NEWS ARTICLES ON THE DEATH OF RUTH ANN REED; 1881; OTOE COUNTY, NEBRASKA From the "Syracuse Journal," August 26 and September 23, 1881. Submitted to the USGenWeb Nebraska Archives, June, 1998, by Leona L. Gustafson (GenBug40@aol.com). USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express written permission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist. *************** SOURCE: "Syracuse [Neb.] Journal", August 26, 1881, page 4, column 2; received from the Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE. The wife of M. G. Reed, of South Branch precinct, disappeared from home late last Sunday night, and at this writing she has not been found. Mr. Reed, we understand was away from home at the time and returned to find Mrs. Reed gone and her child but ten days old alone, crying. Instantly the neighborhood was aroused and search instituted throughout the section. The creeks were closely examined, some thinking she might have been drowned. Finally it was found that she in all probability had gone to Nebraska City and crossed the river at that point. Some parties had seen a woman answering the description of Mrs. Reed at several places between her home and Nebraska City. It is supposed she went from the latter place to Shenandoah, Iowa, and there took the train intending to go to some point in Kansas where she has relatives living. The lady was supplied with clothing and money. Evidently, Mrs. Reed had become suddenly aberrant in her mind, and it is to be hoped that she will soon be found and restored to her home. *************** SOURCE: "Syracuse [Neb.] Journal", Sept. 23, 1881; page 4, columns 3 & 4 MRS. REED FOUND. The body terribly mangled by hogs. Last monday morning the news came to our town, that the body of Mrs. Reed, the wife of M. J. [sic.] Reed, of South Branch precinct, was found about 8 miles south of Syracuse, in a corn field. Repairing to the place indicated we found the story too true. In Wm. Tangeman's corn field in Osage precinct, a little over eight miles south of this place, there lay the mutilated remains of the unfortunate lady, who on the 21st day of August last, in a temporary fit of insanity, wandered from her home to die in a horrible manner. The facts of the finding [of] the body are these: Last Saturday afternoon, the 17th inst., while Herman Tangeman was husking corn in the field mentioned, he came upon a lot of female apparel which lay in a pile on the ground. He did not notice any human remains at the time. The clothing was not disturbed, and the next morning, thinking that something might be wrong, he went to see Justice D. Doeden, of that precinct. While he was at Doeden's house, Jacob Showalter and Wm. Tangeman went to the corn field and the former first discovered what was left of the body of Mrs. Reed. A number of people in the neighborhood was informed of the circumstance, and a messenger was immediatly [sic.] dispatched to notify coroner Whitten of the finding of the body. Monday afternoon Sheriff Geo. R. McCallum as acting coroner, ordered constable Frank Myers of Osage precinct, to summon a jury; and the investigation proceeded on the open prairie, in the road, just outside of the corn field. About forty persons were present. Jacob Showalter, Herman Tangemann, Wm. Tangemann, M. Reed, Miss Alice Reed, David Reed and D. Doeden were the witnesses examined, and the facts elicited amounted to what has already been published. The remains were about ten or twelve rods from the road. The main portion of the skull was in one place, the lower jaw of the same was several feet away; a few of the larger bones of the body was found two and three rods apart from each other. The flesh was all gnawed off by hogs and perhaps wolves. The clothes lay in such a manner as to indicate that Mrs. Reed had wandered during that sad Sunday night, about four weeks ago, until worn out by travel and weak from exposure, that she crept into this lonely corn field; and being deranged in mind, she thought she was at home, and took off her clothing to retire for the night, about eight miles from her home. At the side of her apparel were her shoes and stockings tied togather [sic.], looking as if she had been carrying them while travelling [sic]. Every article of the clothing was identified by the husband and daughter of the deceased, who were present at the inquest. The following is the verdict of the coroner's jury: STATE OF NEBRASKA } SS COUNTY OF OTOE At an inquesition [sic.] holden [sic.] at Osage precinct, Otoe County, on this the 19th day of September, 1881, before me, Geo. R. McCallum, acting coroner of said county, upon this body of Mrs. Ruth Ann Reed, lying dead by the jurors, whose names are hereto subscribed; the said jurors upon their oath, do say that they believe that Mrs. Reed in a state of abberation [sic.] of mind, did on the 21st day of August last, secretly leave her home and wandered to the place where the body or the remains now lie, which is on the N E 1/4 of section 33, township 7 range 11 east, situated in Osage precinct, in Otoe County, Nebraska; that she became exhausted by travel and exposure and lay down and expired where the remains now lie. In testimony thereof, the said jurors have hereunto set their hands the day and year afforesaid [sic]. JACOB LISK, Foreman. H. MINDEMANN. GEO. HOPP. PETER GOODHUE. CHAS. KUTCHER. A. C. ALDRICH. GEO. R. McCALLUM, Acting Coroner. The remains were taken possession of by the family, and prepared for interment. The scene was a very sad one and a very grievous one to behold. The husband, family and relatives of the deceased lady, have the sympathy of the people every-where throughout the country. Mr. Reed is an old settler, and is highly respected by every one who knows him, and especially is he esteemed by the old settlers of Otoe county. To the old settlers and others, who have sent words of sympathy and offers of assistance, he returns his heartfelt thanks, and desires us also to express his gratitude to his near neighbors, who did all they could to comfort, advise and assist him in searching for his unfortunate wife. *************** Source: IBID., column 1 The father and mother of the deceased Mrs. M. G. Reed, arrived from Kansas last Thursday to attend the funeral of their daughter.