“Mrs. Antonia Zoll met her death between the hours of 11:30a.m.
and 3:00p.m. of Thursday, July 27, 1911, by the hand or hands of a person or persons unknown to us.” Chas. L. Bean, Lewis
Dinkel, Wm. Rogers, Adam Rauber, Elwin Doane, Frank Haas"
Such was the verdict of the above jury which
was impaneled here Monday by Coroner DeKleine and Sheriff Andre and which will probably close one of the most baffleing (sic)
death mysteries in the annals of Ottawa County crimes.
That the poor old woman had a desperate fight
for life is conclusive, and how she got in the cow shed before dying is still a conjecture.
Mrs. Zoll was one of those kindly affectioned,
(sic) sunny tempered old ladies, had not a known enemy and was greatly loved by everyone who knew her. She was seventy-five years old and practically lived alone in very humble circumstances in her little house
north east of Conklin, her son, Andrew, who is unmarried and works for the near by farmers, stays at home occasionally and
was at work for a neighbor at the time of the tragedy.
Mrs. Zoll raises a little garden truck and had
been to Conklin on that day where she had disposed of some and purchasing a few groceries had returned home when it is thought
she was attacked at once. Circumstances pointing that the main attack was made
in the rear of the house near the rear door. Her hat lay near her spectectles
(sic) near the door step also a stick of wood that had been used. That she had
made a desperate effort to gain entrance to the house through the rear door is evidenced by blood stains on the door and side
of the house. In combating her antagonist her right arm and shoulder was broken
and her nose crushed; her death was probably caused by a terrible blow inflicted on the temple. As she was found in the cow stable a few rods away, the theory is she was dragged there after she was severely
beaten, where she was found by a neighbor woman, Mrs. Ed Kelley, who saw her basket of groceries on the front door step and
her hat laying near by and thinking something had happened called to Mrs. Zoll and not getting an answer began looking around. When she saw the victims apron hanging on the lower part of the shed door and upon
looking in saw the prostrate form laying in a stall with but a faint breath of life still in her. The frightened woman thinking that a terrible tragedy had occurred, ran to the neighbors and called for
help. Dr. Cilley was at once called upon the scene but could do nothing for the
victim as life was extinct.
The authorities were called at once and Deputy
Sheriff Salisbury, Prosecuting Attorney Osterhouse and Coroner Dr. DeKleine came on the scene and at once took up an investigation. As there seemed to be no tangable (sic) clue, A. E. Bonner and his bloodhounds were
called but on arrival all possible trace of scent had been tramped out on account of the scores of people who had visited
the scene of the tragedy.
Coroner DeKleine ordered the body removed and
was placed in charge of Undertaker Benton who took it to his undertaking rooms in Conklin where it remained until after the
inquest Monday.
On account of a flock of sheep of which one was
a ram, was being pastured on a part of the premises, and when this information was detailed to the officers, Andre and Bonner
at once went to the pasture caught the ram, found traces of blood on the sheep’s neck which they cut off and Andre took
to Grand Rapids where an Analytical Chemist examined the blood and who said the size and shape of the corpuscles indicated
they were human blood.
This for the time being cleared up there (sic)
murder theory, but the Coroner’s Jury sevessed (sic) this theory and it still looks as the poor woman’s death
was due to human hands and if so the one who did the awful deed should pay full penalty for the atrocious crime.
The funeral was held Tuesday morning from St. Joseph’s church Wright, Fr.
Guthausen officiating and she was laid to rest beside her husband in St.
Joseph cemetery.
from The Conklin Enterprise, August 4, 1911
