Miami County Obituaries 1906

Obituary of Margaret F. Rice. Information provided by Marc Doty, mdcdoty@indy.rr.com, 4 February 2006. (Reference: The Western Spirit, 28 Dec 1906, page 1, transcribed from microfilm viewed at the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS)

"Death of Mrs. Rice. - Mrs. Margaret F. Rice, who died at the St. Joseph hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, on the 4th of this month, had been ill for some time. Two weeks before going to the hospital, she was taken seriously ill and it was found necessary for her to submit to a surgical operation. Throughout her long sickness she was attended by her sister, Mrs. Virginia Dedrick, who accompanied her to the hospital. Mrs. Rice was the youngest daughter of David and Mary Mitchell. Born in Newburg, Pennsylvania, July 17th, 1852, she came with her parents to Kansas in 1858, where they settled in Linn county, south of Twin Springs. In 1866 Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, with their family, came to Miami county. Margaret at the time was fourteen years of age. She attended Mound Creek school two terms and on the 27th of April, 1869, was married to James M. Rice. They located on the farm where she resided the remainder of her life. The deceased leaves two sisters, Mrs. J. M. Dedrick and Mrs. J. H. Martin. Burial was in the Mound Creek cemetery."

Obituary of Eugene Vohs. Information provided by Sean Furniss, 12 Feb 2006. (Reference: Western Spirit, 30 November 1906)

Eugene Vohs Murdered

Eugene Vohs, of Wea township, was murdered Saturday evening, the 24th, on his way home from Louisburg. Accompanied by his son, Lawrence, he drove to town Saturday morning with two loads of hogs. These he sold, and Lawrence returned home early to do some evening chores. Mr. Vohs having some trading to do, did not leave Louisburg until about six o'clock. No one was seen with him on his departure, but in passing the Fitzgerald farm, 1 mile south of the Vohs place, Mrs. Fitzgerald noticed two men in a wagon and recognized Mr. Vohs as one of the occupants. About eight o'clock, Lawrence, hearing the team at the gate, came out of the house to open it, thinking his father had arrived. He called to him several times and received no response, climbed up on the wagon and there discovered the dead body of his father at the bottom of the wagon bed.

The crime had not been committed very long as the body was still warm. Mr. Vohs had been shot. Two bullets entering the left side of his head near the temple, another penetrated his breast and the other passed through the top of his head. The murderer had evidently been in close range as the hair on the side of his victim's head was scorched. Upon hearing that her husband had been shot, Mrs. Vohs recollected of hearing two or three pistol reports a half hour prior to the finding of the body.

It is generally supposed that the assailant, knowing Mr. Vohs had sold hogs in Louisburg and had considerable money on his person, obtained his consent to ride with him, and when the opportunity looked best, killed him, but was too close to the dead man's home to rob his person and the money was found intact in his pocket. This seems to be the only plausible solution of the tragedy, because Eugene Vohs was a man of amiable temperament who had few, if any, enemies in Wea township.

Carl Baker, sometimes called Carl Warnecke, was arrested last Sunday morning by Andy Weir and brought to Paola, where he was lodged in jail to await his preliminary, date of which has not yet been set. Baker is about twenty years old and has been working for Herman Speilbusch. Suspicions were aroused by Baker being seen walking in the road north of Louisburg about the time of the murder. When taken into custody, a revolver of 38 calibre was found on his person and the bullets which caused Mr. Vohs' death were of this size.

The deceased was born in Germany in 1844 and came to America in 1866, coming directly to Miami county, Kansas, and locating on Sec. 32, Township 15, Range 25, where he engaged in farming. In the year 1876 he bought out the general store at Wea, then owned by Homer Mayer, and later was appointed postmaster of Wea post office.

Mr. Vohs was married at Wea, January 9th, 1872 to Miss Maggie Goebel, daughter of Peter Goebel and a sister of P. W. Goebel and F. S. Goebel, of this city. Six children were born to themÐMaggie, Albert, William, Ida, Jasper and Lawrence. Maggie is now Mrs. Thos. Schwartz, living in Louisburg; Albert lives in Eaton, Colorado; William is located in Kansas City, being connected with the Loose-Wiles Cracker Co.; Ida is unmarried and makes her home in Eaton, Colorado; Jasper is on a farm adjoining that of his father in Wea township, and Lawrence, the youngest son, lives at home. Mr. Vohs has two brothers in Wea township, Joseph and Anthony.

Funeral services were held last Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock in the Wea Catholic church, conducted by the Rev. Father hohe. Interment was in the Wea cemetery.

Death notice of Eugene Vohs. Information provided by Sean Furniss, 12 Feb 2006. (Reference: The Olpe Optimist, 6 December 1906)

Found Dead in Wagon. Ð Eugene Vohs, a farmer who lived northeast of Louisburg, was found dead with a bullet hole behind his ear in the bottom of his wagon when his team reached home. Vohs had been to Louisburg to sell a load of hogs and, if killed for the purpose of robbery, the murderer must have been frightened away before he could finish his work, as the money was found intact in the dead man's pocket. Carl Baker, better known as Carl Warnett, about 20 years old, has been arrested charged with murder.

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