa, has played host to several strange events over its long existence, but certainly one of the strangest took place in 1919. In March of that year, a 41-year-old doctor named William A. Stoecks was working on the third floor of one of the city’s hospitals, Mercy Hospital. As he went about his business,
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William Engelberg was probably looking for a better life when he came to America. But his efforts were met with tragedy after two of his wives committed suicide only a few years apart. Sources Engelberg. Chicago Tribune, 7/17/1916 Mother Takes Her Life. Chicago Tribune, 6/17/1916 Mother Drowns Baby in Bathtub; Kills Herself. Chicago Tribune,
Episode 84: William Engelberg’s Wives Commit Suicide Only A Few Years Apart Read More »
When William Engelberg came to America, he was probably looking for a better life. Born in Russia in 1872, he immigrated to the United States in the late 1880’s, possibly seeking escape from persecution for his Jewish faith. He initially landed in New York City, and then made his way to Chicago, Illinois. Eventually,
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The mansion was a secret hidden in plain sight, overlooking the Mississippi River in Bettendorf, Iowa. Some say that something strange still walks those halls, perhaps from the mansions past of sudden death, madness, and suicide.
Episode 74: The House on the Hill: The Haunted History of the W.P. Bettendorf Mansion Read More »
The mansion was a secret hidden in plain sight. Situated on the river bluff overlooking the Mississippi River valley in Bettendorf, Iowa, the mansion was a place that could be seen by everyone, and yet only a very few were allowed to go there. But for those privileged enough to enter, they sometimes discovered that
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When Olive Funk was killed, nearly everyone saw it happen. While shocking, it would reveal a series of tangled secrets and lies buried beneath the idyllic façade of a small Iowa town.
Episode 67: Small Town Secrets: The Death of Olive Funk Read More »
The handgun glinted in the sun, shaking slightly with the ragged breaths taken by the woman holding it. She lay in the middle of the street, covered in dirt. The woman yelled at her attacker to stop, voice tinged with fear and anger. Her assailant, a wide-eyed, bedraggled looking woman, simply stared back
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