Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Donalson, Edward, Sr. 1933 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net August 16, 2015, 11:09 am Belding Banner-News, 7 Dec 1933 Former Local Man Killed By Hired Helper Quarrel Over Few Potatoes Causes Murder and Suicide Last Friday Edward Donalson, former local man and who resided for a number of years in the Brink neighborhood, was murdered by David Reed, his hired man, at his home a few miles north of Ionia last Friday. Reed killed Donalson by mashing in his head with a hammer, after which he returned to the house and after several hours committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun. According to Ella Mae Donalson, 18-year-old daughter of the murdered man, Donalson and Reed had been quarreling during Friday morning about the price they were to get for several bushels of potatoes, and whether or not they would hold them for a higher price. It is said that both men had an interest in the potatoes. About 10 o’clock the two men left the house and a short time later Reed returned. He informed Ella Mae that he had killed her father and buried his body in a manure pile at the barn. Reed then grabbed the girl and tied her up to a bed post and for several hours walked up and down the room threatening her life and talking all the time about the murder of her father and stating that he would rather kill himself than to spend another day in prison. Reed was a paroled convict and was referring to his former incarceration, evidently. After walking the floor for several hours, Reed untied the girl and after informing her that he was going to kill himself, advised her to go to the home of a neighbor and inform them of the murder and suicide. He cautioned the girl not to hurry, however and again threatened her if she did. Ella Mae went to the home of a neighbor and told of the tragedy. The sheriff’s office at Ionia was informed and when they reached the scene of the trouble they discovered Donalson under a pile of manure and rubbish in the cow barn. He was still alive and breathing but the entire top of his head had been beaten in by a lot of hammer blows and he died shortly after being taken to the house. The body of Reed was found lying on a bed in the house. One of his hands still grasped a rusty shotgun. He had placed the muzzle to his chin and had pulled the trigger, sending the charge into his head. The Donalson family were for a number of years residents of the Brink neighborhood, occupying the house on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. George Wiley. They moved from there to the place near Ionia. Mrs. Donalson, who was employed in Ionia at the time of the murder and suicide, is a daughter of E.R. VanNortwick, of 715 Harrison Ave., this city. Funeral services for Mr. Donalson were held Monday afternoon at the home, after which the body was brought to this city and taken to River Ridge cemetery for burial. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/d/donalson31827nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.3 Kb